Conquer PD!

Recently our church did what is called a "Pioneer Trek" where we take the teen age youth of our church to the mountains of northern Arizona, and recreate how the Mormon pioneers crossed the plains with handcarts. It is a wonderful experience for all who participate. We spent Tues-Sat living in this manner. This was the fifth time I have participated in one of these. I did alot of hiking and all in all did very well. I did not let PD get me down!

Why Do I Succeed? I succeed because I am willing to do the things you are not. I will fight against the odds. I will sacrifice. I am not shackled by fear, insecurity, or doubt. I feel these emotions, drink them in and swallow them away to the place where my light overshadows them. I am motivated by accomplishment, not pride. Pride consumes the weak; it kills there heart from within. If I fall, I will get up. If I am beaten, I will return. I will never stop getting better. I will never give up...ever. That is why I succeed. Mick Beaman My good friend, Mick Beaman, is a very inspiring man. Diagnosed in his 30's with Parkinson's Disease, and now 44, there is not a day go by that I talk to him that he doesn't lift me up. He is a very talented musician, photographer. He is dedicated to his family, and he is a great advocate for Parkinson's Disease. I am grateful to have him for my friend and hope that many get to meet him as well. Thanks Mick f...

This third example demonstrates my ability to move with the help of the stimulator. And I am still without meds. After this she had me take my meds, which I did. I laid down on the bed to rest, and eventually started to see the right side of my body do some things that were not good, my right big toe was twitching, my speech was being challenged, and it has really hard to be comfortable in that condition. This was a good sign. The meds and stimulation was  having a conflict. Both could not operate that strong together. So Dr. Mahant lowered the stimulation and then identified a plan to start reducing the meds so that eventually they could start turning up the stimulator, giving my body the greater opportunity to function without meds. This was a great sign. Now in the next few months, we will  have the ability to work with less meds and more stimulation.

Well, as you can see the stimulator is working! I was able to walk so much better than previously and I am still  off meds.

Leisa and I went to Dr. Mahant's office on May 6,  2013. I had not taken my meds since around 08:00 and this was around 13:00. Dr. Mahant wanted me to come in this "no med" condition so that we could see the results it might give me once programmed. As you can see I am struggling to walk.

The DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) treatment is an elective option that is available to those with Parkinson's Disease contingent upon meeting qualifications based upon the outcome of their longevity with PD as well as to testing associated that will help the doctors determine the patients cognitive abilities and response to medicine on and off. Having been challenged with PD for 5+ years, I was beginning to see my off cycles more prolonged and harder to work through. In the past 6 months I have been considering if DBS is the next step for me, putting it off at times merely for the fact that I would be allowing my head and my brain to be drilled in to. Last August 2012, I was invited to participate in a golf tournament that knowing what I know now, would be a life changing experience. Meet Chase Robertson: Chase is my cousin on Leisa's side of the family. His great grandmother, Ruth Bowen, and Leisa's grandmother, Twila Knight, are sisters. Twila and Ruth's husb...