Hey who's there?...Go back to sleep it's only the wind...
Thursday
April 4, 2013
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't following you...
Well, I left you sitting on profound paranoia yesterday, sorry about that. (paranoia will annoy ya)
Before I came out (SURPRISE!), no not THAT coming out!!!
Let's start over.
Before I announced to the world that I had PD, I felt like it was nobody's business. That's what my neurologist said when I asked her what I should do or say. And thanks to the federal government our health issues are truly no one's business.
I was able to do my job, handle the patient load, keep all the chainsaws in the air.
But I was only able to do that with about 70,000 pills/day. OK maybe it was more like 11 but for me who had NEVAH, EVAH, EVAH, had to take anything it seemed like 70,000.
I didn't have to immediately start taking Sinemet after the initial diagnosis. I took two dopamine agonists--no they don't give you any agony! An agonist is a medication that boosts either another medication or an organic substance in your body. So these medications boosted the little dopamine I had left floating around. They worked well enough for a couple of years. Then on a visit to my neurologist I got the news that I should probably start taking Sinemet. And I started to cry. Why? Because Sinemet gives you the bobble head....My poor neuro doc, she puts up with alot from me.
Now Sinemet is the actual dopamine (with other stuff) that Parky's eventually need because their DOPY brains can't make their own dopamine. (BTW, I really resent the name dopamine guys, ok! How did you come up with that one...stayed up all night to think that one up??? Get a little DOPY by sunrise??)
(Sorry! I do ramble sometimes...Or is it a bit of the paranoia showing it's little self ???)
Now, I love Sinemet, do not get me wrong. I couldn't move without it. It's pretty essential to all of us low dopers. But it also makes you get a bit "wobbly".
My head was the first part of my body to go off dancing to it's own beat. I really didn't notice it too much. And I really hoped no one else noticed it. But under stress your body will do things you don't notice; and if you didn't already know, there is sometimes just a smidgen of stress in nursing.
So now to the PROFOUND part. If you haven't already guessed, you may figure the puzzle out now. Not everyone will or could, but it doesn't matter. Those who get it will appreciate it.
I was sitting in the nurses station with another staff member one day, just the two of us, and he profoundly said something like "why does your head move like it does?"
I sat there a moment before I answered wondering which way to go. But since I can't remember lies at all, I figured the truth was probably it.
So I turned to him with my head a-bobbin' and said "I could tell you but then I would have to kill you". If you are aware of this profound person you will know he didn't even crack a smile. So I said "It's from the medicine I take for PD".
Wow, what a burden I felt lifted off of me! He promised he would not tell my little secret but it felt so good that I told alot more people, including my manager, not long after that.
April 4, 2013
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't following you...
Well, I left you sitting on profound paranoia yesterday, sorry about that. (paranoia will annoy ya)
Before I came out (SURPRISE!), no not THAT coming out!!!
Let's start over.
Before I announced to the world that I had PD, I felt like it was nobody's business. That's what my neurologist said when I asked her what I should do or say. And thanks to the federal government our health issues are truly no one's business.
Our health status should not affect the way we are viewed or evaluated by our employer due to HIPAA-the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. (see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/)
I was able to do my job, handle the patient load, keep all the chainsaws in the air.
But I was only able to do that with about 70,000 pills/day. OK maybe it was more like 11 but for me who had NEVAH, EVAH, EVAH, had to take anything it seemed like 70,000.
I didn't have to immediately start taking Sinemet after the initial diagnosis. I took two dopamine agonists--no they don't give you any agony! An agonist is a medication that boosts either another medication or an organic substance in your body. So these medications boosted the little dopamine I had left floating around. They worked well enough for a couple of years. Then on a visit to my neurologist I got the news that I should probably start taking Sinemet. And I started to cry. Why? Because Sinemet gives you the bobble head....My poor neuro doc, she puts up with alot from me.
Now Sinemet is the actual dopamine (with other stuff) that Parky's eventually need because their DOPY brains can't make their own dopamine. (BTW, I really resent the name dopamine guys, ok! How did you come up with that one...stayed up all night to think that one up??? Get a little DOPY by sunrise??)
(Sorry! I do ramble sometimes...Or is it a bit of the paranoia showing it's little self ???)
Now, I love Sinemet, do not get me wrong. I couldn't move without it. It's pretty essential to all of us low dopers. But it also makes you get a bit "wobbly".
My head was the first part of my body to go off dancing to it's own beat. I really didn't notice it too much. And I really hoped no one else noticed it. But under stress your body will do things you don't notice; and if you didn't already know, there is sometimes just a smidgen of stress in nursing.
So now to the PROFOUND part. If you haven't already guessed, you may figure the puzzle out now. Not everyone will or could, but it doesn't matter. Those who get it will appreciate it.
I was sitting in the nurses station with another staff member one day, just the two of us, and he profoundly said something like "why does your head move like it does?"
I sat there a moment before I answered wondering which way to go. But since I can't remember lies at all, I figured the truth was probably it.
So I turned to him with my head a-bobbin' and said "I could tell you but then I would have to kill you". If you are aware of this profound person you will know he didn't even crack a smile. So I said "It's from the medicine I take for PD".
Wow, what a burden I felt lifted off of me! He promised he would not tell my little secret but it felt so good that I told alot more people, including my manager, not long after that.
Then after about a year, the paranoia set in.
to be continued....
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