<h1>A few things you might not have known</h1>

How is your sense of smell? Mine, for the most part, is gone and has been for 10 or so years prior to diagnosis with PD. The inability to smell may be a sign that parkinson's has started. I realized my sense of smell was deserting me when I could not smell a backed up sewer that made others cringe. That was about 8 years before diagnosis but I knew nothing about this loss and its ties to PD. Some other things you might not know about PD

1. Some people think PD is a man's disease. That is partially true. Males are twice as likely as females to come down with parkinson's
2. The incidence of PD is about 1 in 200 people. You have to be lucky to get it, right? Those are some odds. If you are reading this and are clear of PD, don't worry, chances are you will not become a PWP.
3. It is confusing. Is parkinson's the same as parkinsonism? The answer is no. PD is a form of parkinsonism. There are other forms. These other forms have similar symptoms but for me, PD is the least worrisome. Other forms such as multiple-system atrophy are way more scary, so consider yourself lucky if your symptoms are diagnosed as PD.
4. Which leads to the question, how is PD diagnosed. There are no tests or scans that can show the existence of PD. Rather, diagnosis is subjective. I was diagnosed by an aging neuro with plenty of experience. He asked me to sit with my hands on my knees, palms up, and count backwards from 100 by 7's. Half way through, my right hand was shaking as if it was disconnected to my brain. I could not control it. "Early stage parkinson's" he said. Turns out he was right.
5. You might think that tremor is dominant in all cases of PD. Not true. I would classify PD into 2 types. I understand there may be more subsets, but two are all I care to mention, they being "tremor dominant" and "not tremor dominant. Simple, right. We all know what tremor dominant looks like but its cousin, non-tremor, looks different. It usually involves a change in walking. It is characterized by a slow, shuffling, gait, often with a limp or foot dragging. If you live in a house with a lot of stairs, you might consider moving or getting one of those chairs that carry you up the stairs.
6. Do you think only old people are affected by PD? If you do, you are wrong. Statistics show that most are diagnosed in their late 50's or early 60's. I was diagnosed 5 years ago at age 64. However about 10% of victims are diagnosed before 40. Michael J. Fox, for example, was 29 when he got the news, and conflicting reports have the earliest known diagnosee at either 3 or 12. Who knows which is correct? I think the average age is 56 or 57.
7. It is interesting that men are twice as likely to develop PD than are women, but only up to the age of menopause. After that, men and women are equal unfortunates. Is it possible tha estrogen may delay the onset of the condition?

I have grown tired (a symptom of my PD) and the time has come to turn off the computer and take a nap. I will be back with more information in a few days. Until then, rejoice in the fact that you can smell human excrement. It may not smell like roses, but at least you can still tell the difference.