Parkinsonism

Personal Finances Taking Care of Parents
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SO Parkinsonism is a complication of the type of PPA (primary progressive aphasia, logopenic variant) the hubster has. Also anosmia (loss of sense of smell). I noticed his sense of smell declining in his early 50s. It was nearly gone before he became too incommunicado to discuss it.

Over the past 9 months or so DH developed an occasional right-hand tremor (didn’t interfere with anything–it doesn’t seem to happen when the hand is in use) and slowed gait. Now he has the real Parkinson’s shuffling gait, worse sometimes, better sometimes. Not too bad today.

Since starting Depakote for seizures (has other effects, too), his tremor has all but vanished, but his gait has worsened. I don’t think I can take him anywhere where he needs to walk much more that 50 feet. Maybe less. Without exercise, his muscles will atrophy even more :frowning: I wish he wanted to use my exercise bike.

He did something he rarely does a little while ago…walked to the bedroom and lay down to nap. zzzz He already napped briefly on the commode (using it as a chair) in the bathroom, so I took advantage of the opportunity and showered.

He’s been better this morning than lately–little trouble getting him washed & dressed. Even brushed his teeth (OK, sort of-). Maybe have our 2 weeks of houseguests end has helped. I tried to drive DD & DGS to the airport yesterday, but DH refused to go down the last step into the garage and get into the car :frowning: DD has shopped for me since I tested positive for covid and refused repayment, so I at least wanted to save her the cost of an Uber.

It’s gorgeous out, and I’m frustrated that we can’t take a walk somewhere nice together or that I can’t even do so by myself :frowning: With my luck, he won’t test negative (with enables me to get aids back) till summer heat descends upon the Deep South. Maybe I can get him to walk a little in the nabe or yard when he wakens.

ASIDE
Set up my new Apple Watch (well, partially–I need to figure out how to get it to recognize exercise bike and strength exercises as exercise time–default uses GPS to detect a walk/jog/run). But anyhow, I love it! Elder bo has been pestering me for a year to get one for safety/health reasons. If you have an emergency, you press the stem (“digital crown”) 5x and swipe something to call 911.

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First time for everything…

After 4 attempts at peeing and failing, during the final attempt he squeezed so hard he made a large poo in his Depends. Imagine my ingenuity pulling down his shorts against his will, carefully tearing one side of the Depends and then the other, holding the poo inside the Depends till dumping in the toilet without dropping a…drop. Then washed his bum/upper inside thighs and testes with 3 washcloths against his will. I was VERY determined.

Small towel wash with lots of bleach underway…

Aside from that and 2 pees on the floor, it was a pretty good day.

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nutrition/nutritional supplements and PD (Parkinson’s Disease):

1053 individuals with self-reported idiopathic PD were available for analysis.

Foods associated with the reduced rate of PD progression included fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, nonfried fish, olive oil, wine, coconut oil, fresh herbs, and spices (P < 0.05).

Foods associated with more rapid PD progression include canned fruits and vegetables, diet and nondiet soda, fried foods, beef, ice cream, yogurt, and cheese (P < 0.05).

Nutritional supplements coenzyme Q10 and fish oil were associated with reduced PD progression (P = 0.026 and P = 0.019, resp.), and iron supplementation was associated with faster progression (P = 0.022).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5610862/

As one or two of you might remember, he was balking at swallowing supplements so I bought him gummies. He eventually started spitting them out (in random places on the floor throughout the house) and then refusing to ingest them. But this morning I got him to take my CoQ10 and fish oil gelcaps with his morning snack :slight_smile: I jope I can continue that. (Meanwhile I have a large supply of gummies…)

I’ve noticed his gait is faster or less shuffley some days than others. I wonder if it might be related to nutrition that day/day before/previous week?

Not happy about beef and yogurt being bad for PD :-/ With his digestive difficulties, I give him ~4 oz yogurt or 8 oz kefir most days. And cheese 2 or 3 times a week.

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Not happy about beef and yogurt being bad for PD :-/ With his digestive difficulties, I give him ~4 oz yogurt or 8 oz kefir most days. And cheese 2 or 3 times a week.

It is NOT a problem as long as you get dairy and meat products that are from pastured animals. These studies are completely oblivious to that very fundamental difference, and they use standardly available products that are from grain-fed animals. Thus the fats in those products are very high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s, and are thus inflammatory. With pastured animals, the fats in their meat and dairy products are nicely higih in omega-3s and low in omega-6s—anti-inflammatory. And right in line with some of fish oil’s benefits.

=sheila

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