I fell getting out of bed this morning! I was getting up for work, I only work three days a week now so I go in on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. I was a bit stiff, more so than normal, in fact when I went for my V-B12 shot yesterday, the LPN noticed I looked wiped. On the pain scale, I put myself in the 9-10 range with sore biceps and triceps. When I got home, I took a nap and actually felt better when I got up.

Anyhow I went to sleep last night feeling pretty good actually because the medication kicked in finally. The muscles were acting normal again with subsiding pain, and I actually played the harpsichord for over two hours without problems before going to sleep.

I go to get up this morning feeling stiff again, and I inched my feet over to the floor because I can't jump right up. I go to stand up and end up falling forward on to the floor. It's a good thing being a slob because I had some clothes on the hardwood floor and they acted as a cushion. I did bump my right cheek though. I can feel it now, but felt nothing when I went down.

There I was on the floor. I called out for help, but even though I sounded loud in my head, no one came in to help me. I laid on the floor for about 1/2 hour until my sister came up stairs to take care of my little niece. She lifted me up, and remarked how stiff I was.

I ended up staying home from work because I'm afraid to drive with this rigidity. I think I'm ready for a medication change, update or something. A new fork on this long rough road, I think.

John

I'm so sorry to hear about your fall, John. Good thing you had some clothes on that hard floor to give you a softer landing!

Wait ... you have a harpsichord? How cool is that? Are you on YouTube playing Bach?

My friend Joan Snyder is quite a warrior. She has severe balance issues due to surgery gone bad.. i think i told the story about her falling quietly in the kitchen and me finding her face down, but there was a pumpkin right by her head. it was funny.

but joan says, "don't you just hate it when you get stuck and have to wait for someone to find you?"

well yes joan,, but i do appreciate her humor about it. it's a bit of a downer to discover a new "corner" has been turned with this illness. another clear limitation has established itself.

You must be positive...
.no you don't, you just have to have a way to get to positive.

nurse your wounds, rigidity has ruined my life. falls aren't anything to fool around with. don't hesitate to buy safety bars or whatever it takes.

we're here to listen.

paula

This is a digital instrument - a Roland C-30 - because my Italian virginal needs too much work to be playable, and this was actually less expensive than having the real thing fixed. Besides no voicing is necessary with this!

Falling ain't fun, and as Paula says this is a new turn. It's not going keep me down (pun intended), I'm going to keep pushing myself to keep on trudging as long as I can.

The good news is I received an email from UMASS Lowell regarding my transcripts. If I enter in September, I'll go in with 90/120 credits needed! That's a big load off of my back in getting my degree.

So I keep looking for the good things, and not dwelling on the inevitable. The reason why I posted is because this is a first for me. I've fallen before, but because the floor-type changed, or something got under my feet. This was totally different and gives me something else to think about now.

Paula your friend Joan is right. There's nothing like being on the floor until someone finds you. I'm waiting for that day to come soon.

John

dear john,
I am sorry you fell, you said, you played and instrument for 2 hours,
2 hours is like 10 hours for a PD patient, it uses our energy up, and we are
happy whilst we are doing this - yet the no pain - no gain - cliche
doesnt apply to us "Parkies"...
if I run the sweeper, my arm will hurt the next day or two...
if I take a walk around the block, my legs will be tired thus weak
from the using of those muscles...
I suggest looking into a massage therapist who knows about
massage therapy aka passive exercise for PD patients, that way
perhaps you can heal without hurting yourself further,
falling is as you know - not too great...
the meds could be tweaked or you could take a supplement that I take
I do not profit zip for telling you this - so I do not sell this product...
and ask your doctor before taking...
it is called brand name - garden of life - Oceans 3 - "Better Brain"
read about it online
www.beyondomega3.com
http://www.oceans3.com/BehindtheForm...5/Default.aspx
take care,
peace to your heart,
tena

[I put myself in the 9-10 range with sore biceps and triceps. ]


Are those sore arm muscles related to the PD or something else?
just curious about that..

PD is a movement disorder, our neurotransmittors do not send the
signal correctly
example - you automatically when healthy can take a step,
the foot should pick up - not in PD and in Multiple Sclerosis,
and other neurodegenerative illness,
you want to take that step, but we short cicuit, and we freeze, loss of movement.
it is actually called - akinesia
when Parkies cant stop moving, tremor or uncontrollable movement,
it is called dyskinesia...
I have had abit of both - neither is fun or funny...
the last is dystonia - just as painful as childbirth,
I will tell you, they do need an absolute test for PD, because of the
variations of symptomology...
I hope I answered your question; my first symptoms were tremoring hands.
peace to your heart,
tena

EXERCISE! walking or running is especially good

find a physical therapist who specializes in PWP and get on their balance restoration program.

EXERCISE! work on your upper body strength. This will allow you to get up on your own. I really wish I could do upper body! When I get my shoulders fixed, you'[ll be able to find me in the gym!!!


find a good accupuncturist, they will be able to get rid of your dystonia for 2-4 days.

The Wii Fit ia good too.

Charlie

Hi Jo,

My neuro thinks it's related to the PD since the Sinemet does help. I'm still stiff today, but not as bad as I was on Friday.

John

Thank you very much for this, Tena.

I get the dystonia in my feet and more recently in my hands. I agree it's very painful, but I wouldn't know about child birth.

Maybe I'm just pushing myself in trying to be "normal" and not giving in when I'm supposed to.

My earliest symptoms were the spasms in my feet. Eventually I had a tremor in my right hand. It's funny I don't tremor much now, and when I do it's in my jaw and my right foot - with my big toe doing most of the wiggling. If my hands do tremor, it's after holding something for awhile like a coffee mug, or eating utensil.

John