Monday's Meditation!

Hi Everyone on this beautiful Monday!
   This week I'll be posting about the doctors who take care of PD patients. The first time I met with a team of doctors, they ask me a lot of questions. I did strange hand and arm movements, walking back and forth and all sorts of quirky things. Then it was on to the serious testing.  EEG's, MRI's, Cat Scans and blood work. This when I also found out I had claustrophobia. :) My testing went on for a couple of months because sometime a patient can have PD like symptoms but not have PD.
    Well after the doctors going back and forth they finally broke the news to me (after a bunch of medical terms that I didn't know) a special friend who took me to the doctor that day just blurted out "just tell us what's going on." I was already in tears and it just hurt my friend to see me like that. Well we all know what the verdict was; I had Young Onset Parkinson's Disease or YOPD! Okay I could move on now that I knew what I was dealing with. I was introduced to the neurologist that would be taking care of me and I schedule my next appointment.
    Before the appointment with the neurologist, I had goggled all the information on PD. I talked with my mother to see if any one in her or my dad's  family had it. She said not to her knowledge. Fine I just would have to wait and get more information from my neurologist. When I first met my neurologist, to my relief, she was a woman! Dr. Renee VanStavern was her name and before she could finish introducing herself, I hit her with my list of questions. She laughed and said I had did my home work but she told me let's just get to know each other first and she had some questions that she knew I had been asked before but she had to get her folder and profile together
    To make a long story short Dr. VanStavern not only was my neurologist she became my friend! When medications were not working, she would get on her doctor's palm pilot until she could find what medication would work for me. To her surprise my body didn't connect with some medications that some of her other patients were on. Don't worry she would tell me every body doesn't react the same way. She was the doctor that found the right medication to stop my seizures. When I was having bad days, she was my therapist. My insurance wouldn't cover some of the medications and she would give me samples that would last until my next appointment. She did everything in order because so many pharmaceutical representatives see doctors everyday, they have sample medications on hand to give patients in emergencies. It was just a pleasure to have had her as my neurologist. Sadly, she moved on for education in a different hospital and state. The neurologist I have now is a little more laid back and quiet but he knows his skills.
    In closing we have to see these doctors or neurologists on a month to month basis so it is advisable to have a good repertoire with them!  ~~Lovingly Always A Diva