Day 10 was to be the “big day” – the day I would spend at Adventureland Park in Altoona, Iowa. Not to ride anything, just to soak up the vibes. Y’see, I worked in the rides department at Adventureland (a.k.a. A-Land) for four summers – … Continue reading Iowa 2025 Trip Report (Day 10)
I have been dreading this. One of the main reasons I didn’t get the pump sooner was that I didn’t like the idea of trying to get through TSA screenings with the thing. So, I was happy to find that the teetering mound of documentation … Continue reading Vyalev Pump and air travel
So far, I must admit the Vyalev pump provides the benefits I was hoping it would. My off periods are greatly reduced or non-existent, I’ve been more physically and mentally stable, and I turned into a werewolf. But I do have a couple of problems … Continue reading Vyalev Pump: Where do I put this thing?
The primary advantage of using the Vyalev pump rather than the pill form of the same medications (carbidopa and levodopa) is that the pump provides a steady input of medication throughout the day (and night), avoiding the “rollercoaster” effect that results from taking pills once every few hours. But the process ya have to go through each day to disconnect, refill, and reconnect is kind of an ordeal. Thus, after nearly two weeks using the pump, I found myself pondering whether it was worth it. So, this morning I decided to take a day off from the pump and revert to the pills.
Ah, how quickly we forget! Today has been AWFUL. When the pills are in full effect, I’m feeling quite good. But when they start wearing off, my whole body becomes tense, I become a hunchback, I get jittery, I can’t even think straight! In retrospect, none of this is new. I just needed a reminder of exactly how bad it all can get. Now I know, and I’ll be reconnecting to my pump first thing tomorrow morning!
Within my first week on the Vyalev pump, I have already tested (and proven) the strength of the component parts of the Vyalev pump system. Y’see, the tube that runs from the pump to the canoodler on the belly is long, to facilitate the human … Continue reading Vyalev Pump: Unintentional Testing
This week’s episode of Thymptom Thurthday (“Invisibility and Parkinson’s”) is hereby cancelled, as I have something new to tell you about: I have the new Vyalev pump! After weeks of waiting for insurance approvals (among other things), I went to my Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Specialist’s … Continue reading Vyalev Pump: It Begins
After my first few years with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), I noticed that about once a year, the PD would get significantly worse for a few weeks or months. I would tell my PD specialist about the new problems, and we would change something in my pill regimen, after which I would soon feel significantly better. But it occurred to me recently that, at least for the last two years (probably more), these Annual Worsenings have taken place during the winter months, with the Annual Get Betterments happening in the spring.
I’ve never seen Seasonal Affective Disorder listed as being associated with PD, but I’m beginning to think I may have both. The true test would be to buy a winter home in New Zealand, but I don’t want to be on a flight that long. So, I guess we’ll never know. On a completely unrelated note:
Over the last coupla days, whenever I’ve opened Microsoft Edge, I’ve been greeted by the screen shown below…
I keep asking myself, how exactly does one “celebrate 50 years of Microsoft”? The imagery that pops into my head is a guy yelling, “Wooooo! Let’s get rip-roarin’ drunk and try to install Windows For Workgroups 3.11 from floppy diskettes!” And, as pathetic as it sounds…I kinda wanna join him.
Today on Thymptom Thurthday, we return to everyone’s favorite topic: poop. When I last addressed this topic, I had been using a stool softener (docusate) for a few weeks, and was considering increasing the dosage. The label on the store brand I bought said to … Continue reading Parkinson’s Symptoms: Constipation Relieved and Revisited
Excessive daytime sleepiness is just one of many Parkinson’s Disease (PD) symptoms that many people don’t associate with PD. But it was this symptom more than anything else that led to my early retirement. Y’see, I was experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness at work – even … Continue reading Parkinson’s Symptoms: Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Welcome to the first official installment of Thymptom Thurthday (which may and/or may not be sponsored by Sylvester the cat). Under the ostriches auspices of Thymptom Thurthday, I will detail my own experiences with the many symptoms and side effects of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), covering … Continue reading Parkinson’s Symptoms: Anxiety
Voyages with Parkinson's 