Update on my health
Update on my health
Hello loyal supporters of the Unseen Servant!
As a couple of you are aware, I had brain surgery two months ago. In particular I had deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015, when I was 45 years old. When people get such a diagnosis when they're pretty young, they will usually be good candidates for this surgery, which I was. The surgery placed two probes five inches into my brain (one for each hemisphere) These probes are as thick as a cat's whisker, and they have four electrodes on the end of each one. These are then connected to a battery pack that was surgically installed on the right side of my chest. This battery pack can send pulses at various frequencies and voltages, thus 'stimulating' the part of my brain that isn't working correctly to make dopamine and transmit it to the rest of my body. These targeted areas of the brain are approximately the size of a pea!
For all intensive porpoises (LOL) my condition has been reverted to the way it was after I'd been diagnosed for about a year. So I got back about seven years of my life, and can expect this implanted device to work for 9 to 15 years more. Before the surgery, I needed a lot of medication every three hours. Taking so much was necessary for me to feel ok and to help with the effects of the disease, but it would create side effects that would make my body move in other, odd ways. I would bob my head when I talked, and generally flail my right arm around. These erratic movements are called 'dyskinesia.' (bad movement) I'd crash hard once a dose had ended (referred to as motor fluctuation), and I'd need to get the next dose into my body ASAP. I now need about a quarter of the amount I was taking before and I have no such side effects from the meds.
So I'm back here at the forums, ready to make changes that need my attention. Luckily, Dave and Ron have been keeping things flowing quite well, so a big thank you to them for all of their work.
TLDR: I had brain surgery to help with my Parkinson's. It was a success, I got seven years of my life back, and I'm back at the forums now.
As a couple of you are aware, I had brain surgery two months ago. In particular I had deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015, when I was 45 years old. When people get such a diagnosis when they're pretty young, they will usually be good candidates for this surgery, which I was. The surgery placed two probes five inches into my brain (one for each hemisphere) These probes are as thick as a cat's whisker, and they have four electrodes on the end of each one. These are then connected to a battery pack that was surgically installed on the right side of my chest. This battery pack can send pulses at various frequencies and voltages, thus 'stimulating' the part of my brain that isn't working correctly to make dopamine and transmit it to the rest of my body. These targeted areas of the brain are approximately the size of a pea!
For all intensive porpoises (LOL) my condition has been reverted to the way it was after I'd been diagnosed for about a year. So I got back about seven years of my life, and can expect this implanted device to work for 9 to 15 years more. Before the surgery, I needed a lot of medication every three hours. Taking so much was necessary for me to feel ok and to help with the effects of the disease, but it would create side effects that would make my body move in other, odd ways. I would bob my head when I talked, and generally flail my right arm around. These erratic movements are called 'dyskinesia.' (bad movement) I'd crash hard once a dose had ended (referred to as motor fluctuation), and I'd need to get the next dose into my body ASAP. I now need about a quarter of the amount I was taking before and I have no such side effects from the meds.
So I'm back here at the forums, ready to make changes that need my attention. Luckily, Dave and Ron have been keeping things flowing quite well, so a big thank you to them for all of their work.
TLDR: I had brain surgery to help with my Parkinson's. It was a success, I got seven years of my life back, and I'm back at the forums now.
"Sir, our research shows that the bird is equal to or greater than the word."
Re: Update on my health
Sorry to hear of you diagnosis Greg, but very glad to hear you have had some treatment that worked and I hope it continues to work for a long time to come.
- OGRE MAGE
- First Gentleman
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Re: Update on my health
Very glad to hear this positive news!
Keep up the good work, sir.
Keep up the good work, sir.
Re: Update on my health
Glad the hear good news, only wishing you good health and happy days.
Re: Update on my health
That's great news. I hope the procedure stays effective for many years to come.
Wishing you all the best for the future
S.
Wishing you all the best for the future
S.
Re: Update on my health
Goodness, what a lot to go through. Glad that you're handling it so well, and that the surgery was helpful! Thanks, so much, for setting up these forums to begin with, and also for selecting such capable assistants to handle things.
Neil Gaiman: "I started imagining a world in which we replaced the phrase 'politically correct' wherever we could with 'treating other people with respect', and it made me smile."..."I know what you’re thinking now. You’re thinking 'Oh my god, that’s treating other people with respect gone mad!'"
Fail States RPG
Mythistorical Bundle
माया | Gratitude
Fail States RPG
Mythistorical Bundle
माया | Gratitude
Re: Update on my health
Glad to hear it Greg. Best wishes on your continued recovery and thank you once again for everything you do here to make this place so amazing.
- hedgeknight
- Rider of Rohan
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Re: Update on my health
Greg, I had no idea. Great news about the surgery and the prognosis! We're here for you man. Whatever you need. I'll be drinking to your health tonight, brother!
Winter is coming...
Re: Update on my health
Thank you for sharing your testimony. Health issues abound and are deeply personal yet I find from going through my own crisis that many well wishes from forum members I never meet up in person yet spend a large portion of my free time with as a player or GM are a great source of encouragement.
I hope you can recover quality of life and enjoy new seasons.
Blessings to you.
I hope you can recover quality of life and enjoy new seasons.
Blessings to you.
Re: Update on my health
Always great to hear folks news of good or improved health.
Re: Update on my health
Thanks for being so open about this, I had no idea.
Best wishes and continued gains.
Best wishes and continued gains.
- Scott308
- Guy Who Gamed With The Famous People
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- Location: Oregon, WI
Re: Update on my health
Glad to hear you are doing well. Was your DBS done while awake or asleep? We do a bunch of these and they are some of my favorite cases to scrub.
