<h1>Si vis pacem, para bellum</h1>

PWP ---- there is a war going on in our bodies which; unfortunately, we are not winning. All we can hope to do is stall the enemy before it devours all of our dopamine-producing cells. We all want peace in the valley and iff (if and only if) our bodies want peace, they must prepare for war; and so may I suggest exercising, almost daily, and eating the right foods (as I have said before I eat healthy meals- all thanks to my wife)in the hope that we can keep our bodies in dignified shape to compete in the endgame some years down the road. The endgame I foresee and predict is one in which PD is slaughtered by a CURE!

For me, So far, so good.

One of the weapons used by our enemy is a strategy of minor skirmishes over time. Symptoms appear, stop awhile, then disappear. But be rest assured, they will return.

Prior to my diagnosis, PD started its blizkrieg opening salvo by somehow constricting my throat and making it very difficult to swallow, so for 3 weeks I existed on soup and bread dipped in the soup. Swallowing these was easy but I am more of a carnivorous man by taste and, while I lost about 8 pounds, I was glad when the situation passed.

My reading found these little tidbits:

• difficulty in swallowing is called "Dysphagia".
• About 50% of PWP will experience dysphagia at some point in their journey.
• Dysphagia can be fatal. Dysphagia can cause a type of pneumonia - the result of food entering the lungs in swallowing mishaps.
• PWP are also at risk for asphyxiation or choking to death when food blocks the airways and breathing is cut off.

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Early Warning

The health problems caused by Dysphagia can be controlled if caught early. From a professor Doctor Mahler (university of Rhode Island - neurologist) we get this account:

One of the warning signs of dysphagia is drooling, Dr. Mahler said. The natural tendency to swallow slows down in many Parkinson’s patients so they do not swallow as often as they use to, and as a consequence they tend to drool, Dr. Mahler explained. The decrease in swallowing causes a buildup of saliva in the mouth which leaks out resulting in uncontrollable, unsightly drooling that can be a major source of embarrassment, said experts at the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF). This excess saliva can also cause a buildup of phlegm in the throat.

People around PWP should be aware of drooling and other early signs such as coughing while eating, a gurgly voice as if something is stuck in the back of the throat, or just simple swallowing problems. If the victim is unaware, point it out to him/her and suggest a medical opinion. Dysphagia can be controlled by drugs, much like the other symptoms of PD if caught early.

As I mentioned, my difficulty in swallowing went away and has not returned. In the meantime, I cut my meat into smaller bite sized pieces, avoid nuts (too easy to slip into the airways during a choke)and wash down potato chips with copious amounts of water - all just in case.

Hands up all you PWP who are having fun right now.

To tell you the truth, PD doesn't bother me much and certainly does not define my life. It is a nuisance but not one that causes me any grief. I have prepared for peace by preparing for war.

PAX VOBIS.