So, Gwen, when did you notice that things were not exactly right? >>I believe it was around 2009.
I noticed there was a tremor in my hand. At first I didn't think much of it but then it
didn't go away. So, I decided at that time I should probably see a neurologist and I made
an appointment. >>And what did they say after you made that appointment? >>They did some testing and
after the test came back they do an MRI usually to make sure that you don't have like a brain,
it's sort of a process of elimination. There is no test to tell you you've got
Parkinson's but they did the MRI they did a cognitive test, they did an EEG on me
and when all those came back he made an appointment and told me that I did have
Parkinson's Disease. >>And what was your reaction? >>Well I'm a nurse so, I kind of had a feeling
that's what it was so, I wasn't surprised. >>But so that's a lot to take in >>It was
a lot to take in because it's a chronic illness something I'll have for the rest of my life.
>>What was the suggestion as far as treatment? >>The first treatment was a medication of course
it was a medication called, Azilect which I don't believe they use too much anymore because
they felt it really didn't do much for you. It was supposed to prevent you from getting worse.
And then, I think year two or three they started me on the Carbidopa Levodopa or Cinnamat
and that worked very well. And over the years I just had to take more and more of the medication
until like every two hours I was taking it and it was hard to control my symptoms. >>What were your
symptoms? >>Of course the tremor in my hand and then it went to the the arm and the right side
my right leg it was on my right side at that point, slowness of movement,
unable to smell. That's one of the symptoms, loss of balance so, those are some of the symptoms that
I had. >>And over time you mentioned it did progress. You were taking a lot of medication.
>>A lot more medication, yes. >>So what did a neurologist suggest to you? >>Well during
my appointments he started to suggest I would say maybe a fifth year or whatever he would start to
suggest that I have the DBS surgery at Penn State and I was very nervous about it, leery about it.
To me it was brain surgery and it was something scary and so, I kind of just,
kind of put that off until it got to the point where I was taking my medicine
way too much and I was making me nauseated and my, you know, my life was not what I wanted it to be.
So, I decided to have the surgery. I talked to a couple of people who had it done,
that helped me tremendously because that kind of made me think if they can do it, so can I. So,
I decided to have it done. >>Talk to me about the process. How did it go? >>Oh, it went very well.
It's a three-part procedure but the most
invasive part would be your second surgery where you they insert the electrodes into your brain
and then the third surgery is where they put the generator in your chest
and they hook up the wires to the generator and then once that is done then they I think in two to
four weeks they program it and then they turn it on and try to get your symptoms to where they're
much better. >>How did it work for you> >>Oh, it was like night and day. It was really,
it really has been a blessing, a real blessing for me. I'm able to do pretty much anything i only
have to take my medicine three or four times a day where I was taking it every two hours.
It's just been a real blessing and I just want to let everybody know that it sounds scary
and you know brain surgery is no easy thing but you know if I can do it, so can you and
I wish I would have done it sooner. I really do because my symptoms are so much,
especially my tremor, that has really, you know, gotten a whole lot better. >>Oh that
is wonderful to hear. So, glad that it made a difference for you, Gwen. >>Oh, very much so.