on2wheelsks

Bill, I concur with others here, you are a true gentleman, may God watch over you during your struggles.
My best to you always, sir.
Pat

qcpmsame 

My thanks to everyone of you, I truly appreciate the kindness you've all shown me here. The many P.M.'s I've received have brightened my day, also. It never ceases to amaze me in how cyclist can come together when things get down for one of us. I'm doing quite well and riding as much as ever, thankfully, this is my sanity preserver, and it works surprisingly well in clearing the head out when it gets jumbled from the things at work or just life in general.

Monica and I are dealing with things and make adjustments as needed, not much has changed, actually, I have to take my balance and coordination issues into consideration and be careful about not standing up quickly, abrupt turns and generally just being smart about how I move about and such. Swallowing problems and my tremors are totally manageable, just annoying at times. I'm really looking forward to the Davis Phinney Foundation publications getting here, they are awaiting the next printing.

Again, my sincere thanks to everyone for the replies. Remember to tell your family and significant others you love them, it keeps things going very well when you mean it.

Bill

RonH

Bill, so sorry to hear the news. Keep that positive attitude and continue the riding.
If you feel up to the drive, the Rails to Trails ride is Oct 5 in Inverness. I hope we'll have a good representation of BF members. We'd love to have you ride with us.

jppe

Dang Bill. Hey, you now have a diagnosis so you will know how to better deal with it. You've certainly had your challenges the past 14 years or so and I'm guessing you'll be able to draw on past experience on overcoming adversity??

My Dad had PD so I know what he went through. Unfortunately he also had Alzheimer's so he really had his challenges.

You know us engineers have lots of questions. Answer them as much as you'd prefer. Some of these are to help me as I keep looking over my shoulder wondering if I have Dad's genes for PD and Alzheimer's. What are your symptoms? Did they come on all at once or increase over time? Do you think the medications from the surgeries had any influence on triggering PD??? (we think the medications advanced my Dad's situation---we was super sensitive to that stuff) What does your Doc recommend to help slow down the progression other than meds? Does exercise and diet have any affect??

All the best from NC.

cplager

Just keep riding, whatever it is you want to ride. (When you do get around to trying a recumbent trike, you'll see that it really is just like a bike crossed with a go cart - they are almost too much fun to be legal).

Google "Ride with Larry", too.

Keep the positive attitude and the bike. Together they'll take you far.

Good luck, my friend. Charles

findude

Diet and exercise is key. I know someone who has early-onset PD, and I found his recent story inspiring: BRIAN GRANT FOUNDATION ? View from the Top

Dellphinus

Bill, here's hoping you cope and manage it as well as you have everything else in life. You have an inner strength that is quite admirable. Hope we get to meet up some day.

George

Bill, good luck with this terrible disease . I really hope you keep it contained, with your riding and your positive attitude.

bruce19

Bill...just saw this. Sorry you are having to go through this. But, you have a good attitude and your faith. You will do well. Let me know if there's anything I can do to make it easier.

Rowan

This sums up our thoughts exactly, Bill. Machka and I are among the privileged to have met Bill and his family when we visited Florida. They truly are among the gentlest, kindest, humblest and at the same time, most determined people on Earth.

Stay positive, Bill, and we hope for us to catch up again in the not too distant future.

Notgrownup

Some of the things we have to deal with just duck sometimes, I have any ailments that keep me off the bike and sedentary for days but I am still kicking....will kick until I can't no more....good luck with dealing with your diagnosis....

qcpmsame 

Joe, as another engineer I relate completely to the questions! I make myself a list for each doctor's visit as well as a list of what symptoms are giving me trouble. This is a really early, fresh diagnosis so I'm learning as I go. The symptoms, hmm, there are a whole riot list of them right now, Swallowing problems were the ones that got me off of my butt and finding out what was happening. The ENT my primary care sent me to was the one to mention PD as a possibility back in July, a test he had performed (a Barium swallowing fluoroscopic study,) caught his eye when it showed "Esophageal Spastisity", one of the trademark symptoms. It got me researching things that had been problematic for several years. The other major symptom is balance and coordination, those are getting worse as time goes by and can be down right irritating when you fall a few times.

I quite frankly was putting things out of my mind after the 16 surgeries and all the procedures/IV infusions since I was just worn out and wanted to deny anything else. The two I mention above, along with tremors in my legs and hands, softening voice, trouble with hand writing (micrographia, one that embarrasses me as I am an old school engineer and draftsman, )painful Restless Leg Syndrome at night when sitting or lying down and very dry skin are some of the symptoms that got my attention. I went to the National Institute of Health website for a good source of information and followed their lead on sorting things out, and used several links they had to other information sources.

