Except for Aleve and Tylenol, this past week has been living medication-free. However, the deceptive nature of living with Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis, and tumors percolate inside. If you look at me, you’d be convinced by how I look like the picture of health. However, there have been nights when I cheated on my vow of medication-free. For example, last night, I had to sleep in my recliner for two two-hour periods due to pain by downing a single tablet of Tylenol #3 (300 mg of Acetaminophen and 60 mg of Codeine). I guess medication-free is not medication-free when one has to sneak in 30 mg of Codeine now and then, but when your body gets to this stage of pain, many will do what they have to do.
Category: Parkinson’s
I finally got weeded off a ton of medication. I dropped three-quarters of Gabapentin, halved the Zanaflex, Celebrex (to which I wonder if it works and that some guy stuck a placebo in the casing), and all of the Carbidopa-Levodopa. In theory, Carbidopa-Levodopa has withdrawal symptoms if one reduces too quickly but suffice only one night and one day; I experienced no significant issues. In truth, I experience fewer Parkinson’s problems without Carbidopa-Levodopa than I did with it. Now I am down to several 220mg of Aleve and 2ml of CBD Oil purchased from Medterra. (No, I do not receive any royalties.)
The CDB Oil was new for me. I’ve never been known to shove ‘alternative’ medications down my throat but became intrigued by CBD Oil after watching the Larry Smith (aka ‘Ride with Larry’) YouTube video. Mr. Smith was a former police captain who had Parkinson’s. In the 2012 video, Mr. Smith’s symptoms abated within a few minutes of inhaling some form of cannabis (maybe a vaping type instrument). Unfortunately, eight years later, Smith passed away, but I wonder if cannabis treatment assisted him or not. So, after about 80 hours of research, l ordered some CBD from Medterra. When asked if I could be monitored through my Neuro’s office staff and expertise, I was kindly instructed not to return – that I would be alone.
Eighty percent (80%) of those impacted by osteoarthritis experience pain. The most common symptom is acute pain – often deep-searing pain. For the longest time, it was hard to relate. Sure, my muscles exploded in pain, frequently from the simplest of movement. The most extreme form of osteoarthritis pain I experience comes from walking when the pain becomes so significant that the body stops whatever it is doing and says, “F*** it. We’re done. I am done until everything calms down.” I have always been grateful my body has down in the middle of a New York City crosswalk during rush hour, running from an avalanche, or just as a tsunami approaches. (Although sitting on a toilet during a Los Angeles earthquake was my biggest fear). I always presumed I experienced ‘maxed out.’ I was wrong.
Sorry I have been offline for several weeks. It’s not that I’ve been medically indisposed. And while the pain did follow me, I remained upright and above ground. Instead, I travel to Tucson to collect my father’s remains, spend time with my mother, and worked remotely as though I were in the Central Time zone.
Working under Central Time while in Tucson presents challenges. No matter what you do, you must plan two hours ahead. For instance, for an 8:00 AM meeting, you must be prepared at 6:00 AM. For me, the alarm rang early – like really, really early. Some days, I found myself sliding out of bed at 4:00 AM, calling it a night by 8:00 – 8:30 PM. The schedule was extraordinary.
The company completed its reorganization this week. Company management phrased the downsizing as a ‘proactive initiative.’ Downsizing has many different names and acronyms: realignment, restructuring, resource allocation, employee assessment, redundancy reduction, organizational shifting, transformational initiatives, future position, planned efficiency, and workstream synergies. The list is endless. Our CEO (who already makes 25 million a year) secured a couple extra million dollars for his trouble. And those receiving the ‘pink slip’ secured a few additional weeks of pay, a smidge more healthcare coverage, and an escort to the door by company security. I didn’t get kicked to the curb and appeared steadfast through it all. But no one knew I was in ‘brain fog.’