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Lois Hanson has struggled with Parkinson’s and other ailments—including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, headaches, and acute bronchitis—for several years. She and her husband, Merlin, have heard many questions about the disease, and she wrote the following to help the rest of us understand what it’s like suffering from this degenerative disorder of the central nervous system.
“Parkinson’s Disease, Plus”
Here are the symptoms of Parkinson’s with dementia that I’ve been experiencing and how they have affected me. My husband, Merlin, said that so many of you have been asking about how I am and what I have. I felt I had to write this for all of you.
I took a lot of these names off of papers I got from my doctor. They certainly got these right!
- Bradykensia: Profound slowness of movement.
- Tremor: Thanks to the meds, I now only get tremors when I’m nervous, frightened or excited.
- Ataxic gait: Stiffness in walking.
- Decreased arm swing: I experience this mainly on the right side.
- Problems with balance: When walking, I veer to one side or the other and will fall backward if not careful.
- Freezing: Sometimes I stand still, as my feet are frozen to the floor. I have to wait for them to decide to go.
- Micrographia: When I’m able to write, my handwriting is small and cramped, almost every time I write. It’s been a long time since I could write like I’m writing this. It is pretty plain to me that God wanted me to write this!
- Masked face: Reduced facial expressions.
- Dysanthe: Low, soft voice.
- Impaired manual dexterity
- Depression: Thankfully, not often, because God’s right here.
- Anxiety: Very much.
- Fatigue: Extreme.
- Esophageal reflux: Bad.
- Chest pain: Not my heart, but in the chest.
- Difficulty breathing: Definitely.
- Emphysema
- Hallucinations
- Neuropathy
- Arm and leg pain and weakness
- Weakness and dizziness: Yes!
- Leg jerking and cramping
- Sleepiness: It’s not unusual for me to sleep for 20 hours at a time.
I forget names many times and really confuse things. Last week I called my brother in Iowa and asked him how his broken leg was. He said he didn’t have one, but I insisted he did. I also asked him how his wife’s pregnancy was. Now I must tell you she is 70 and he is 72. He was laughing and laughing and I couldn’t understand why. I talked to him today and he told me what I said and we both really laughed at that.
One other time I was at my neurologist’s office and fell asleep while he was talking to me. He said, “Man, anyone that can go to sleep with the doctor talking to them doesn’t have white coat syndrome!”
I want you to know how very much I would love to be with you in church. I am so excited to receive the recording of the worship service each week. Also, Merl bought me an iPad II and my son Dennis put an audio version of the whole Bible on it for me. I wouldn’t be able to read it myself as I’m too slow, so it’s wonderful to have a reader. I can go to any passage in it that I want. Oh my, but isn’t our God magnificent! Praise God!
Thank you all very much!
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