Doug was home from work today so that we could go to his neurologist in Gainesville. He is definitely one of my least favorite doctors and I thought about skipping this appointment, but in the end, I was very glad that I went. It was by far the best visit that we had ever had at this clinic, and I felt like we got a lot of answers that we had not received in the past.
First, the neurologist finally agreed with us that Doug's only symptom of Parkinson's was a tremor. That meant that the debilitating concerns associated with the disorder would not prevent him from working or enjoying life for many years to come. That was a direct contrast from what we were told in 2023 when it was suggested that we get our finances in order as their prediction was that Doug would have to stop working within the following three years. That news had weighed on the both of us greatly. The second good news was that the doctor finally agreed with us that the stress from Doug's diagnosis and his situation at work had greatly affected his tremor. He didn't believe that trying medication for that would make a difference but said he "stood corrected" after seeing Doug today.
The only "bad" news that we really heard today was that the medication that they gave him to stop the tremors had not worked. We had already figured that out and listened to his next suggestions. The first was a long shot medication for the flu that worked on some individuals with tremors. The second was deep brain simulation which involved surgery. None of us were ready to try that, so instead we took home a prescription for the flu medication to start after the holidays.
Overall, it was the best visit that we had ever had to the neurological clinic. Doug and I celebrated with lunch at Texas Roadhouse with the gift card he was given at work. The food was great, and the conversation revolved around how relieved we were to finally feel heard. None of us know what the future holds, but that doesn't matter today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment