Re: DBS

[Carole Carey <ccwriter4775@xxxxxxxxx>]

> From: nancy <ds401@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: "Parkinson's Information Exchange Network"
> <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2001 22:58:33 -0500
> To: PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: DBS
>
> Hello list members, I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.Good things are
> suppose come in threes. I got a scooter, the next day , we got the 2 bedroom
> appartment. we  were wating for A week or two later . i went to the Docter .
> She ask me if had thought of surgery. I HAVE >>>DBS>>> I will have a
> evalulation on the 19 on DEC Can you tell me what is involved in evalulation.
>>
>> Thank you
>> Barbara Davis
Thank you, Barbara. My TDay was wonderful and the bad weather held off until
later!

When I was evaluated for the DBS/STN at KUMC in KC (mouthful!), this was
early in 1999.  I was already a patient there for 7 years and in 1999 they
had done the most of these type of surgeries in this country (only France
had done more).  I imagine the procedure to qualify is still similar.

 Off meds, I was tested with the typical PD run-through of finger taps, foot
stomps, waves, fists, standing up with my arms crossed, walking down a hall
way and back, being pulled backward to check stability (they're there to
catch you!) as well as an MRI, EKG, neuro-psycho exam (loads of papers I had
to fill out beforehand plus a 4 hour exam with the psych, making you think a
lot!).  It took 3-4 days.  I imagine they asked some general interview
questions.  I remember the surgical nurse asked me if I was sure I wanted to
get two holes drilled through my skull!  They want to be sure you have
support afterwards, in recovery as well as getting you to adjustments.  (I
had two sisters who are nurses coming to stay with me the first month
following surgery plus a husband and two teens.)  They checked insurance
although my surgery was covered my a Medicare grant to the KUMC that year.
I had had excellent response to Sinemet prior to the off-on periods and the
subsequent no response times to anything.  They really didn't realize how
bad I was until they recorded the sounds in my brain misfiring during
surgery, though.  I must have had good "mind over body" control except when
I'm tired, because I wouldn't "look" as bad as I really was.   I can't say
that would be true any longer since my symptoms look pretty bad turned OFF
these days, but still can fool people that anything is wrong with me when
I'm turned ON.  (contrast is like night and day) (The disease has progressed
but the surgery is keeping the worst of it at bay!)  I was also healthy in
other major areas (no heart disease or diabetes or high blood pressure,
etc.)  Go through the evaluations.  It gives you the chance to ask
questions, too.  You are the one getting the holes drilled in your head
after all!  Good luck!  Hope your surgery helps you as much as it did me!
Carole C. in KC
>>

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