Barry
I am pleased to give details below of the more than impressive improvement I and my family have observed in my Parkinson’s condition, since the start of my Physio sessions in May with Sue Mills of Romsey Physiotherapy.
Throughout 2017/2018 I was experiencing stiffness and pain in my legs along with the inability to concentrate and verbalise especially at work. Then on Saturday 25th February I experienced an episode of ‘speech disturbance’ at home resulting in a Southampton A&E visit in which they ruled out a ‘stroke’ and ‘epilepsy’
In the resulting follow up by my Neurologist Dr. Ashwin Pinto (Spire Hospital Southampton) I was diagnosed with ‘Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease on 15th March 2018. (A DATSCAN on the 9th of may confirmed the initial diagnosis as Parkinson’s disease.
On examination Dr.Pinto confirmed the following symptoms : reduced speech volume, reduced facial expression, reduced right arm swing, significant increase in tone on the right arm with slowness in movement. Stiffness and pain in both legs, in the right leg primarily.
I also confirmed the constant feeling of fatigue and the sometimes overwhelming need to sleep.
Following a follow up appointment with my consultant my symptoms were if anything slightly worse. On a further follow up appointment I felt that there was no real progress and my sleeping was becoming difficult. He prescribed me various medications to help with the sleeping and said this did not always result in an improvement in symptoms. I advised him the difficulty of getting Physio on the NHS and he recommended that I go through my company private Axa insurance scheme.
Since April I joined the University of Southampton health club and have been swimming 2 to 3 times a week. Also as long as walking the family dog, I was exercising daily taking advice from the Parkinson’s website.
And then there was Sue....
A nursing friend of my wife recommended Sue Mills MCSP as a very experienced Physiotherapist who had treated patients with Parkinson’s with noted success - so I thought I would put myself in her hands. My first appointment was on 21st May and although initially a little surprised at the area of the body to be worked on ( gluts, jaw, mouth etc)I felt a very positive difference after the 40 minute session .I could bend my back and reach further down to my toes than ever before as well as tie my shoes! My mouth and jaw area seemed less stiff and I noticed my walking was more upright and less of a stoop - since then I have had a further 3 sessions at weekly intervals lasting between 30-45 minutes.
Although not always a comfortable experience (most men are wimps as we all know) the changes have been impressive to say the least - both I and more surprisingly to me, my wife and family have noticed a genuine difference to my well-being. They include the following: More ‘natural’ facial expressions, my teeth are now to be seen when I smile.(which is happening more frequently, I am lead to believe)
Improvement in mood and energy with more enthusiasm to carry out manual chores.(Saturday spent 3 hours gardening.)
More ‘natural’ walk, more upright and my right arm now swings naturally albeit still slightly less than my left.
Increased strength in hands especially the right hand, can now break with ease Winalot Shape dog biscuits, my black cockapoos favourite.
The ability to both turn over in bed and get out of bed in the mornings.
Still fill stiff but a lot less so.
My voice is higher in tone and my diction has improved.( the strange looks from the public I have getting while exercising and massaging my jaw are all worth it)
And now for the BIG one-I can now put on my socks and tie my own shoe laces with ease, maybe a small thing for some but huge when you lose the ability. I am now a converted Sue exerciser and will continue the regime at home in order to maintain the progress we have made to date. I can’t say enough for the positive difference Sues input has made to me so far in such a short space of time and now look ahead with a much brighter outlook.
THE PILOT STUDY
What can I say about the four days back in February? We all met on Sunday 27th like typical Brits on a package holiday, sitting with our partners waiting for the rep to start their spiel...and ended up on Wednesday the 26th bonded as friends and fellow Parkineer Activators.
To experience the improvement in the Parkineers in both the physical and mental state was inspiring and humbling and as you say in the trailer, the pilot gave everyone ‘a before ,an intervention and an after’ .The laughter and fun increased as was evident in the pictures captured so eloquently by Emily.
I can honestly say that the meeting with Sue on the 21st May 2019 and the formation of the Parkineers has been life changing and as for the future, I am both inspired and determined to spread the Parkineers P123 mindset.
Here Comes the Hope