Annual Review (March 2025)

 I said (mostly talking to myself) that I'd try and make these updates 'regular', so how am I doing?

Well, this is update #15 -  I am managing 4 or 5 posts a year - which seems about right for a slowly evolving (devolving?) condition.

Owners of older cars have the annual rite of the MOT. Parkinson's folk (if they are lucky) get an annual meeting with the neurologist.

The intention is that I should see (and be seen) by someone every six months (alternating between the neurologist and my Parkinson's nurse).

My Parkinson's support (in Oxford) is still OK, the neurologist appointments may be slipping a bit, but the Parkinson Nurse system does spot if the gaps become too long and add in an extra Nurse appointment.

The appointments (with either the neurologist or the nurse) are a good prompt for me to review how I think I'm doing and to reflect on what might have changed (akin to checking the tyres, bulbs and wipers ahead of the MOT).

My next neurologist appointment is in April, so now might be a good time to kick the tyres.

Medications

Have now been taking Levodopa (4 times a day) for about a year, with a couple of other meds to help with bladder control and constipation - in addition to the asthma meds I've been taking for many years.  A few years ago I'd have thought that this was a really onerous drug regimen but, provided I've got my watch to prompt me, it doesn't seem to be too bad.  It's worth saying that I don't see the dramatic 'On / Off' fluctuation in symptoms as the meds wear off, that other folks report.

Combining (competing) symptoms - worrying if you can still hold the long lens still enough!

Motor (visible) Symptoms

I don't think these have changed significantly since I've been on the current medication. 

Is my right hand tremor a bit worse? Maybe.  Am I guilty of not always picking up my feet when I'm walking? Yes, probably.  Is the facial 'mask' I had before starting the meds started to re-appear? Maybe sometimes? Can I still hold a camera still enough to take photographs? Mostly, except when it's really windy.  How's my hand-writing? Mostly illegible. (One of my least favourite sentences these days is "Just sign here, here and then here").

Beach walks can (and do) help calm the recurring anxieties, even if the weather isn't alway this good

Non-motor (less visible) Symptoms

I do rather think these have got a bit worse over the last year.  Is multi-tasking becoming more challenging? Am I more anxious? Am I getting better at finding things to worry about?  Do I put off doing things that I know I need to do (like writing blog posts)?  Is my sleeping becoming more disturbed?  Is my short term memory a bit more unreliable?  

I think the answer to all these is "Yes, sometimes, particularly when I'm stressed".  

The biggest challenges are when these (and probably other) symptoms combine and interact with each other.  

I definitely get stressed and anxious when I need to try to multitask.  I do worry that I might have forgotten to do something that I've said I'll do.  I am worrying that the travel plans for my next train trip to the Parkinson's Therapy Centre in Italy will go awry.  And I am always getting stressed trying to decipher the numerous (hand-written) aides memoire that I leave around the house.

Usually these episodes of anxiety or worry do pass.  I usually figure out what the notes mean. My travel plans do work out.  And the blog posts do get written.

And of course the train connections will (eventually) work out

I guess the next post will be sometime in May (assuming I manage to make the connections on the way back from Italy).