Tag: health

Dental Surgery – PDS vs PDS

On By ponderingpdIn Awareness, Care, UncategorizedLeave a comment

(Periodontal Surgery vs Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms)

A while back I had to have some dental surgery – grafting surgery to help with receding gums. I was terribly worried about the procedure because of my problems with choking. It’s a Parkinson’s thing, we choke on food, water, pills, saliva, and air…pretty much everything! Regular teeth cleaning appointments can be stressful but my hygienist is awesome. We take breaks and she lets me hold the suction tool so I can use it at my discretion.

But this surgery would be different because I would be at a Periodontal clinic. Prior to meeting a potential periodontist, I was required to fill out pages and pages of health history. I outlined my relationship with Parkinson’s and shared my fear of choking. When I got to meet the periodontist and his assistant it was clear that they had never read my information. When I brought up the fear of choking, they laughed and said, “We’re not going to choke you!” Clearly I did not think they would try to kill me. I was very disappointed that they all neglected to read the information which I provided and that they belittled my fear. They got crossed off the list and I asked for the next referral.

Dr. Kobric and his team were fantastic. I still had to fill out a crazy amount of dental history forms, but they actually read the forms and reassured me that they would do everything they could to help me through the surgery.

The surgery was actually a breeze. I felt nothing due to successful freezing. They seated me as upright as possible to aleviate choking. I walked out feeling pretty good – even somewhat elated – glad that I had survived.

However, I had spent so much time worrying about the surgery, that I really didn’t consider the recovery period (or as I like to call it; HELL).

Freezing wore off and pain emerged in a variety of forms around my head, face, jaw, and mouth. I couldn’t eat anything solid and the dressing on the roof of my mouth (gum graft tissue comes from here) made it difficult to process any food or liquids. After a few days the dressing came out during a choking fit while drinking water. The pain at the site was horrible. Deep open wound = No food at all. Eventually I tolerated apple sauce and yogurt but I would have given anything just to eat a small cracker.

Then I was abruptly reminded that I also had to manage Parkinson’s disease. PD must have felt jealous because it had temporarily taken a back seat to my dental woes. But soon enough, my PD symptoms amped up in a flurry. The tremors in my arm, leg and jaw kicked in worse than normal. Lack of exercise brought extreme stiffness and rigidity which resulted in increased pain. Timing of meds got out of control as I tried to balance pain meds and anti-inflammatory meds alongside all the other meds that I take.

It was a shit show. I cannot think of a worse physical pain in my life. (actually childbirth might compete here, but the arrival of babies is a reward that dental surgery cannot compare!) I tell myself over and over that I will never do this again (similar thoughts arrived during childbirth but again…it’s a pain vs reward thing!).

It is now 8 months later and I’m still sure I would decline the procedure if it were to be suggested again. It just wasn’t worth it in my own personal cost/benefit analysis.

The lesson that I learned was that in the future, I would consider being more prepared for the recovery period of any sort of medical or dental procedure and not just the procedure itself.

Am I Unhealthy?

On By ponderingpdIn Living with Parkinson'sLeave a comment

At a recent periodontal intake appointment, I was asked to describe my current overall health. I wasn’t sure how to answer this question. How does having Parkinson’s impact my overall health? Does having PD identify me as one who is in poor health?

My initial response to the question asked was; “My health is good!” I exercise daily. I eat properly (does chocolate count?). I am at the lower end of the ‘healthy weight’ on the BMI scale. I don’t smoke. I rarely drink alcohol anymore. I don’t have high cholesterol or high blood pressure. My last blood panel produced normal results. I follow the rules of healthy living. I feel happy. Therefore, I must be healthy. Right?

But I also have Parkinson’s Disease so I quickly clarified my first response with; “But….” and I provided a short tutorial of my life with PD; tremor, stiffness, neck pain, back pain, low blood pressure, balance issues, hyposmia (inability to smell), sleep disturbances, swallowing issues, and dyskinesia. I take medications. I see doctors regularly. I feel sad. Therefore, I must be unhealthy too.

Turns out that you can be both healthy and unhealthy simultaneously. Having Parkinson’s Disease (and likely other diseases would fit here as well) involves managing a collection of dichotomous thoughts, feelings, and actions all at the same time.

Some days are bright. Some days are gloomy.

Ireland is Medicine

On By ponderingpdIn ExerciseLeave a comment

“Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing.” Oscar Wilde

I recently returned from a spectacular trip to Ireland with two very special life-long friends.

One week of the trip involved hiking the Dingle Peninsula – a beautiful spot on Ireland’s west coast. Knowing that I would be clocking a minimum of 20-25km/day, I started preparing months in advance. I invested in proper equipment and ramped up my mileage daily. I read and researched as much as I could about where we would go and what we would see. I packed and repacked clothing for the predicted rain, wind, and cooly unpredictable Irish weather (yet we only witnessed sunshine and warmth!). Unfortunately, I also had to pack Parkinson’s Disease, so additional preparations needed to be considered; strategic packing of PD medication, pain meds, supplements, constipation aids, sleep help (melatonin), and salt for low blood pressure.

I also brought along the many worrisome thoughts in the back of my mind; Will I sleep? What happens if I fall? Will I be able to do this?

But those thoughts waned very quickly and I can proudly report that I successfully completed each leg of the journey! And aside from a wee blister on my toe, I completed it without pain, without injury, without doubt! Without falling, without failing, without frustration!

For some reason, my PD symptoms seem to have dulled while I was away? And as I seek to understand why I felt so well in Ireland, my usual symptoms have resurfaced in their regular form; sleeplessness, stiffness, pain, TMJ pain, fatigue etc.

Could it be that symptoms were not as prevalent because;

  • I was distracted by travel and the beauty of the country – travel is medicine?
  • I was having so much fun with friends – laughter and love is medicine?
  • I was outside more often than inside – fresh air is medicine?
  • I was logging 20-25kms each day – exercise is medicine?
  • I was not spending idle time in front of a laptop or television – poor posture = pain?
  • maybe my own bed/pillow is uncomfortable – good sleep is medicine?
  • the Irish/ocean air is healthier – (of course it is)?
  • there is something in my immediate environment that is triggering – wifi, pesticides, pollution?
  • there is something in Guinness and Dingle Gin that is medicinal – (yeah, I wish)?

Ultimately, it is a combination of all of the above (maybe not the alcohol so much!). But I’m leaning toward screen time as the leading culprit for my pain – this is why it has taken me a week to finish this post! This is a convenient reason for me to explore because it is definitely within my control. I am reducing and limiting time spent with my laptop and television and I’ll be sure to let you know if changes occur.

And just in case nothing changes, I am already planning our next trip!