[stevem53]

Hi Everyone..And welcome to our new community members..I didnt name any of you by name because there are alot of old community members who joined BT-2 with different usernames, so Im not quite sure who is who right now..But welcome and please continue to join us here whoever you are!

Today was our annual "Race Walk and Roll" here in R.I...It was the first time Ive attended it..We managed to raise $22,000 today..Our NBC local news station weatherman John Ghiorse was the Grand Marshall..The race was a 5k, and the walk was 1 mile..After John Ghiorse blasted the air horn to start the race of, he instructed us walkers that we werent in a race..and I said.."Youre right..Its not a race..Its a challenge"....So I walked the mile, and after the first 500 feet my legs were killin' me..and I turned to the people on the side of me and asked them if we were there yet?....What was interesting and inspirational was that there were three folks from my support groups that did the mile who have had DBS surgery..And there was this other gentleman named Walter who is in his late 60's to early 70's who walked the mile with one of those walkers with the wheels and the hand brakes..Well when we were at the starting line Walter says to me.."Are you ready to walk this thing in 3rd gear?"..And I said.."Sure"..Walter has had pd for about 10 years, and he took off with that walker and left me in the dust.. ..It just goes to show ya, that truth is stranger than fiction..Well anyway..That walk trashed me for the rest of the day..And Walter?..He told me he hasnt felt this good in years..God Bless Him!

This past week I had the opportunity to meet another Braintalk Community member and a good friend..On Tuesday I took a 2 hour drive down to visit "ol'cs" aka cs3..I left at around 5:00 am and headed out after a good nights sleep..I had to actually go to bed early for a change!..I got to his place at a little after 7:00..We met, shook hands, and sat down and talked about pd and how it changed our lives and about treatments, etc..We talked about all kinds of stuff for about 5 hours..Some real language of the heart that only 2 parkies can understand between each other..The things we experience in this journey that the rest of the world sees..but doesnt know how it feels to be us..He also gave me a crash course in chemistry which I had never understood a bit of..When I was young and stupid instead of old and wiser, I never took on anything that looked like I might fail at..I willingly flunked algebra and geometry in school because I was to shy to ask questions, because I thought I was supposed to "know"..Then I became a fisherman and started designing and building trawl nets, and thats when it hit me.."So thats what all these letters and numbers are for".. ..Anyway, its always kinda surreal when you meet someone in person that youve developed a friendship with online..You meet and its like youve known each other for a hundred years..I also found this to be true at the WPC..Ol'cs is the humble, compassionate, down to earth guy that really cares about people, who I envisioned him to be online..but very much moreso in person..It was really a special pleasure to meet ol'cs!..Ive met some really great folks from our community this year, and the irony is that we probably would never have met had it not been for pd..Huh!..pd!..What a deal!.. I certainly am not thanking pd for any of this, because we can all do without that part..But I thank God for the friendships that Ive made here, because its really made a difference in my life..And a huge difference at that!!

I think Ive finally got my boat sold..The guy who I mentioned on the other thread..On the history thread who offered me alot less than what I was asking for it?..Well I thought about it later on that night and I figured that since April that was the only offer that I had got..So I decided to cut my losses and get rid of the damned thing..So I called him back an he says hes pretty sure weve got a deal..Its time to move on while Ive got a chance, because the winter dock space is due, and I dont want to babysit that thing anymore, and I dont want to have to haul it and paint it again..So thats it!

Well thats my week folks..How are you all doing this week?

Steve

[Todd]

Nothing exciting to report. Just really glad to see so many names from the old BT1 show up here. It really feels like a community again. Thanks to Steve for keeping this tradition alive and thanks to everyone else for sharing your wisdom and wit. I really missed it, even though I'm a "newbie." Have a great week everyone...

Todd
PDtalks.com

[Evon]

Its 12:30 a.m. and I just got home from my sons 30th birthday party. My youngest son that is. Where does the time go, it seems to be galloping along faster and faster. The party was good, its actually still going. I was ready to leave at about 9 p.m. I was exhausted from the preparations. It will take me a couple of hours to settle down before I can sleep. It takes a lot out of you trying to stay up for a special event, and takes a few days to get over it too. I am scheduled for surgery on Oct. 19th so in the next few weeks you will probably sense my anxiety level going up. Not looking forward to going but it has to be done. All the parts seem to be wearing out and its time for a tune up.

[wendy s]

An interesting week. Met with my manager and we basically decided that the status quo was acceptable for now. I told her how I compensate for the problems I have - gimpy left hand, worry about slower reactions, tiny handwriting - and she just asks that I keep her posted. Seems reasonable. I really wasn't ready to make any major changes just yet.

Our hiking/book club met last night for a two hour hike over and around our local "mountain", potluck supper and discussion of The Great Gatsby. We decided that the book had been put on the great classics list by mistake! None of us are English majors, but we have a fine time taking books apart.

I'm starting to notice when it's time for the next meds - up until a few months ago, I could miss a dose and hardly notice. Now, it's quite noticeable. I've been thinking about switching from Sinemet CR to regular Sinemet so that I could cut the pill in half and take half a dose twice as frequently. I've often read here that keeping the dopamine level steady was important, has anyone switched their regime like that recently? Do you have to take a full dose in the morning to get started, or does a half one work then too?

What a terrible loss it has been, all the old threads in BT1. I think we need to be careful to answer people's questions more thoroughly than maybe we used to because they can't use "search" and find all the old information anymore.

We finally convinced my dad to have a Lifeline. (Is this an international program?. You wear a little button on a necklace or wristband that you can push if you fall or whatever, the phone rings at HQ, and they contact your responders who go and check on you.) Most people who need one don't want it, but their caregivers breathe a huge sigh of relief when they get it. My mom can go off and do her thing now without worrying so much. We told Dad he couldn't use it to order chocolate cake, and he was quite entertained by the whole introductory process.

[rosebud]

But time is evaporating all too quickly these days...I did send a snail mail note to Robert in Louisiana. I've still got a terrible cough and fighting this evil cold virus my son brought home. I started testing my blood sugar this week...not because of Rick's thread, but because It's been on my mind for awhile. I have a history of "glucose intolerance" and have noticed myself slipping further and further into the abyss lately. I was stunned to read the article he posted and boy do I fit the bill! My Glucose testing is showing significantly high readings, which coincide with having trouble getting meds to kick in! I'm pretty sure I'm over the line for type 2 diabetes (again)! I'm logging and diarizing everything...What a pain in the petutty. And yes Wendy, I am thinking of switching to the regular sinemet for better control. Talk about a bunch of control freaks...that's the theme in our lives these days. I wonder what it's like to be a Tibetan Monk and live at one with the universe?

[mamafigure]

Steve,
I am glad that your boat looks like it will be docked elsewhere, but I sure wish that you could get what it is worth.

It is a very pretty day here in my holler. My husband is putting up a new shed and my daughter is having a picnic.

I have not felt well for quite awhile. Peg has been babying me through this as I face surgery on the 24th. She is truly a wonderful person.

Take care,
mama

[burckle]

Hi:

Not much to report this week.Have a colleague visiting from Belgrade for a month starting tomorrow. Made the first down payment for the house in Maine. They will start the foundation in about 5-6 months and the move will take place in Fall of 2007. Was interviewed by the WEather Channel last Friday for a program that will shown on TV in May. 2007. No progress of my PD. Have morning fog, stiffness, the usual thing.

All the best

Lloyd