Nov 15

My Self-Care Plan for Flu Season

Why I Get a Flu Shot

Getting a flu shot is part of my self-care plan. The most at risk for serious flu complications are young children, pregnant women, adults over 65 and those with chronic medical conditions. Since I fall in two of these categories, the vaccine is important to me as any stress such as suffering with flu may exacerbate my Parkinson’s symptoms. I might also get pneumonia and be hospitalized.

Being exposed to flu virus happens easily in a variety of scenarios. But we are often unaware how or when or where. Imagine I am shopping in my favorite retail store and trying on clothes. Each time I go in and out of the dressing room, my hand turns the germy door knob. What I don’t know is that the person in the dressing room before me sneezed in their hand. However, touching the contaminated door knob will not make me sick unless I touch my face. But shopping is tiring, and I remove my glasses for a minute and rub my eyes. Bingo! The germs have an entry point into my body.  I can also be exposed to flu virus respiratory droplets when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk, if I am nearby.

October is considered the start of flu season. December through February is usually the most active months. I live less than five minutes from Walgreen’s, so there is no excuse to put this errand off. On Monday, November 4, I got a flu shot. My Walgreen’s branch built a little medical room with a door that closes next to the pharmacy last month. The pharmacist gave me an easy form to complete with a half dozen questions such as “are you feeling sick today.” Less than ten minutes later I am out of the store. My upper right arm was a little sore in the evening, but by the second day, I did not notice it.

How Does the Shot Work?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests it takes two to four weeks for the antibodies to build up and provide immune system protection against the strains of flu included in the vaccine. So that is why it’s recommended that if you plan to get a flu shot, earlier in the fall is better than later. For example, getting a shot two days before Thanksgiving and flying to a family gathering the next day is not going to protect you that quickly.

The flu vaccine protects you from contracting upper respiratory flu. Common symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, sniffles, achiness and fatigue. You may get other strains of flu despite the shot, but may be less severe. The vaccine does not protect you from getting stomach flu. Encouraging other members of your household or your Parkinson’s caregiver to get a flu shot will be added protection for you.

Hand Sanitizer

Besides having a flu shot, here are some additional ways to decrease the risk of infection. I carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer gel in my purse to use in public when washing my hands is impossible or inconvenient. After I order and return the menu in restaurants, I sanitize my hands. Sanitizer dispensers displayed in medical and dental offices, grocery stores, gyms and airports remind me of the importance of clean hands.

When I have the opportunity to scrub my hands with soap and water in a public restroom, I try to leave without touching the door handle. If that is impossible, I use a clean tissue to touch the door handle. Otherwise, I sanitize my hands.

Tips to Minimize Exposure

  • Eat at home more in December, January and February
  • Go to your favorite buffet restaurant after flu season
  • Avoid large crowds when possible
  • Avoid touching your face since germs commonly enter through eyes and nose
  • Stay home a little more than usual (but only for flu season! Parkinson’s people need to socialize)
  • Avoid eating communal snacks often found at holiday and office parties
  • Avoid public water fountains
  • Combine errands so you can accomplish more, but be out less
  • Sanitize hands after credit card transactions or money exchanges
  • Ask yourself if it is really necessary to go out now
  • Use online shopping
  • Avoid shaking hands when possible
  • Sanitize hands after touching elevator buttons or holding onto railings, transportation poles and escalators
  • Disinfect hotspots in home and/or office that are perfect for transferring germs: railings, faucet handles, coffee pot handle, door knobs, door handles, refrigerator handles, cabinet handles, light switches, microwave buttons, telephone handset, smart phone screen, keyboard, mouse, tablet, printer button
  • Wash hand towels and kitchen towels often
  • Replace fabric handbag with leather or vinyl which can easily be wiped down

For more information about high risk groups and the flu, visit Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Question:  What do you do that helps to decrease risk of getting the flu?

Blessings!
Linda

 

 

 

Oct 23

Parkinson’s Differs in Gender

If you’ve seen one person with Parkinson’s, you’ve seen one person with Parkinson’s. 

A recent literature review by Italian scientists was published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, July 2019, describing how Parkinson’s disease affects men and women differently.

PD is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control and balance. It is the second most common age-related, neurodegenerative disorder, affecting about 3% of the population by the age of 65 and up to 5% of individuals over 85 years of age.

Male PD Differences and Risk Factors

  • Twice as likely to be diagnosed with PD
  • Slow or rigid movement is dominant symptom when first diagnosed (bradykinesia)
  • More serious postural problems
  • Abnormal severe forward flexion of the trunk when standing or walking (camptocormia))
  • Freezing of gait develops later, when one gets “stuck” in place and temporarily cannot move feet forward
  • Severe drooling
  • Worse general cognitive abilities
  • Executive function deficits (attention and working memory)
  • Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)  and its more rapid progression in the severe stage of the disease (MCI often precedes dementia)
  • Control disorders such as pathological gambling and hypersexuality
  • Low body mass index (<18.5) which is strongly associated with reduced survival time, is significant only in men
  • Reduction of life satisfaction in second half of life

Female PD Differences and Risk Factors

  • Tremor is usually the dominant sign when first diagnosed and is associated with recurrent falls and more severe pain syndromes
  • More apt to develop postural instability
  • Less likely to have specialist care such as neurologist
  • May take higher medication doses due to lower body weight leading to dyskinesia
  • More rapid disease progression with lower survival rate
  • Non-motor symptoms such as fatigue, depression, restless legs, constipation, pain, loss of taste or smell, weight change and excessive sweating are more common and severe
  • Higher predisposition to critical swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)
  • PD with dementia has a greater impact on life expectancy
  • Impaired visuospatial function
  • Perform better on verbal fluency and cognition tests
  • Less likely to have an informal caregiver support from spouse, family or friend
  • More apt to use paid caregiver services

The familiar comment: If you’ve seen one person with Parkinson’s, you’ve seen one person with Parkinson’s still rings true. A male and a female will not experience PD in the same way. Neither will two females or two males!

