Re: Speech Pathology

[Laurel Costello <BUNNY52@xxxxxxx>]

To Mallory Dillon,
    Mallory,  I am new to Parkinsons -- tentatively diagnosed in June/July
and then started on Eldepryl  -  the generic form Selegiline  twice daily.
Initially did surprisingly well,  but three or four months later see the
tremor and shakiness returning on occasion.   Still better than before the
prescription.  See the neurologist on 19th November.      (Just to document
my minimal involvement so far,  and inform you of my lack of real knowledge
so far.)
    Being new,  Curious,  and aprehensive,   I have gone to a Parkinsons
Seminar
given by Dr. Rosenberg at  Palms of Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fl.
He is not a neurologist, but has a long term interest in PD as his father
eventually succumbed after being a patient for years.  He was in Life
Magazine in '68 or '69 when l-dopa was being studied and was one of the first
in patient trials.  He was eventually in nursing homes,  but was tried on
many of the medications as they became available.     Anyway..........Dr.
Rosenberg is very knowledgeable  and genuinely interested.   He may be able
to help you.
    I then attended a Parkinsons Survey at Northside Hospital on 49th St. in
St. Petersburg, Fl.   where their rehab clinic has a speech therapist as well
as physical therapist and occupational therapist,  all of whom talked to me
in October '99 and the physical therapist is petitioning my doctor for
approval/referral so that I can have  therapy for balance  (three or four
sessions to learn the exercises).   The speech therapist agreed that I did
not need speech therapy at this time.    All of this leading up to the fact
that  when I first experienced the fatigue of undiagnosed PD,  I did not
realize that  my inability to get up enough voice to answer the telephone at
work,  was indeed one of the symptoms.   That has been alleviated to a great
extent by the Eldepryl.......but You might be interested to hear that  my
resolution of the problem is to first take a deep breath,  and then speak,
pitching my voice lower to get better resonance.      I know I am very wordy,
  but I am hoping that you may want to contact the two centers I mentioned as
I am sure they would be interested.
    I would be interested in hearing from you as to how your research is
going, and hope to hear from you on e-mail.    You can reach me at
Bunny52@xxxxxxx   and that would be better,  as there are so many messages on
this listserve that it is difficult wading through them to find a specific
correspondent.    I do read them all almost daily since I joined only a week
ago.

good luck to you.