When muscles go AWOL! byWyn Evans Regular readers will know that this column centres its attention upon my daughter, The Girl, who is sixteen and has Down Syndrome. Hers is a rollicking good story and we have followed her tale through primary school to Cardiff High school. She is currently in Year 11 and, if everything else goes to plan will enter Whitchurch High this coming autumn for two years in sixth form. Among other things these musings have considered issues surrounding her ‘special needs’, looked at her wide range of activities and achievements and, all in all, concluded that a life with Down Syndrome is very much a life worth living. But it’s been a while since I’ve had something to report to readers about my developing Parkinson’s Disease. Back in 2016, after about a year of watching my left hand develop a life of its own – shaking and dropping things at random, challenging me to get food and wine successfully into my mouth before it tumbled from my fork – I decided to visit my GP. The Boss and I spent a lot of time online first, analysing what might be my affliction. We decided that it sounded either like an intention tremor, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease (PD). We learned that it can be tricky to diagnose PD. The NHS website puts it thus: “No tests can conclusively show that you have Parkinson’s disease. Your doctor will base a diagnosis on your symptoms, medical history and a detailed physical examination. Your GP will talk to you about the problems you’re experiencing and may ask you to perform some simple mental or physical tasks, such as moving or walking around, to help with the diagnosis. In the early stages, your GP may find it difficult to say whether you definitely have the condition because symptoms are usually mild. If your GP suspects Parkinson’s disease, you’ll be referred to a specialist” (usually a neurologist or a geriatrician). The specialist undertook a range of tests, telling 6 CARDIFF TIMES
me that a diagnosis of PD would be likely if I had two of the following three symptoms: • shaking or tremor in a part of your body that usually only occurs at rest • slowness of movement (bradykinesia) • muscle stiffness (rigidity). And, If the symptoms improve after taking a medication called levodopa, it’s more likely that one has PD. Long story short. I was diagnosed with PD. I had to inform the DVLA and be given the green light to drive by my GP. But for the first couple of years post-diagnosis, to tell the truth, I did not worsen much at all. I didn’t think that I was poorly enough to apply for PIP or its then equivalent. I twice fell into the river by the bowls club (don’t ask) and had a nasty fall running up the granite steps to our then home. Yes, I could still run! But gradually my stamina went and nearly all my trips were by car rather than foot. Things became tricky when I developed hyperthyroidism too. The doctor had to work jolly hard to differentiate between the symptoms of PD versus those of the thyroid condition. Walking on any than flat surfaces proved treacherous; my brain telling me to go left but my body insistent on going forward, with falls ensuing. Following a close call on the cliff path near Caerfai in St David’s I decided to
