Hi, how ya doing? Remember me? I’m the guy who used to run this blog. Over the last few weeks, I have seriously considered downgrading this blog to a status of Post Mortem. But then I found out about some recent breakthroughs in the treatment … Continue reading New Breakthroughs!
Today, I went to Corbin, Kentucky. Not because it’s the birthplace of KFC (which they claim it is), but for the Corbin Pinball Museum. These guys supposedly have over 100 pinball machines that are maintained for YOU to play. I didn’t actually count, but I … Continue reading Kentucky 2026 Trip Report (Day 4)
I slept in again today. The plan was to visit Hensley Settlement in the afternoon. “What is Hensley Settlement?” you ask. Well, you’re asking the wrong guy, because I never got there. Y’see, my GPS software apparently decided it was time for another battle of wits. I didn’t have an address or longitude / latitude for Hensley Settlement; I just browsed the area on Google Maps, and tapped the Hensley Settlement icon.
The GPS started by having me take the main road out of town (Middlesboro, KY). Then it had me take a very sharp right turn (probably about 160 degrees) onto an alleged state highway. This was a seriously winding, hilly, and narrow road. After several miles, this road ended at a junction with another seriously winding, hilly, and narrow “state highway”. I drove several more miles on this road before the GPS told me to turn right onto an even crazier road. This road was also seriously twisty and hilly, but it was only one lane (and it didn’t claim to be a state highway).
I kept my eyes peeled for potential pull-out and/or turn-around spots along the way but did not spot any before the road morphed into someone’s driveway, and I was surrounded by a pack of barking dogs. As if it wasn’t hard enough to get turned around while a pack of dogs is all around your vehicle, one little shit (a schnauzer) kept darting under my vehicle. Fortunately, the lady of the household popped her head out the front door and bellowed a mighty “HUSH!” And just like that, there were no more dogs, and I cleared the Hell outta there.
When I got back to the state highway, the GPS told me to head the way I had come from. Then it instructed me to turn right (the opposite side of the road from the driveway it had just sent me on). I took a quick glimpse. This road looked even steeper, windier, and narrower than that driveway. On top of that, I hadn’t seen a single road sign mentioning Hensley Settlement. So, with tears in my eyes and my money on my mind, I decided to call it a day and just wander aimlessly around southeast Kentucky to see what I could find.
Nothing. I found nothing. I eventually returned to Middlesboro, where I had some cheap Mexican food for dinner before retreating to my hotel. Once in my hotel room, I did some stuff on my laptop. In the name of convenience (i.e., not having to move hotel furniture around), I got myself into a somewhat uncomfortable position while using the laptop. So, I was not terribly surprised when I couldn’t get to sleep due to pain in my back.
What did surprise me was the fact that the pain started spreading. I applied approximately 2.35 buttloads of IcyHot to the area where the pain seemed to be originating. This did nothing. In fact, at this point, my whole body felt cramped. I took an extra dose of Carbidopa / Levodopa and a couple of Ibuprofen tablets. Still, it got worse. Soon, not only did I feel cramped all over, I also felt like I could vomit or experience explosive diarrhea at any moment.
At this point, I started debating whether to go to a hospital. But I quite convincingly told myself it was chilly enough outside that I would need to get dressed, and I didn’t think I could dress myself at that point. So, no horse pistol for me. After hovering over the toilet for a few minutes, I actually began to feel better. Soon, only the original back pain remained. And it felt like it would be eased just by laying on my back on a hard, flat surface.
So, I put my back on the tile portion of the hotel room floor and did my best to relax … (to be continued) …
So, I’m sitting here plotting my Kentucky State Vacation, when it hits me. I’ve had an “America the Beautiful Access Pass” for so long, I don’t remember when I got it. More importantly, I don’t remember telling any of YOU about the Access Pass. Well, … Continue reading America the Beautiful
Over the last year, I have mentioned my Vyalev pump many times. Overall, my experience with it has been very positive. Ultimately, the Vyalev pump only provides a continuous liquid supply of carbidopa / levodopa (Levo). I.e., it just replaces the Levo pills I had … Continue reading Medication Changes?
At the end of my previous post, I mentioned that I was experiencing issues with the Vyalev pump. Now is the time for me to bitch about explain those issues. Part One: I need to be fatter! Vyalev advises rotating the ‘insertion site’ once every … Continue reading Pump Trouble
The number of exercise programs / options targeting Parkinson’s continues to grow. Recently, “Up ENDing Parkinsons” made its Charlotte debut. This is rock climbing for people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). You read that right! Well, I assume you read it right. I really have no way of actually knowing what you thought you read.
But, yes! Rock climbing for Parkies! This seemed like the perfect fit for me. I spent a lot of time during my twenties and very late teen years wandering northern Colorado, looking for rock formations to scale. So, about three months ago, I decided to try Up ENDing Parkinson’s.
Charlotte is not exactly known for cliffs, so this is actually an indoor, human-made climbing wall. Several such walls, even. And this is REAL climbing. With ropes and harnesses. I never bothered with such equipment when scrambling up remote rock formations in my foolhardy days of yore. On some of the climbing ‘routes’ they connect your rope to a machine that prevents you from plummeting if/when you lose your grip. On the rest, they connect your rope to a human “belayer” who stays on the ground while you climb. I imagine that if you fall, the belayer would be catapulted into the ceiling, though I haven’t seen that happen (yet).
I was amazed at my lack of energy and my overall weakness. However, I was assured by several people that it’s normal for folks to feel that way in the first session, and that most folks get past that quite quickly. I went back a week later, but actually felt weaker during that second session. I had planned to go again the following week, but decided I needed to use that time to finish plotting my Maryland trip. Then I was in Maryland for about two weeks ago. Then I started having, ummm, issues with the Vyalev pump. I’ll address that in my next post. For now, I continue to believe in Up ENDing Parkinsons, and intend to go back soon.
About 2.5 years ago, I was considering undergoing stem cell therapy to try to treat my Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Ultimately, I concluded that I would only resort to this treatment if I can find a safer place to get it (the company that was offering … Continue reading New Stem Cell Development?
Back in May of this year, I undertook a whirlwind tour of Iowa. One of my stops was the world’s largest truck stop, where I found the product pictured above: TravelJohn! (TM). The exclamation mark is actually part of the brand name, not a reflection … Continue reading Product Review: TravelJohn!
Some time ago, I wrote a little about the Parkinson’s Disease (PD) symptom known to many as “Acting Out Dreams“. Over the last couple of days, this symptom (formally known as REM Sleep Behavior Disorder) has manifested itself in a new and annoying manner. Y’see, … Continue reading Acting Out Dreams Re-Visited
Voyages with Parkinson's 