Hi MaryFrancis,
I am still here and fighting PD on all fronts. I am doing OK, after 20 years of PD, I can get up unmedicated, shower and dress, let the dog out and get breakfast ready. I get up about 6-00am, and go on the computer for an hour or so until my wife gets up. Then i take my first meds at 8-00am. I manage on 200 mg L-Dopa or less per day. Even this tiny amount gives me raging dyskinesia. I have difficulty swallowing, and cough up food up to 2 hours after taking it. I am 75 this month and have been retired for 14 years.
My non PD ailments cause me more trouble than PD!! I have a dislocated shoulder which they say can't be put back or it would just fall out again. They say the tendons holding it in are snapped. My arm is very weak and getting weaker.This is the result of a bad fall. My balance is not goodi have a large hernia which the specialist advises against operating on. He said it won't grow any bigger but he is wrong!!. Then I have a number of non healing spots from sun damage which the docs treat with liquid nitrogen. As soon as they are removed they pop up again saying helloooo!!!
I work with a London hospital, doing voluntary work for the PD research team. I travel to London every 2 months for talks and they treat me but nothing experimrntal. I have just joined a UK organisation, Parkinson's movement, as an ambassador, (Peggy has also). I still maintain a half acre garden, with no outside help. All in all, life is good and i am enjoying it, as i said in another thread. I think a positive attitude helps a lot, concentrate on what you can do, not what you can't.
best wishes to all.
Ron