About me

PROFILE:
I have been writing poetry and stories since I was a child, and a love of reading was instilled in me from an early age. I am passionate about writing, and hope you enjoy the books I have written. Whilst most of you sleep soundly in your beds, like many Parkinson’s patients, insomnia dictates, so during those hours that sleep eludes me, the house is tranquil and quiet, an atmosphere perfect to immerse myself in writing. My life has been a series of strange events, which have without doubt contributed to my creativity. To publish anything is to bear one’s soul to the world. It is to stand naked and let everyone see who you really are. I have poured my heart and soul out on paper and I hope to share this journey, immersing you in a story, capturing your attention and firing the imagination. Through my writing and public speaking I hope to bring greater awareness to the general public about living with chronic disease.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Deep brain stimulation

Apart from the many medications that are on offer today, there is an option that for some who have become medication intolerant, is the only choice left. DBS - deep brain stimulation is a fairly invasive operation where a lead, made up of four insulated wires are implanted in the brain. This lead passes under the skin from the head down the neck to a small electrical device, much like a pacemaker which is the power source that when turned on, delivers an electrical pulse stimulating a particular area of the brain. Here is a link - I warn you, this is not for the faint of heart. It is extremely graphic and even I, who thought was made of cast iron when it comes to medical issues, found it quite difficult to watch. Knowing several people who have undergone this procedure, I take my hats off to you. I think it takes a great deal of courage to undergo such an invasive operation. Whilst the medications I am on continue to work well, having a DBS is not on my agenda for now. I have met some people who have had this procedure and it has only partially helped with their quality of life, whilst others have benefited very much. Some fellow sufferers in Australia have recently  undergone DBS and it has been successful. I believe someone is about to undergo this operation in the next day or two. I wish you good luck and a speedy recovery. My prayers and thoughts are with you. 
Posted by Parkinson's, shaken, not stirred at 7:00 AM

1 comment:

  1. Nancy GarciaNovember 21, 2012 at 6:45 PM

    Thank you for sharing those thoughts! For a little more context, patient education material from an international medical society concerned with this and other neuromodulation approaches says: "Earlier treatments, called thalamotomy and pallidotomy, controlled motor symptoms by surgically destroying discrete parts of the brain. Once it became possible to deliver electrical stimulation continuously through an implanted device, DBS became the preferred treatment. DBS does not permanently destroy brain tissue, is adjustable, and has been shown to be at least equally effective. . . . Up to 28 percent of Parkinson’s patients whose symptoms are not adequately controlled by medication alone may be good candidates for DBS." (http://www.neuromodulation.com/deep-brain-stimulation, two other links at: http://www.neuromodulation.com/DBS)

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