Michelle answers:

I think you can help your Mum by loving her and telling her so often.

I am puzzled by your first sentence of diagnosis by GP. In the US and in Canada it is customary for the GP or Internist to make a referral to a Neurologist for the actual diagnosis. These are the motion disorder or motor neurone specialists who make a diagnosis by listening to the patient, observing, asking questions and eliminating other possibilities often through testing.

From the NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) Parkinson’s disease guidelines:
Table 3.2 Audit Criteria
Referral to expert for accurate diagnosis (no exceptions)
People with suspected PD should be referred quickly and untreated to a specialist with expertise in the differential diagnosis of this condition.
*In suspected mild PD people should be seen within 6 weeks, but new referrals in later disease with more complex problems require an appointment within 2 weeks.
You can read this 242 page document in PDF format here:
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/cg035fullguideline.pdf

But rather than waste time with that now – wait until later to look through that book.

Did your mother actually see a neurologist? Did the GP just relay the information from the neuro to her? Did they discuss a line of treatment with her? Did the doctor prescribe for her yet? When is her next appointment? What symptoms took her to the doctor?

What is so important at the onset of Parkinson’s disease is deciding upon a course of treatment. That is usually done with a doctor. A wise doctor discusses the options available, explains the positives and negatives of each treatment line and explains some of the alternative therapies which can be done concurrently. What did your mum’s GP do?

I’m going to suggest that you and your mum go online together and read from several sites below about possible courses of treatment open to her, supplements, exercise therapies, dietary changes or additions that can be made to complement the course of prescribed medication.

Here are some links to begin your journey of discovery:

The Parkinson’s Disease Society
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/about_parkinsons.aspx

The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
http://www.pdf.org/

From the Michael J Fox Foundation – today’s news:
http://www.michaeljfox.org/
09/23/2009 – Azilect from Teva’s ADAGIO Trial
“For early-stage PD patients, a 1-milligram dose of rasagiline met all three clinical endpoints for disease modification. However, a 2-milligram dose met only two of three endpoints. Because of this inconsistency, the drug cannot be definitively concluded to have disease-modifying effects. The Michael J. Fox Foundation spoke with Karl Kieburtz, MD, MPH, about how patients should interpret the news”

One reason I list MJFF is that they have expanded the site with more information for the PD patient. They have always had research information because they are doing a remarkable job funding the people who are looking for the parts and pieces that make up an eventual cure.

For general information you can read a variety of day to day issues and explanations of alternative treatments, meds & supplements my husband has taken, exercises for PD and general commentary. Just scroll down the right column index for articles which might keep you informed and reassured:
http://ParkinsonsFocusToday.blogspot.com/

There are symptoms to Parkinson’s disease which you can read about at all of the above sites. Not all patients get all of the symptoms. And when they do, not all symptoms appear in the standard stages.
I suggest you read about the stages first before focusing upon the individual symptoms.
Http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/03/questions-about-parkinsons-disease-part_3744.html

Individual Symptoms – remember you mum’s may be a bit different now:
http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/03/questions-about-parkinsons-disease-part.html

One of the most important things you can do is to reassure your mum that you love her and will be there for her – this doesn’t mean that you skip school – neither one of you needs that. But that you will learn with her about the disease, you will share your fears as well as your triumphs when a treatment helps. You will exercise with her if she needs the companionship. And that she is a very important part of your life.

Your mum may become depressed. This is both a symptom and a side effect. The most important thing a PwP needs to know is that their life and presence has value. Your mum’s PD (if that is indeed what she has) may progress very slowly and so some of the fears you both have, may not be realized for many, many years if at all.

Reassure her that there are good treatments and possibly cures in the pipeline. If she can take medications which can delay the progression, if she adds the powerful antioxidants such as CoQ10. Vitamin E and a few others to her regimen, if you can work our an exercise schedule, if you read and practice good nutrition for PD, there will be hope.

Addendum: yesterday the results of the ADAGIO study of Azilect, rasagiline were announced – it might be worth reading them and printing out for your mum’s doctor:
http://www.tevapharm.com/pr/2009/pr_872.asp
This happens to be one of the PD meds which my husband takes for his Parkinson’s.

Michelle answers:

Bruce Springsteen, Matt Hardy, Ray Charles, Jermaine Dupri, Brandon Jennings, September 23rd

Michelle answers:

