GoCats76's Journal

I was raised in a standard, mundane, middle-class environment with no history of family related illnesses of any kind. I went to college for 7 years doing everything in my power to make up for lost time while living at home. Unfortunately, that included drugs, mainly marijuana and alcohol. I somehow made it through college alive, got married had kids and settled into the standard, middle-class lifestyle that I was used to. I had it all. I worked for IBM, had a wonderful wife, two great pre-teens, and many friends.

In November of 1998, while eating God knows what in the cafeteria, I noticed my left hand shaking a little while trying to cut whatever it was. I switched jobs and went to work for Motorola in 1999. Business was good back then and being an IT guy, I was the hero every time someone needed help. The shaking became more noticeable and I hid it as best I could. At that time I was running 22 miles a week, in-line skating and hiking. I started feeling an uneasiness in my left foot as I pushed off while skating, my foot turned in. OK, this was getting in the way of my daily stuff and I need to fix it.

In early 2000, My family doctor referred me to Dr. Mark Stacy at Barrow's in Phoenix, AZ. He and his team spent 20 minutes with me and determined I had dystonia and essential tremor. After researching all the symptoms on the Internet, I agreed with them (since I am an expert at this). He prescribed some drug and suggested Botox for my turned-in foot. Great, no problem, it could be worse. The drugs and Botox did not work. I needed a second opinion. I went to Mayo in Scottsdale where "the best" physicians all are. I saw Dr. Charles Adler. He came in and we did the standard PD "sobriety" tests, walking, touch your nose... Then Dr. Adler got irritated and said "I can't believe they didn't see that you have Parkinson's". That was his way of telling me my worst fear. Subtlety wasn't part of his personality. He prescribed Sinemet and Klonopin and said to make an appointment in three months.

I was 42 and still on top of my game. My wife and I took the diagnosis in stride and figured we could handle this. Soon things started crashing down before our eyes. One month later, I had to give up skating. Six months later, I stopped running and started walking. My shaking was interfering with work and my performance reviews were going down. Motorola was making "reasonable accommodations" for my Parkinson's but they were laying people off and soon I would be next. I was working with occupational health resources and in September of 2002, they said that I have to go on FMLA (medical leave) IMMEDIATELY. So I did. Over the next week, I slowly packed my personal items and on September 13, 2002, I left Motorola, for good. Short-term disability turned into long-term and into permanent disability.

Life as we knew it, was gone. It's August 2007, 5 years since my diagnosis. My wife works full time, my kids are in high school and I receive disability income. I have explored many new avenues of interest. I started working from home and am going through an early mid-life.  My family and friends are so supportive and treat me no different than before. They sometimes wonder what I am doing when I do my "retarded Hitler walk" or my "exit stage left" when I lose my balance. My symptoms are steadily making life difficult but the Sinemet, Klonopin, Artane and Yoga are keeping them manageable. I have no problems with the tremors and have adjusted to the stiffness.

Life is good and the challenges are constantly changing. Patience is a key for anyone I am around. When we go out, when I am off, it may take me 5 minutes to walk 100 feet. They wait patiently.

We are all waiting patiently for a cure. The good thing is I no longer lead a standard, mundane, middle-class life.