- Prior to the emergence of the tremor period - for 3 weeks, I lived on soups and sandwiches. Why? Because I had difficulty swallowing. The doctor ran a few tests, including that one where you swallow some "gunk" and watch on a screen as it goes down your throat and coats your stomach. Very cool! No problems detected and the issue disappeared on its own. Nobody thought of PD and why would they? The good news is that I lost 8 pounds. The bad news is I have since put it all back on, plus a few more.
Later, during the same period, it became difficult to write on small recipe cards and my signature, which was always clearly written, began to become unreadable. Meds cured that. Nice try PD. I repelled your feeble, but noticeable attacks. I just don't know how I did it and why you disappeared,.
- Arrival of the tremor period - I first noticed the tremor following a hard workout running and swimming. On my way to my car, my right hand started to rapidly tremble. I made a note to myself: "Maybe next time, you should tone it down. Remember you are 64." The tremor disappeared only to re-emerge on a Miami vacation, but only slightly and for a few seconds at a time, also following hard workouts. Then some days into the Miami trip, when taking my picture, my wife commented that my face looked odd, blank; that I never smiled properly, and showed no other expressions. I began to think something was wrong. I was to discover later that my look was the PD mask, but it also disappeared.
The tremor remained somewhat dormant until the trip from hell (see August 12, 2011) when it became apparent to the public. It was then I decided to go back to the doctor and eventually was diagnosed with early stage PD.
- Early medication period - on a pre-dawn walk, I came upon a puddle. My feet were acting strangely and I was stumbling around. I was determined not to go into the puddle but my feet decided otherwise. It was like some unknown and uninvited force was pulling me into the puddle. I splashed around for a unwanted moment. The only other person awake and outside was working nearby. He saw my confusion and offered to help. I was only a few houses from home so I refused, but for a nanosecond I had trouble moving. My feet did not want to cooperate. I recovered and went on my journey. Again, there has never been a repeat of that performance.
Another symptom of that period which arose and then disappeared was an abundance of saliva, causing me to slur my words and sound like an idiot. I may still sound like an idiot but it is not due to a sodden mouth.
- Post Diagnosis period - My voice disappeared, almost. I could still speak, but nobody could hear me if they were more than 5 feet away. That problem remains to this day, heightened by the fact that I have difficulty in finding the spoken word. I had that defeated through voice therapy but I let myself down by not keeping up the required practicing. Win some, lose some.
- Post Script - Needless to say, I am locked in battle with my enemy. A true wartime drama. A struggle for supremacy! The drugs are my weapons of choice, as if I had a choice, but so far they have succeedws in holding the advance of the invader as best they can. Eventually PD will win, but until then, it will keep on making stupid mistakes in trying to force other symptoms into my body. Let it try. I have L-dopa on my side, the Arnold Schwarzenegger of PD pills and it is being very effective in my defense.
I know, I know. The Bible says to love thine enemy.
Fat bloody chance!
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