WHEN MY WIFE AND I GOT HOME MONDAY NIGHT AFTER A VISIT TO VANDERBILT MEDICAL CENTER, OUR 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ASKED, "DADDY, DID THEY GET RID OF YOUR DISEASE?"
"NO, HONEY, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON MAKING IT BETTER," I TOLD HER.
ADDIE GRACE AND HER 9-YEAR-OLD BROTHER ELI ARE A BIG HELP, FROM TUGGING THE BACK OF MY SHIRT WHEN I FREEZE UP TO HELPING ME STAND UP FROM COUCHES OR CHAIRS.
I'VE READ MY KIDS EACH HAVE A 4 PERCENT TO 9 PERCENT CHANCE OF GETTING PARKINSON'S. I WONDER HOW MUCH THAT INCREASES SINCE THEIR UNCLE PETE, MY BROTHER, ALSO HAS IT.
IT WAS A LONG WEEKEND FOR MY WIFE, ANGIE. THEY HAD JUST RETURNED HOME FROM WEST TENNESSEE SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER ANGIE ATTENDED THE FUNERAL OF A FRIEND'S FATHER - THEN WE TURN AROUND THE NEXT MORNING FOR THE THREE-HOUR DRIVE TO NASHVILLE FROM EAST TENNESSEE.
THIS WAS A FOLLOWUP VISIT FROM LAST FALL'S DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION SURGERY EVALUATION.
SURGERY IS STILL THE DOCTOR'S ADVICE - AND I WAS READY TO AGREE TO IT. ANGIE IS ABOUT 99 PERCENT AGAINST IT.
WE ENDED UP TWEAKING MY NIGHTTIME MEDS, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE "CHARLEY HORSE" IN MY RIGHT QUAD IS PRESENT MORE OFTEN. AT TIMES, IT FEELS LIKE 90 PERCENT OF MY WEIGHT SHIFTS TO THAT SIDE, MAKING IT HARD TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING.
CHEERS