And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 1937
Bartholomew and the Oobleck, 1949
The Butter Battle Book, 1984
Cat in the Hat, 1957
Cat in the Hat Comes Back, 1958
Cat’s Quizzer, The
Daisy-Head Mayzie
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? 1973
Dr. Seuss ABC, 1963
Dr. Seuss Sleep Book, 1962
The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, 1938
The Foot Book, 1968
Fox in Socks, 1965
Great Day for Up! 1974
Green Eggs and Ham, 1960
Happy Birthday to You, 1959
Hop on Pop, 1963
Horton Hatches the Egg, 1940
Horton Hears a Who, 1954
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 1957
Hunches in Bunches, 1982
I Am Not Going to Get up Today!, 1987
I Can Draw It Myself: By Me, Myself with a Little Help from My Friend Dr. Seuss, 1970
I Can Lick Thirty Tigers Today & Other Stories, 1969
I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!, 1978
I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew, 1992
If I Ran the Circus, 1956
If I Ran the Zoo, 1950
King’s Stilts, 1939
The Lorax, 1971
McElligot’s Pool, 1947
Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now, 1972
Mister Brown Can Moo, Can You, 1970
My Book About Me, 1969
Oh, Say Can You Say?, 1979
Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, 1990
Oh! The Thinks You Can Think!, 1975
On Beyond Zebra, 1955
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, 1960
Scrambled Eggs Super!, 1953
The Seven Lady Godivas, 1987
Shape Of Me And Other Stuff, 1973
Sneetches And Other Stories, 1969
There’s a Wocket in My Pocket! 1974
Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose, 1948
Wet Pet, Dry Pet, Your Pet, My Pet
Yertle the Turtle & Other Stories, 1958
You’re Only Old Once

Collaborations
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day
**********************************************************************************
1 — And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street (1938)
2 — Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1959)
3 — The Butter Battle Book (1984)
4 — The Cat in the Hat (1957)
5 — The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book (1966)
6 — The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (1968)
7 — The Cat in the Hat Song Book (1967)
8 — The Cat’s Quizzer (1976)
9 — Come Over To My House (1966)
10 — Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? (1973)
11 — Dr. Seuss’s ABC (1963)
12 — Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book (1962)
13 — The Eye Book (1968)
14 — The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938)
15 — The Foot Book (1968)
16 — Fox in Socks (1965)
17 — Great Day For Up! (1974)
18 — Green Eggs and Ham (1960)
19 — Happy Birthday to You! (1959)
20 — Hop on Pop (1963)
21 — Horton Hatches The Egg (1940)
22 — Horton Hears A Who (1954)
23 — How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1957)
24 — Hunches in Bunches (1982)
25 — I Am Not Going To Get Up Today! (1987)
26 — I Can Draw Myself (1970)
27 — I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today (1969)
27 — King Looie Katz
27 — The Glunk That Got Thunk
28 — I Can Read With My Eyes Shut (1978)
29 — I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew (1965)
30 — If I Ran The Circus (1956)
31 — If I Ran The Zoo (1950)
32 — I Wish I Had Duck Feet (1965)
33 — The King’s Stilts (1939)
34 — The Lorax (1971)
35 — Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now! (1972)
36 — McElligot’s Pool (1947)
37 — Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? (1970)
38 — My Book About Me, By Me Myself (1969)
39 — Oh Say Can You Say (1979)
40 — Oh, The Places You’ll Go! (1990)
41 — Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! (1975)
42 — On Beyond Zebra (1955)
43 — One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (1960)
44 — Scrambled Eggs Super! (1954)
45 — The Seven Lady Godivas (1939)
46 — Shape of Me and Other Stuff (1973)
47 — The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961)
47 — The Zax
47 — Too Many Daves
47 — What Was I Scared Of?
48 — Ten Apples Up On Top (1961)
49 — There’s a Wocket In My Pocket (1974)
50 — Thidwick, The Big-Hearted Moose (1948)
51 — The Tooth Book (1981)
52 — The Tough Coughs as He Ploughs The Dough (1987)
53 — Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (1958)
53 — Gertrude McFuzz
53 — The Big Brag
54 — You’re Only Old Once! (1986)

With millions of books in print, and nearly all of his 50-plus titles still available for sale, Dr. Seuss was, up until his untimely death in 1991, by far one of the most prolific living writers in the world. In fact, his GREEN EGGS AND HAM is the third largest selling book in the English language.

Born Theodor Geisel in 1904, Dr. Seuss has lent his talent to advertising campaigns of the 1940s, political cartoons for PM, and a 1935 comic strip for Hearst publications called HEJJI, about a young lad’s travels through the mythical land of Baako.

Commendations awarded to Seuss include an Academy Award for best documentary short subject of 1945 for his writing and production of the propaganda piece YOUR JOB IN GERMANY (aka HITLER LIVES). He also wrote (but did not create) GERALD McBOING-BOING, a 1951 Oscar-winning cartoon. Seuss was awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize in 1984 citing his half-century contribution to “the education and enjoyment of America’s children and their parents.

I have given you two lists to compare. Hope this helps. Good luck…..

Michelle answers:

These stats are from Fox & Friends Dr. Manny (I saw the show a couple of weeks ago. It’s from memory so I might be off a bit):

50% of Americans are overweight. However this includes 99% of pro athletes. You might be 5’10”, 190lbs, all muscle… You’re overweight.

33% of Americans are obese. According to the WHO, 23% or more body fat. Most linemen in the NFL.

18% of Americans are glutonus. 33% body fat.

Houston is the fattest city in America according to the 2000 cencus.