Sometimes this summer I will most likely be participating in another 24 hour game of Dungeons & Dragons as part of Extra Life. This organization uses gaming to help raise money to donate to children's hospitals. I'm raising money for Marshfield Children's Hospital in Marshfield, WI, and all money I raise will go to that hospital. All donations are tax-deductible. Please take a moment to check out my donation page below. Thank you.
https://www.extra-life.org/participant/Scott Peterson
https://www.extra-life.org/participant/Scott Peterson
Re: Update on my health
Hello,
I had the surgery at the UC Irvine hospital in Orange, CA. So I did it while completely asleep. I understand that if you do it at UCLA or even at Cedars you'll be awake...
Where do you work? Do they do it awake or asleep?
"Sir, our research shows that the bird is equal to or greater than the word."
- Scott308
- Guy Who Gamed With The Famous People
- Posts: 7151
- Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:13 am
- Location: Oregon, WI
Re: Update on my health
I am a surg tech at the University of Wisconsin hospital. We do DBS procedures both ways, depending on the patient. If they will tolerate being awake and in one position for the case, that is the first option. That way the surgeon and neurologists can have the patient speak and move their arms and legs to see how they are affected by electrical stimulation at different locations in the brain, ultimately deciding on the best location for that patient.
If the patient is not a candidate for doing the awake DBS, then they go to sleep and we do the majority of the case in the MRI. Several years ago, we had staff fly out to UCSF and observe their intraoperative MRI suite and modeled ours after theirs. We did need to have some things custom made for our particular surgeon and facility requirements.
I like both of these cases for different reasons, although the surgeon is a big draw on his own. I have figured out how to get crossword puzzles printed and sterilized, so I fill those out during the cases as there is significant down-time while they fine tune placement. Awake DBS is cool because you can see and hear the patient's tremor go away when they dial it in. You can't see that while they are asleep obviously.
When in the MRI we are required to have ear protection because the MRI is very loud. We have a set of headphones that are connected to Pandora so I am able to listen to death metal while I sit in the MRI doing my crosswords, waiting for the scan to end so I can make adjustments then do it again.
If the patient is not a candidate for doing the awake DBS, then they go to sleep and we do the majority of the case in the MRI. Several years ago, we had staff fly out to UCSF and observe their intraoperative MRI suite and modeled ours after theirs. We did need to have some things custom made for our particular surgeon and facility requirements.
I like both of these cases for different reasons, although the surgeon is a big draw on his own. I have figured out how to get crossword puzzles printed and sterilized, so I fill those out during the cases as there is significant down-time while they fine tune placement. Awake DBS is cool because you can see and hear the patient's tremor go away when they dial it in. You can't see that while they are asleep obviously.
When in the MRI we are required to have ear protection because the MRI is very loud. We have a set of headphones that are connected to Pandora so I am able to listen to death metal while I sit in the MRI doing my crosswords, waiting for the scan to end so I can make adjustments then do it again.
Sometimes this summer I will most likely be participating in another 24 hour game of Dungeons & Dragons as part of Extra Life. This organization uses gaming to help raise money to donate to children's hospitals. I'm raising money for Marshfield Children's Hospital in Marshfield, WI, and all money I raise will go to that hospital. All donations are tax-deductible. Please take a moment to check out my donation page below. Thank you.
https://www.extra-life.org/participant/Scott Peterson
https://www.extra-life.org/participant/Scott Peterson
Re: Update on my health
Scott308 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 12:03 amWhen in the MRI we are required to have ear protection because the MRI is very loud. We have a set of headphones that are connected to Pandora so I am able to listen to death metal while I sit in the MRI doing my crosswords, waiting for the scan to end so I can make adjustments then do it again.
- Scott308
- Guy Who Gamed With The Famous People
- Posts: 7151
- Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:13 am
- Location: Oregon, WI
Re: Update on my health
I'm scrubbing an awake DBS tomorrow.
Also, the neurologist who does the vast majority of our awake DBS cases, knows I have snakes. When her son was in school and unable to care for his snake, she asked if I wanted it. So I ended up getting a really nice Boa for free, as they just wanted to make sure it went to a good home. Her son was studying herpetology and went to Thailand to work in a cobra rescue facility for six months. He definitely got the better of that deal!
Also, the neurologist who does the vast majority of our awake DBS cases, knows I have snakes. When her son was in school and unable to care for his snake, she asked if I wanted it. So I ended up getting a really nice Boa for free, as they just wanted to make sure it went to a good home. Her son was studying herpetology and went to Thailand to work in a cobra rescue facility for six months. He definitely got the better of that deal!
Sometimes this summer I will most likely be participating in another 24 hour game of Dungeons & Dragons as part of Extra Life. This organization uses gaming to help raise money to donate to children's hospitals. I'm raising money for Marshfield Children's Hospital in Marshfield, WI, and all money I raise will go to that hospital. All donations are tax-deductible. Please take a moment to check out my donation page below. Thank you.
https://www.extra-life.org/participant/Scott Peterson
https://www.extra-life.org/participant/Scott Peterson
Re: Update on my health
Congratulations and continued good health - that is really great news.
Nordbo
Nordbo
Re: Update on my health
Thank you everyone for the well wishes. I'm not 100%, but I'm getting closer to 95... I feel like I'm off by a half step, but it's sooooooo much better than before. I'd do it again for sure.
"Sir, our research shows that the bird is equal to or greater than the word."