Mainly a lot of detective work and a sharp ENT doctor got things going towards finding the problems' causes. I'll have some more tests, but there is no lab or other indicator type test for PD. Its a case of the dopamine producing cells in the brain dying off as time progresses and the motion problems set in. Finding a cure and a way of having a test for conclusive proof one has PD are two things that have to happen and what the various fund raising groups are all about. I'll stop the long winded sermon now, P.M. me if you'd like to discuss this, I'll be happy to do so if anyone wants. I'd rather not take up more bandwidth here.

Bill

okane

Welcome to our "select" group......I was diagnosed in December during a pre surgery physical. Great fun, you're going to have major back surgery and guess what, you have Parkinsons! Too make matters worse, the operation was a dismal failure and a different surgeon says I need another one. You have 2 options, cry or laugh about it! I've found that not thinking about it or making jokes about it makes it easier on myself and my friends. (I have a couple jokes I spring on friends when they learn about my condition that brings on a smile instead of a pity party.) And at this point I can still ride, so screw you Parkinsons!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JimF22003

Good luck Bill. You helped me out a ton when I was going through some post-surgical complications two years ago. Don't be shy about asking for help! Don't know when or if I'll get to Florida, but if I do you know I'm going to invite myself over

qcpmsame 

Okane,
Thanks, I've already had my spinal surgeries, thank you very much. Three of the critters, the last and most successful was a 2 level P.L.I.F., at L4-L5 and L5-S1, got the bone grafts with Ti cages, Ti plates on each side and 4 Ti screws. Gave me back my right leg after 15 years of paralysis from a fall at work. Not related to the PD, though. I suspect that none of the 13 abdominal surgeries I've had, nor any of the IV antibiotic infusion series were responsible in any way for the PD.

I pretty much choose to just laugh about the strange happenings with my body, now, and take it all in stride. Fussing, ranting or crying will not change things one bit and I need my strength for the bicycle rides I have planned right now. Glad that you can manage well and still ride, maybe some day we can meet up and pedal a while together, say a 50+ PD from BF Century, Metric or Half Century. that would be pretty cool.

Bill

Rwc5830

Hey Bill, not been on BF in awhile.

Check this link out about cycling with Parkinson's. Fred (10wheels) already suggested a trike as an option. His trike is really sweet and fast!

Latest News - Parkinson's Pedallers

Hope it all works out.

Richard

ModeratedUser150120149

Something I have discovered and may be appropriate after Bill's last post is the stairs analogy.

Those of us who are parents or have seen children grow know they do it in surges. Surges a lot like climbing stairs. Up a step. Pause a bit and then another step.

Aging appears to be the same except in the other direction and much more painfully. There is a fall from one step to the next. It hurts a bit, or more than a bit. Then, after awhile another fall. And so the sequence continues.

What can a person do? The same as several on this forum. Keep a positive attitude and keep doing what the body will allow. Not unrealistic, fairy tale life. Nor by an obsession with illness or weakness. But, sitting in the light, exercising as much control as possible and not being shy about confessing weakness and asking for emotional and physical help.

Bill, to me, you are doing that.

jeichelberg87

Bill, I do not know you personally (nor you I), yet I feel the need to comment about something I have noticed about your character.

For you to have received this news and yet still take the time to have congratulated me on completing my first century demonstrates a quality of person seldom found these days. Like I wrote in the other posts, I appreciate it. Please continue to run (or ride) the race set before you with the same dignity you have demonstrated throughout these forum pages.

Chapeau to you kind sir!

Artkansas 

Sorry to hear it. Happily, cycling is a great medicine to help.

CrankyFranky

I'm sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Your wisdom and perseverance has been inspirational to me, Bill. This subforum is a special place, thanks to you and the others here.

JanMM

Hang in there. Keep moving forward. Keep padaling.

qcpmsame 

All of these kind words and well wishes are humbling for me, so many of you that have replied are members I look up to and respect. Thanks, again, to everyone for being here and for just being your selves. I review these replies while I am out riding to keep me giving 100% in my rides. Keep riding and don't neglect your families and loved ones or take anything in life for granted.

Bill

Wileyrat

I'm not even going to pretend to know what you're going through, so what I'll say is I'm type 2 diabetic, and I decided for myself a while back I'm not going down without a fight.

Hopefully you feel the same way and you have lots of good miles in front of you still.

BluesDawg

Dadgummit! You have already been a living example of how life ain't fair. Such a kind and caring person deserves an easier go of it. I know there have been advances in treatment since my grandfather had Parkinson's almost 30 years ago. Take advantage of whatever medicine can do for you and live your life to the fullest!

Slowhead

I admire your positive attitude.