An insight into Parkinson’s Disease

My mother drops into an armchair, exhausted but beaming with pride. She has just climbed two long flights of stairs to reach our friend’s lounge room. I know what you’re thinking; it’s a simple task to walk up a flight of steps. Well not for my mum. For her, just making it to the top of even a small flight of stairs is like scaling Mount Everest. You see, my mother lives with the debilitating condition, Parkinson’s disease. I interviewed her about her journey with Parkinson’s. This is what she said…. “I think I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 40 in 1983. That was considered to be quite young at the time. I was numb when I received the diagnosis, but what could I do? I just accepted it and tried to live my life as normally as possible.” When I asked her what medication she was taking she jokingly replied, “Have you got three quarters of an hour?” Parkinson’s Disease, or PD, affects at least 80,000 Australians, with more than 30 people being diagnosed with the condition every day. The disorder was named after a British doctor, James Parkinson. Parkinson’s Disease is mostly detected in people between the ages of 50 and 60 but it can occur in much younger people. My mother was diagnosed at the age of 40, which at the time was considered quite young. Then my brother was diagnosed at the age of 15, followed by my sister at the age of 19. This is known as Juvenile Parkinson’s It is not widely believed that Parkinson’s disease is hereditary. This topic has caused some debate. However reports of cases of more than one generation in families all over the world with Parkinson’s Disease have prompted new research into genetic make up. Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative disorder that is caused by either a sudden or a gradual reduction of the chemical Dopamine, a chemical in the brain that controls movement and co-ordination. There are five stages of development of this disease, ranging in severity from mild to severe and can occur gradually or very quickly. These include shaking limbs or tremor, difficulty walking and balancing, inability to stand unassisted, experiencing rigidity or stiffness in the limbs, difficulty with speech, and eventually the complete inability to look after yourself. Nobody knows how Parkinson’s disease occurs and there is currently no cure available. The brain just suddenly stops producing dopamine and there are no known triggers. The disease is constantly being researched yet a cure is still very far away. It is a disease that continues to stun our nation and nobody is immune. It can happen to anyone, at any age. There are many treatments that can improve quality of life for sufferers. These are mostly in the form of tablets, which replace the dopamine in the brain artificially. There are surgeries available that alter the brain in an attempt to slow down the progression of the condition. There is also a treatment that uses an infusion pump to constantly inject a special drug called apomorphin into the sufferer’s body. These are not subsidised however and cost roughly $700, making them inaccessible to most sufferers. For a Parkinson’s sufferer, eventually, everyday life becomes a never-ending struggle. Even the simplest task of feeding oneself becomes an all out war against the spoon. As the condition accelerates, extra help is required for just about every aspect of a Parkinson’s sufferer’s life. Feeding, dressing, even bathing and toileting eventually cannot be managed by the sufferer. When the need for a carer arises life becomes extremely upsetting for the sufferer, but also for the carer. Spare a thought for the carers of Parkinson’s sufferers. They have to do everything for their clients, and very often that client is a family member. They watch helplessly as their loved one slowly loses the ability to function as an independent person and becomes completely dependent on someone else for everything. My mother has said it feels like being treated like a child. It must feel like this for a lot of Parkinson’s sufferers. This is a pain I know all too well. I have watched my two older siblings (who have both , sadly, passed on) gradually lose their ability to walk, talk, dress, feed themselves and function as members of society. My mum can still walk short distances and can still feed herself but requires help with everything else. As for my brother and sister though….

Not even celebrities are safe from Parkinson’s. Actors Billy Connelly and the late Catherine Hepburn both experienced the torture of this condition. Also it has been revealed that the late great comedian Robin Williams was also in the first stages of the disease, as well as Pop star Linda Ronstadt who said the disease had robbed her of her ability to sing. The Boxer Muhammad Ali, the radio personality Casey Kasem and the Pope John Paul, all passed on now, II are among other well-known figures diagnosed with the disease. Michael J Fox is another. However he has not let the condition get the better of him. Diagnosed in 1992, Michael J Fox became an ambassador for Parkinson’s research. He created the Michael J Fox Foundation, an organisation dedicated to finding a cure for the disease and for finding better ways to treat sufferers through constant research. On heavy medication, Fox still stars in films and television shows. Every year in August the Parkinsons' Foundation of New South Wales holds a fun run and a four kilometre walk. Called the Parkinsons NSW Unity Walk and run, it is a chance to get out and meet other sufferers and their carers in a fun, relaxed setting. Situated at Sydney Olympic Park, the walk is a lovely scenic stroll through the beautiful surrounding bush land. Participants in the Sydney event have the option of walking or competing in the 4 km or 8 km run with prizes awarded to the first male and female winners in all race categories. The Unity Walk takes place every year and is currently in its 7th year. September is National Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and the 11th of April is World Parkinson’s Day. There is a blue Parkinson’s awareness ribbon available through Amazon and information about this condition is readily available and easy to understand on both the Parkinson’s NSW or Parkinson’s Australia websites. As more and more people are diagnosed, the disease is starting to draw more and more attention. Who knows, one day we might even have a cure!