Day #27
I see my old comrades, all bent stiff and sore…
The above is a line from one of the songs the great Michael Meehan sings in our Irish Band… It popped into my head on the morning walk, so here goes…
Today, I want to focus on all those who have gone before me on the Parkinson’s journey…The logical first one would have to be Dr. James Parkinson. In 1817 he wrote a paper entitled
“An Essay on the Shaking Palsy”. The disease goes back to the ancients, with reference being made to “Kampala” an Indian word that means tremor in Sanskrit. Ancient Chinese medicine describes it, as well as documentation from Western medicine as early as AD 175! Dr. Parkinson was the one responsible for the name we all know now, but as you can see…it’s been around as long as mankind itself…
Others with names long forgotten refined his theories, and continued on, finding other symptoms related to this shaking palsy. It wasn’t until 60 years later that his work was universally accepted, and a French Neurologist, Jean Martin Charcot officially named the condition as Parkinson’s Disease.
It was in the 1960’s that researchers discovered a lack of chemicals in the brain, specifically in the area known as the substantia nigra that was the cause of the disease. Why this area deteriorates is still unknown, but a substitute for the missing chemical was discovered soon after, and Levodopa was first administered as a way to combat the symptoms… It was first used in 1961 when it was administered via an IV injection. Eventually, an oral form was created, and continues to be the Gold standard for treatment to this day… Various other forms of treatments have developed, and the search continues for a cure to this disease…
Along the way, thousands of nameless individuals have volunteered to put their own well being aside, and participate in trials that are aimed at eradicating this disease. Through their selfless acts, new treatments such as Deep Brain Stimulation have emerged, giving hope and a better quality of life to many… Research continues, and the need for participants in clinical trials is the driving force in finding a cure.
Individuals such as Michael J Fox and Muhammad Ali have put a face on the disease, and millions of dollars have been raised for research due to their efforts. I’m grateful to them for having the courage to come forward with their diagnosis and lend their names to the fight!
Many of us have had loved ones with this horrible disease, and have seen the ravages of it first hand…Watching as the one you love slowly succumbs to It’s relentless progression, feeling powerless to help…
Those of us in the grip of it live a life of uncertainty…not knowing when it may decide to rear it’s ugly head and move on to the next stage… Wondering how long will I have… We anxiously look forward to the next breakthrough, and hold out hope that a cure will be found in our lifetimes…
I’m eternally grateful to all who have come before me and helped to develop the treatments that make our lives a bit more manageable… To my friends who have succumbed to this disease, you’re always with me…in my heart and mind, and when the day comes that a cure is found, I’ll raise a glass to you…
DOB