Parkinson's DBS Surgery: YumaBev Gets Turned On

Friday November 3,2012:
I was up at 4:30 am and we left at 7:30 am. The drive to Tucson was uneventful, we stopped for an early lunch and then went to Dr. Norton's office. He carefully removed all the stitches and said it all looked good. Then he turned the neurostimulator on and began the first programming (it will need adjusting every few weeks for a while). 

I had taken my usual 6 am and 9 am medications, but had not taken the noon pill, so I had some rigidity present. The rigidity on my left side disappeared immediately and has not returned. The right side was a little trickier, as it is my most affected side. At first I felt nothing, then my right leg and foot began to jump around and dance (dyskinesia), so he turned it down.

I still had some dyskinesia in my right leg, but the rest of my right side felt good, no rigidity. He told me that he liked to take it slow with the programming, since my brain and body was still healing from the trauma of the surgeries. He said that I should probably space my medicines at four hour intervals instead of three and if the dyskinesia in my right leg/foot got bothersome, to just turn the unit off for an hour or so.

We left and headed back to Yuma. On the way home, I took one carbi/levodopa pill. We stopped at the RV park where I used to live and said hello to all my friends who sing karaoke. I even sang a song for them. I felt good, very good, but I was tired and hungry so we didn't stay long. Once we got home, I ate dinner and relaxed. I took one more carbi/levodopa pill and went to bed around 10 pm. My right leg/foot was still a bit jumpy and I almost considered turning the unit off overnight, but I did not.

Saturday November 4, 2012:
I slept until 8 am and woke up feeling very good. I took a carbi/levodopa pill about 9:30 am, though I did not think I needed it. I spent the rest of the day with my Wonderful Husband and our neighbors, Willie and Sharon. We went out for lunch then to two car shows and I felt good. I took pills with me, but never felt like I needed them, so I did not take any. We then went over to George & Freida's (more neighbors) for dinner and I had no trouble using a fork or cutting my meat. We finally came home around 8 pm, and I was tired, but still felt pretty good. I took another carbi/levodopa pill and went to bed around 10:30 pm.

Sunday November 5, 2012
I slept until 7:30 am and woke up feeling good. I had a little bit of stiffness in my neck and jaw, but otherwise, I felt good. I took a carbi/levodopa pill right after breakfast. I felt sleepy, so I took a little nap before lunch. It is now 2 pm and I feel fine. No tremors, no rigidity, no slowness. I am going to take another carbi/levodopa pill right now, just to be on the safe side.

So, to sum things up, I used to take six carbi/levodopa pills a day and spent most of the day in an OFF state. On Friday, I took four, Saturday I took two and today I have only taken two and have been ON all day. I am pretty sure it can only get better.