~sigh~

[Frenzy]

Just found out my grandfather's in the late stages of Parkinson's. Nobody knew he even had it, and he's in the late stages. He was recently moved into a home since he fell and broke his hip, which i thought was a good thing since before that he was reliant on my grandmother, who at 83 is all of 5 years younger than he is.

So i've been reading up on it. Turns out that being in a home increases mortality from Parkinsons. Which makes no sense since from what i've read, it isn't fatal unless it causes you to fall or to choke or something, and in a home you're more likely to be under supervision. who knows.

Also turns out that exposure to pesticides & fertilizers is one of the theoretical ways to get it. Other than a stint in WWII, my grandpa was born, raised, and worked on a farm until failing health 'retired' him after his 80th birthday. So maybe it was bound to happen.

i'm babbling. We were never close, but i love my grandfather and i hate to think of him suffering. ~sigh~

[JSUCamel]

that sucks :(

Hopefully, Michael J Fox and Co. will come up with a solution of some sort... if not an outright cure, maybe something to ease the symptoms a bit more.

*hugs*

[ShadowbaneX]

Sorry to hear that Frenzy.

One of the few things I know is that it's hard to see a Grandparent suffer like this. I wish you and your family all the best.

[Sodas]

I thank his service. Better that he has people who are trained to help him. My grandparents both need help right now, but refuse to take it.

[irerancincpkc]

Sorry about that. :(

[Cary Sedai]

It may have been bound to happen. Not that it makes it any easier, of course.

I have a friend who's father was a pharmacist from 1940, to 1975. He and all but one of his pharmacist friends devoloped parkinsons. We just didn't realize what all those chemicals would really be doing to us.

~hugs~

[Sarevok]

*hugs*

[SauceyBlueConfetti]

You have my deepest sympathies...

my only suggestion is if you live close, visit often and talk. And talk and talk and talk. As the disease progresses the body fails, but the mind is there...the PERSON is there and they need your respect and love to know life is still cherished regardless of the shell. If you are not close-by, I suggest writing letters...rambling remembrances, things you see on TV today, what the kids are doing. Finger painting (yours or the kids :D , your choice), drawings of the dog. Send flowers out of the blue, or a plant.

Best wishes for your family.

[Birgitte]

I'm sorry, Frenzy. That can't be easy. It's so sad...

[Uno]

Words are of little help under circumstances such as these, but, as always, I wish you and yours all the best. Love you, sis.

[Yuri33]

Frenzy, I'm sorry to hear the news. End stage Parkinson's makes it much more difficult for you to interact with your grandfather.

So i've been reading up on it. Turns out that being in a home increases mortality from Parkinsons. Which makes no sense since from what i've read, it isn't fatal unless it causes you to fall or to choke or something, and in a home you're more likely to be under supervision. who knows.

This has to do with keeping the mind engaged. It's the same thing with Alzheimer's disease. For many of the degenerative cortical diseases, you can prevent or slow down the progression of the disease by being active, by making full use of your mind. Staying at home, especially alone, tends to induce idleness, and the mind is utilized less. Social interaction is the highest form of engagement, with active learning (a new language, for example) being second best.

Unfortunately, it sounds like its a bit too late now. If your grandfather is having trouble starting sentences and engaging in conversation, the disease may have already degenerated his mind too far.

On the other hand, it seems like your grandfather has kept things hidden. If that includes his doctor, it may be that he has yet to take any medication for Parkinson's. For people who aren't yet tolerant to the drug, L-dopa (with carbidopa) can provide dramatic improvements, though the effect is temporary. The brain becomes used to the extra dopamine, which negates the effect. But if he has yet to take exogenous dopamine, you may yet have some more meaningful time to spend with him.

There are of course more drastic measures as well (deep brain simulators, etc.), but it looks like your grandfather is past that. I hope you get to spend as much time with him as possible in this trying time, and my thoughts are with you.

[Frenzy]

Thanks everyone for the kind words, thoughts, and support. Grandpa's too far away to go and visit, but i'm going to take your suggestion SBC and have the kids draw him some pictures to send his way. He'll have no idea who they're from, but that's alright. Last x-mas when we went to see him he was enchanted by the kidlets. My grandma told me later that he had asked who's kids they were, since he had no clue who i was. Later Grandma told my stepdad that Grandpa had thought they were him and his younger sister.

it's odd that you can feel happy and sad about the same comment.

[John Snow]

So i've been reading up on it. Turns out that being in a home increases mortality from Parkinsons. Which makes no sense since from what i've read, it isn't fatal unless it causes you to fall or to choke or something, and in a home you're more likely to be under supervision. who knows.

Also turns out that exposure to pesticides & fertilizers is one of the theoretical ways to get it. Other than a stint in WWII, my grandpa was born, raised, and worked on a farm until failing health 'retired' him after his 80th birthday. So maybe it was bound to happen.


Awfully sorry to hear that, Frenzy. The nursing home higher mortality is mostly because of who goes into a home - namely people whose health requires the extra care.

And, yes, PD researchers, me included, have been looking long and hard at pesticides, ever since Bill Langston found that outbreak of acute PD in the bay area in 1986 from some street/garage drug that looks a lot like agent orange. But we're coming up fairly blank. There's something about being on farms that raises risk a bit, but it doesn't seem to be the chemicals. So we're pursuing genetic interactions, scraping around for another ideas. Some of the top PD researchers in the world are right next door to you in Sunnyvale, Frenzy - The Parkinson's Institute, with Bill Langston & Carlie Tanner, and a whole crew of top people.

[Sei'taer]

I'm sorry to hear about that Frenzy. Prayers and well wishes are coming your way.

[Gilshalos Sedai]

I'm so sorry, Frenzy. You and your family will be in mine and Bryan's thoughts and prayers. *hugs*

[Bryan Blaire]

Frenzy, you and yours are in my thoughts. I'm so sorry you guys are having to go through that. ~big hugs from us~

[pops taer]

So sorry to hear that Frenzy!!! You have my deepest sympathy and well wishes. Here is a big ole swampeast Missouri hug for you!!! SSSSQQQQQQQQUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZEEEEEEEEEE EEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pops

[Ishara]

I'm late, but I wanted to let you know that I'll be thinking of you and yours....

[tanaww]

Sending good thoughts your way, Dark Mother. I do think the reason that being in a long term care facility statistically increases mortaily is partly because only the worst cases go there.