Robert
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I’ve just recently gotten DBS surgery and I talk a lot more now and I cuss a lot more now..not angry cussing because I’m always optimistic but yeah I’m driving my caregiver nuts! Lol
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No! Thank God! Lol
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I nap all the time! I love it! I ain’t doing nothin else. Lol
I try to to think too much about it. I used to play in a metal band before I was diagnosed and wouldn’t get into bed till about 3am! And then I’d be up all night from all the excitement.
I’m one of those early on set guys. I was 42 when I was diagnosed.
Now uncle Sam pays my way, I’m a combat veteran (Iraq 2004). And I never really worried about anything anyway. So I would say. If you find yourself napping alot. Don’t trip. As long as you’re waking up! Lol
Just be thankful and grateful to be alive! Because everyone is suffering from something some worse than others.
But yeah sleep is all waky now but like I said I don’t worry about.
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Yes! I play guitar, bass and drums. But mostly guitar. I also produce. That’s kinda a hobby though.
I was about 42 years old when I was diagnosed in 2016. I was in a local metal band playing bass. I probably could’ve stayed on longer but I felt like if I did it wasn’t gonna be right. Bass in a metal band is pretty easy as far as mistakes in a live setting but I felt I couldn’t do the studio work anymore. So I mostly played at home, noodling just messing around. Then I would say the past 2-3 it became less and less. The last year I covered my drums with sheets because I wasn’t playing at all.
You know what helped?
DBS! I just recently had the surgery. March 31st. You could say I’m still recovering. I heard about it when I was first diagnosed. My neurologist said “There isn’t a pill or drug that will do what DBS does!” And there isn’t! At the time I wasn’t that bad and the thought of having my head cracked open was not appealing.
But putting my drums down and rarely picking up my guitars well…it sucked. I didn’t even want to produce. And that’s all editing!
Now I’m back to playing and producing.
I can’t wait to be cleared for run/jogging!
I’m not being by anyone to say these things. I’m glad I did it. But yeah, DBS folks! Thank God for modern science/medicine!
I’m just gonna leave these here…
https://youtu.be/w4I8PoLM704?feature=shared
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Hi Marty.
I’m Robert
There’s a few things that happened with mine. First I’m a combat veteran. I served in Iraq in 2004. Fast forward to 2016, I had lost my mother (to natural causes) and my youngest son to an accident. Both very traumatic and about 2 months apart…
Soon after I start with a tremor in my right hand. My sons old brother noticed it first. He asked if I was okay. I didn’t much about it because it didn’t last long and it was that bad. Then it got worse.
So I went to see a neurologist. She diagnosed me right away. Sent me in for a scan to make sure that’s what it was. She was concerned it was something worse. It was Parkinson’s.
Having gone to Iraq in 2004 I did some investigation. I found out the base I was stationed at had been Sadam’s chemical manufacturing plant.
I asked my neurologist if that could be the cause. She said it very well could’ve been. She wrote me a note saying so. I sent that along with all the articles I found in my investigation to the VA and filed a claim. It was approved without any denials. I now receive 100% disability.
I have rigidity in my right foot and a pretty bad tremor in my right hand as well. On the good side I’m set to have DBS surgery on Friday.
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I have. Well its more like high CBD strains of dispensary Marijuana. I sometimes go for those because they seem relax me a bit more and its nice a nice smoke. I’ve noticed that higher THC strains make me shake upon first inhaling. Then after a couple of minutes the tremor seem to settle down. Or by then I don’t care lol!.
But that seems to happen with any Marijuana I smoke. Most the time it just help me not feel so self conscious about my tremor.
And it does help with sleep. But a word of caution or at least something to consider; you will build a tolerance to it and eventually need more to get the same effects. My advice is use if you like what it does for you but take breaks every so often and you should have a good experience.
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I too try not to live in the past but I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about my past experiences playing bass in a local metal band. Before my diagnosis I was playing local shows, bars and clubs. The guys were bummed out when I stepped down. I was still able to play fairly well but I felt like it wasn’t 100%.
I still jam from time to time with friends or relatives. But I mostly play drums these days. I don’t know if I’ll get in front of a crowd again but you never know…
Anyway, that’s my “glory days” story I wouldn’t mind reliving with or without the Parkinson’s.
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I did. Before I was diagnosed in 2016 I was running every other day anywhere from 2 to 6 miles. On the off days I’d do sit-ups and push ups.
I’m not so athletic anymore but I’m fine with that. I still do push ups and crunches and can still ride my bike. My wife and I go for walks and hikes but its nothing like before.
I sometimes miss the activity but not so much that it gets me down. I have lots to be thankful for and that keeps me positive.
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It was an amazing experience, one of many I’m most proud of and thankful for. I’m working on my drum skills now. It’s something I enjoy and I feel that it helps with my Parkinson’s as it gets the left and right brain going. In the coming months I hope to get some project going.
And I have attended a few shows but nothing local. I think the last most recent was Depeche Mode in Sacramento. That was awesome and worth the risk of covid exposure lol.