This post is especially for my fellow-Parkinson’s patients who thought all their problems were solved after they had the deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedure. Although, the surgery changed my life, it does not cure Parkinson’s. The tremors stopped almost completely in my upper and lower extremities and I ceased taking most of my meds. What a miraculous change in my activities of daily living. My neurosurgeon and neurologist consider the DBS procedure to be a total success for me. And I agree, but I am cognizant of the fact that I still have Parkinson’s.
Let me explain: The brain procedure effected my tremors by decreasing and sometimes totally eliminating them. However, the imbalance and coordination issues that are a major part of having Parkinson’s continue to occur. Perhaps I am also more aware of them as the tremors no longer dominate my movements. Also, I have been encouraged to be more active because my tremors do not limit me which has resulted in my doing more things, such as biking and walking the neighborhood. These gross motor skill activities highlight the coordination and balance problems I continue to have post surgery. Soooo, what do I do? Well, the answer is the same as it was before DBS- fall prevention exercises.
As I have mentioned many times, I have found the best fall prevention programs come from physical therapists who specialized in this area. Bodies and Balance Physical Therapy offers the Power Up with Parkinson’s Program. It is specific for patients with Parkinson’s and includes 50 minute-sessions, five times a week, via zoom. I have been remiss in logging on to the sessions during the past few weeks and truly see the difference, When I participate in the program, I see a notable difference in my balance and my ability to prevent falls. I highly recommend this program.
Finally, I noticed that when I feel stressed or overwhelmed, my tremors return. It feels like there is an internal battle going on within my muscles between the nerves that want them to move verses those that are struggling to keep still. I am practicing some of the techniques I have learned over the years, such as meditation, yoga and “playtime.” (More on this in an upcoming post. Stay tuned!)
There is no doubt that I am 100% satisfied with the DBS procedure and highly recommend it for Parkinson‘s patients who are tremor dominate. Today’s post is simply a reminder that DBS, an incredible intervention, is not a cure. I must continue to ‘care for myself with good thoughts, good exercise, good nutrition, good sleep and, as always, good prayers!
