WHEEL POWER
It is possible to live life to the fullest, despite having Parkinson’s Disease. All it takes is a positive outlook, a strong will and some support.
YESTERDAY was World Parkinson’s Disease Day. The event is commemorated annually on the birthday of Dr James Parkinson who, in 1817, certified it as a medical condition.
To mark the occasion, support groups around the globe took the opportunity to highlight the effects of this insidious disease which generally affects men and women over 40 years old.
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressively degenerative neurological condition. Although there is currently no cure for the condition, it is treatable.
Ir Sivaraman Kannan, 69, wrote in to share what it feels like to have lived with PD for over a decade.
“Everything about me in the past is no more,” began Sivaraman’s letter.
“I used to be involved in strenuous activities as an engineer project manager,” he added.
“I used to be a keen photographer, and loved aero-modelling and travelling. In fact, it wouldn’t take long for anyone meeting me for the first time to realise that I was someone who was practically born for the great outdoors.
“But PD drastically changed all that for me.
“Today, just trying to coordinate my body movements is like climbing up a mountain.”
The transition (and the beginning of the nightmare) in Sivaraman’s life started 10 years ago after a visit to an ophthalmologist.
“Instead of being concerned about my eyes, the doctor couldn’t help noticing the slight tremor in my left hand,” he recalled. The ophthalmologist then urged him to have the condition checked immediately.
Thus, began the series of confusing of “check-ups” that lasted over four years. And even after that, he wasn't properly diagnosed with PD!
It wasn’t until Sivaraman’s tremors had become more pronounced and started to affect his writing and his work that he was finally referred to the neurology department where his suspicions were confirmed.
“Although it was terribly distressing to hear the doctors say that PD was not curable, it was a relief to note that medication was available to enable me to cope with the symptoms,” recalled Sivaraman.
(Symptoms may include difficulty in moving one’s limbs, facial tics, and even senile dementia.)
However, some of the medication made him hallucinate. No doctors had warned him about this, so he was thrown into total confusion.
“I thought I was going mad,” he explained.
“After about a week, I became extremely lethargic and could not walk without assistance.
“What was worse, when I tried to discuss the problem with my doctor, he responded with a shrug, saying, ‘You are already 63; what else do you want to do (in life?). Just take the medication and rest at home.’”
So Sivaraman turned to the Internet for information and support from PD support groups abroad.
“I also benefited a lot from Ayurvedic treatment. I spent five weeks in India, after which I returned home, feeling much better,” he said.
“Today, I try to do everything that I wasn’t able to in the past – or mistakenly thought that I had to somehow give up.
“This includes controlling the remote control switches for my model helicopter, despite my tremors.
“I am also the photographer at functions organised by my family and friends. And I dare say that I think I do a darn good job of it despite my trembling hands. The trick is to remove my affected hand from the camera just before I snap a shot.”
Sivaraman says his goal now is to keep himself as fit as possible and live life to the maximum.
“As vice-president of the Malaysian Parkinson Disease Association (MPDA) in Kuala Lumpur, I also want to try my best to help others facing the same situation.
“It’s important that every PD patient live as normal a life as possible.
“Though PD is progressively degenerative, I intend to keep on moving ahead and not think about waiting for a cure or for the disease to catch up with me.
“The MPDA has a social club which offers PD persons an ideal opportunity to meet fellow patients and help each other in whatever way they can.
“I would like to extend an open invitation to everyone with PD or, for that matter, anyone out there who is looking for information on the disease.
“Please pay us a visit at the Parkinson Club in Old Klang Road, KL.”
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