New campaign to help Fifers with Parkinson's

http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/fife-free...ers.3634455.jp
By Donna Simpson

* 'Get it on Time' campaign looks set to help bring about a change

THIS month, the Parkison's Disease Society launched a new washbag to help people with the condition to get their medication on time while in hospital.
In Fife, Victoria Hospital does not allow those suffering from Parkinson's to self medicate, meaning that patients must rely on nurses or doctors bringing them medication at exactly the same time each day, often resulting in an agonising wait.

But the society's new 'Get it on Time' campaign looks set to help bring about a change, and hopefully make life easier for those dealing with the ilness.

Donna Simpson spoke to Evelyn McLeod, a Parkinson's sufferer from Kirkcaldy, to learn a bit more about the condition and understand why the new campaign is so important.

``I have been an in-patient at Victoria Hospital on various occasions and have only been denied medication on time once - but it was one occasion too many.

``I was not allowed to self medicate, although I was in a room by myself, and was dependent on a member of staff being available to unlock the box to give me mobilising medication.''

Evelyn accepts that nurses have a busy job.

She says it's not that they don't care about the medication but rather don't know the importance of giving it to the patient on time – and believes more needs to be done to increase this understanding.

She said: "I struggled and shuffled to where the trolly was placed and asked the two nurses if I could have the required tablets and was told they would be with me soon.

"By this time I had very little ability
left to get back to my room and when they finally came to me, I was a huddled mass lying in bed and shaking like a leaf.

"When asked what was wrong with me, I replied that I should have had my tablets over an hour ago and now I was 'freezing' - a term used to describe when a Parkinson's sufferer is unable to move a frozen to the spot.

"The nurse replied "Do you want another blanket?". I didn't have the power to scream but if she had read that blue folder lying in the ward cupboard, things might have been different."

Evelyn is part of the Fife Parkinson's group, a local division of the society, and says that the group have been the biggest support throughout the last 13 years of her life in which she has suffered from Parkinson's.