Stevpas68
The Frustration of Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease is a chronic and progressive degenerative disease of the brain that impairs motor control, speech, and other functions.
Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. It is characterized by muscle rigidity, resting tremor, slowing of movement (bradykinesia) and, in extreme cases, nearly complete loss of movement (akinesia). Secondary symptoms include high level cognitive dysfunction, subtle language problems, and depression. Some people with Parkinson’s disease develop Dementia in the late stages of the disease
In contrast to many other neurological disorders, the nature of the brain degeneration that produces Parkinson's disease has been well understood for decades. The symptoms are caused by loss of nerve cells that secrete dopamine in a tiny midbrain area called the substantia nigra. These nerve cells, for reasons that are not fully understood, are especially vulnerable to damage of various sorts, including drugs, disease, and head trauma. The term Parkinsonism is used for any process that destroys large numbers of these cells and thereby causes the same characteristic symptoms. Parkinson's disease, or more fully, idiopathic Parkinson's disease, is diagnosed when no specific physical cause for the loss of dopamine cells can be identified.
My father, Peter, suffers from dementia brought on by Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body disease and Parkinson’s disease. He is not a well man and at the young age of 72 his ability to perform normal tasks most of us take for granted is diminishing. He often suffers from confusion and memory loss but despite that he is still a loving, gentle and intelligent man with a ‘Dad’s’ sense of humour.
Recently, due to an increasing difficulty he has with shaving, he began growing a beard. I love it. After seeing him clean shaven for most of my life I reckon it really suits him. He is quite proud of it himself – and I think he really enjoyed ‘modelling’ for photos despite the fact smiling isn’t easy for him these days.
The Frustration of Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease is a chronic and progressive degenerative disease of the brain that impairs motor control, speech, and other functions.
Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. It is characterized by muscle rigidity, resting tremor, slowing of movement (bradykinesia) and, in extreme cases, nearly complete loss of movement (akinesia). Secondary symptoms include high level cognitive dysfunction, subtle language problems, and depression. Some people with Parkinson’s disease develop Dementia in the late stages of the disease
In contrast to many other neurological disorders, the nature of the brain degeneration that produces Parkinson's disease has been well understood for decades. The symptoms are caused by loss of nerve cells that secrete dopamine in a tiny midbrain area called the substantia nigra. These nerve cells, for reasons that are not fully understood, are especially vulnerable to damage of various sorts, including drugs, disease, and head trauma. The term Parkinsonism is used for any process that destroys large numbers of these cells and thereby causes the same characteristic symptoms. Parkinson's disease, or more fully, idiopathic Parkinson's disease, is diagnosed when no specific physical cause for the loss of dopamine cells can be identified.
My father, Peter, suffers from dementia brought on by Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body disease and Parkinson’s disease. He is not a well man and at the young age of 72 his ability to perform normal tasks most of us take for granted is diminishing. He often suffers from confusion and memory loss but despite that he is still a loving, gentle and intelligent man with a ‘Dad’s’ sense of humour.
Recently, due to an increasing difficulty he has with shaving, he began growing a beard. I love it. After seeing him clean shaven for most of my life I reckon it really suits him. He is quite proud of it himself – and I think he really enjoyed ‘modelling’ for photos despite the fact smiling isn’t easy for him these days.