“It is becoming increasingly evident that PD differs in women and men,” said lead author Fabio Blandini, M.D., scientific director of the IRCCS Mondino Foundation, National Institute of Neurology, Pavia, Italy. “Recent research findings suggest that biological sex also impacts on disease risk factors and, potentially, on molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of PD.”

Studies in this area are under-represented, both from the clinical and research perspective, especially for females. We are still far away from the actual understanding of what underlies such differences. Only then can we develop tailored interventions that meet distinct requirements of men and women with PD.

If you would like to read the the abstract of this literature survey, it can be found at Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.

Blessings!
Linda

Oct 11

Once Upon A Time

One may make their house a palace of sham, or they can make it a home, a refuge.

Mark Twain

This photo is one of my favorite autumn shots that I captured in Hannibal, Missouri. A Mississippi river town, Hannibal is built on the bluffs. As I passed through Hannibal from the St. Louis Airport on October 23, 2009, I spotted this fabulous historic house. I was on my way back to attend Uncle Glen’s funeral and welcomed a momentary distraction. I pulled into a KFC parking lot, got out of the car and studied the view. An incredible house in its day was discreetly hidden behind nature’s fiery handiwork. The boarded-up windows concealed memories. The portico appeared unstable. A single black bird perched on an antenna was the only visible sign of activity. I wanted to see  the front of the house, the driveway, the front door and more. I wished I could explore room by room. Who built this magnificent structure? Who lived here?  Who passed away here? What was their story?

When I see abandoned property like this one, I am sad that the signs and sounds of life have burned out. However, I find beauty in the overgrown vegetation that embraces the house, in the portico that is hanging on and in the mysterious black bird keeping watch over someone perhaps!

As I continued my journey to the family farm, the awe-inspiring autumn colors reminded me that in the midst of grief and loss,  beauty still exists.

Blessings!

Linda

Photo Credit:  Linda A. Mohr

Sep 20

Parkinson’s Deception or Dog?

Hallucinations: deceptions or tricks played by the brain that involve the body’s senses
of seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling and smelling.

Visual hallucinations are the most common type that occurs with Parkinson’s. They are either formed or unformed. An example of a formed image is a deceased, historical, fictional or living person sitting on the couch with you. Although the image is real to you, other people cannot see it. An unformed image will appear as vague lights, lines, objects or shapes. Some hallucinations are described as friendly or pleasurable by PD patients; however, up to 30% of hallucinations can be frightening and require medical attention.

Sunday Afternoon Visitor

I was relaxing in my glass Florida room, my favorite because it overlooks the tropical backyard, patio and kidney shaped pool. The safe haven is home to many critters, and I enjoy nature at my fingertips. The vista is pure enchantment in the evening when the patio twinkles with white lights and spotlights illuminate columns, bird baths and palm trees.

Out of the corner of my eye, a startling black blur entered my peripheral vision. I jumped up and ran to the glass door leading to the patio. However, I missed the fast moving monster as it plopped into the swimming pool.

“Joe,” I screamed. But my words were inaudible. He was in the lower level. I tried again.

“On, no, it’s on the move again.” After a quick swish through the pool, this monster, this blur sprinted to the door where I was glued to the floor. Our eyes met. This black blob was a dog, a real dog! A handsome adult black Labrador!

“Unbelievable,” I muttered.

Wet black labrador ready to shake

Photo Credit: Can Stock nsweetapple

Joe heard the commotion and appeared. As he opened the patio door slightly, the dog was delirious. Taking this as a welcome sign, the mighty visitor wedged his big head through the opening. Chauncey was nine-feet from the open door looking terrified as we’ve never had a dog in the house. I was terrified too! This scene was seconds away from pandemonium.

By grace, Joe’s strength ended the duel. The dog backed away from the door. In pure dog fashion, he shook water all over the patio. Then he disappeared as quickly and mysteriously as he arrived.

I have lived in this house for almost four decades. Live and drowned snakes, chameleons, squirrels and rats have been found in the pool. I have also removed a drowned raccoon and possum. Lexie Lee even fell in the pool once. I brought her in the house right after the incident, and she never wanted to go outside again. But a dog swimming in my pool! Now that was a first, but probably not the last! New neighbors to the back of us have a weekend visitor who brings their dog. So the time has come to shape up that weak corner in the fence. But that is a small price to pay. I am relieved and grateful the black blur was the real deal and not an unformed and frightening hallucination!

Question: Have you ever experienced a hallucination? If so, please describe. Was it fun or scary?

Blessings!
Linda