Hubby with Parkinsons Disease

[Rhona]

I'm sorry to hear about your hubbie - my lovely FiL has Parkinsons, though his is quite advanced. I do know that catching it early is of huge benefit and I hope your husband responds to his treatment.

There is a lot of exciting research that he may benefit from - I know of one woman who turned her symptoms around by a combination of diet (amazingly - lots of info on this out there) and other things. She was in the relatively early stages and wanted to explore the options. To answer your question, if your husband is interested in the garden and wants to give it a go, then I think it's a brilliant idea!

[shirlthegirl43]

Good luck with the medication getting sorted. I don't have any experience of parkinsons so can't help there.

Madmax (my OH) used to work abroad in a pretty stressful environment, and he wasn't really interested in gardening but was fascinated when I unearthed buckets of new spuds. I gave him his own bin full of seed spuds year before last and made him plant it up, earth it up etc which got him interested in what was going on in the veg garden. He was gutted when the spuds got blight but is keen to get some planted this year (he gave up the stressful job last year and now works at the local Halfords). I think what I am trying to say is that if your hubby enjoys a particular veg, get him interested in sowing that and caring for it and see how things go.

[selfraising]

The diet thing sounds interesting, can you remember where you saw the article?

[Rhona]

The diet thing sounds interesting, can you remember where you saw the article?

It was actually the woman herself who told us about it - she was running a boutique hotel we stayed in years ago, and was evangelical about how the diet had helped her. I do recall that it involved no red wine though! I'm sure FiL/MiL will be able to remember the details. I'm fairly sure FiL visited the specialist who devised it - leave it with me and I'll get back to you.

[selfraising]

Thanks Shirl
His main hobby is medal collecting but that's indoors. Whilst I don't want to pressurise him, I do think being out in the fresh air and active would do him good all round. He says he's not sure whether he would like gardening but he won't know unless he tries. He does ask lots of questions and takes a general interest in what I'm doing, so there is some curiosity there. He does like spuds, perhaps I'll take the approach that if he wants them, he'll have to grow them himself and see how he gets on!! Also as I normally work all day, I thought I would give him the responsibility of certain parts of the garden while I'm out.

[selfraising]

Thanks Rhona that would be great!

[selfraising]

Just to say thanks to everyone who has replied to my thread so far, you've all been really kind. It's been good to chat about it cos apart from my best friend, I have nobody to talk to about the illness.

[RedThorn]

HI Selfraising

Have you had a look at the following website? Under the topics "about parkinsons" then "living with parkinsons", there info on diets etc

Parkinson's Disease Society

My wife downloaded and printed off loads from here for her mom and dad

Would like to add my thoughts to you as well. Most people tend to forget the ones closest also have a lot to deal with.

[lettucegrow!]

Sorry to hear your news.I would have thought anything that raises self esteem has to be a good thing and it must such a blow to hear that diagnosis. There is help out there but isn't easy finding it.There might be a Specialist Nurse you can contact for advice through your local Primary Care Trust and make sure you look after yourself as well,you both need to keep as well as possxxxxx

[selfraising]

Redthorn thanks for that, I will have a look!! And thankyou for your last comment it's not always easy but most of the time my sense of humour sees me through and of course.........the gardening, yea!!!!!!!!!!!

[di]

Sorry to hear that SR.I know how awful it is for you both!!!My sis was diagnosed about 3 years ago...although her symptoms had been there quite a while before...she's only just turned40!!At the moment she's really struggling trying to get her meds sorted & it is really heartbreaking to see her sometimes.Although she started on a new additional medication just after Christmas & it seems to be improving things a bit.I know there's a forum she goes on where she gets a lot of support...could even be The Parkinsons Society???I can ask her if you like.
Snuffer,it's so reassuring to hear how well your Father is...much as I/we try to stay positive it's too easy to see the people that deteriorate at speed & forget that actually in many it is a manageable disease...so thanks for sharing that & giving a little positive hope.
S.R,I hope your OH can get his meds sorted soon & that some of these posts have given you some hope as they have me!maybe the garden would be a good thing for him to get involved in,even if on the bad days it's just to supervise where you put what...or on second thoughts!!...seriously,lots of love sent out to you both.Di.xx

[selfraising]

Thankyou andy&di how awful for you too. When hubby was first diagnosed we thought it was just going to be a trapped nerve or something, how naive is that! I fully understand what you're saying about the meds. Hubby's always seem to work for a bit and then stop working. Problem is, he's already running out of options med wise. He even said tonight he was thinking of stopping his current drugs cos they don't seem to be doing any good. In fact in addition he was given some valium based drugs and they seem to work better than the Parkinson's drugs. Everyone has said lately how well he looks and much more alert. Makes you wonder doesn't it? How is your sister coping with it all? I do feel for you.

[maytreefrannie]

Sorry to hear about your husband, SR, I don't know much at all about Parkinson's, but I feel gardening, as much or as little as he felt like, would be of benefit.

Good wishes.

[di]

I actually think the additional ones that my sis started at Christmas are Valium based...lets have joined hope that they're what's gonna make the difference...I know that they are in addition to her actual Parkinsons one & they're not directly supposed to control the Parknisons...she said they're more a relaxant.
Not sure about your OH,but I know if my sis forgets to take her meds on time it sets her back quite a bit.I'd always assumed that they built up in the system as they are long term,but doesn't seem the case?

[selfraising]

Yes OH has noticed that too. I've also read earlier that some Parkinson's drugs don't work very well if you have a high protein diet. Have suggested to OH to perhaps join local Parkinsons group but he seems reluctant, not sure if it's cos he's worried about what he might see! He does belong to a forum too but don't think he's been on it for a while. Does your sister get tired quickly? Hubby seems to be forever sleeping. Listen, this is just a suggestion, but if your sister ever wants to talk to someone in the same boat rather than on the forum, I'm sure OH wouldn't mind and I could PM you our email, just a thought.