Parkinson's, Sciatica, Entertaining, and Friends

        This morning when I got up, my leg was throbbing, it feels like it is on fire! I went outside and poured vinegar on my weeds but my leg throbbed so much that I could only pour one gallon, I have three left to pour throughout the day. I took my regular doses of Levodopa and Gabapentin but I still really really shuffled this morning.  I am not using Round-Up weed killer any more because there have been links to cancer and to Parkinson's and I have had breast cancer and now I have Parkinson's. I hate weeds so I used that stuff like crazy for years!  The strange thing is that the tops of both feet felt numb even though I was in terrible pain from my sacroiliac joint sciatica pain.  I can't get that next steroid shot soon enough!  I googled the info below because I want to be as informed as possible. I think that information is power.
          The SI joins, or sacroiliac joins are found between the iliac bones and other soft tissue. They are found at the top of the buttocks and near the bottom of the spine on each side of the body. 
A lot of things can cause SI joint dysfunction, including overuse and injuries. Sometimes something as simple as twisting to one side to quickly can cause SI joint problems. SI joint dysfunction can be severe and make it hard for people to move around properly. There are many activities and exercises that can aggravate the condition and make the pain worse. Sit ups increase the pain. 
            Sacroiliac joint dysfunction refers to the failure of the sacroiliac joint to work properly. It may be caused by the wear of joint ligaments and articular surfaces.

Symptoms experienced with sacroiliac joint dysfunction commonly include:

• Lower back pain that feels dull, aching, and can range from mild to severe. Lower back pain is typically felt only on one side, but in some cases may be felt on both sides.
• Pain that spreads to the hips, buttocks, and/or groin. One of the most common areas to feel SI joint pain is in the buttocks and upper back or side of the thigh. Pain is typically felt only on one side, but may be felt on both sides.
• Sciatic-like pain in the buttocks and/or backs of the thighs that feels hot, sharp, and stabbing and may include numbness and tingling. Sciatic-like pain from sacroiliac joint dysfunction rarely extends below the knee.
• Stiffness and reduced range-of-motion in the lower back, hips, pelvis, and groin, which may cause difficulty with movements such as walking up stairs or bending at the waist.
• Worsened pain when putting added pressure on the sacroiliac joint, such as climbing stairs, running or jogging, and lying or putting weight on one side.
• Instability in the pelvis and/or lower back, which may cause the pelvis to feel like it will buckle or give way when standing, walking, or moving from standing to sitting

 Whenever I am busy, I sort of forget that I have Parkinson's. I mean, let's get real, I can NEVER really forget I have Parkinson's because of my shuffling gait and my freezing.! Yesterday the  day started off per usual with cleaning!  Then my in home speech therapist came. I just love her, and she is really a great speech therapist. Her words play in my mind all of the time......."SPEAK UP COLLEEN!!LET ME HEAR IT A LITTLE LOUDER!" It reminds me of the Gomer Pyle Show when he was in the Marines and his Sergeant Carter  would say to the men  " I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!"  Of course, Lindsay, my therapist, says it much nicer to me!!

Then my best friend Priscilla called me and wanted to come and swim with her two adorable granddaughters Keara and Charlotte!

I gave the girls a gift of identical stuffed bears!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRISCILLA!!

I got all of the snacks ready before they came and I made a gallon of ice tea.(Always about the FOOD!!) I like to do things early because if my leg throbs from sciatica or my gait is too shuffily from Parkinson's, I can sit down and take a break   Priscilla and I are both bereaved moms. Priscilla lost her adult daughter Krissy.    Keara, who lives many hours away with her dad, is Krissy's daughter.  Priscilla picked her up last week and she took the girls camping for a week, then she took them to see the Lion King on Broadway!!  Keara is here visiting her grandmother Priscilla and all of her cousins and aunts and uncles. Priscilla's other granddaughter Charlotte is her living daughter Kelly's daughter. The girls are only a few weeks apart but Keara is MUCH taller.  Because Priscilla is so committed to having Keara be part of the family even though her mom died,  Keara is extremely connected to them!  Keara knows so much about her mom from Priscilla!  WE were talking about names for the bears and Priscilla told Keara that her mom originally wanted to name her Taylor!  It was a nice afternoon, Priscilla easily talks about her daughter Krissy to Keara.  Keara is learning a lot about her mom from her grandmother.  Priscilla refinished Krissy's childhood bed and took it to Keara who now sleeps in it.  Priscilla visits her at least once a month and Keara knows her mom's family very well because of all that Priscilla does to keep her involved with all of them. Priscilla is such a good mom.  I felt so honored and so thankful that I got to meet Keara! She is so sweet and has excellent manners, as did Charlotte! While the girls were here, I only thought about Parkinson's when I got up from a chair!  I still can always tell when my meds are wearing off because my gait starts to shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, and I freeze!  Once I start walking, I am ok, but some days it takes longer to get going and the freezing lasts a bit longer.  Priscilla helped me carry everything outside and then back inside, that is a real true blue friend!!
         Olivia came downstairs and asked us who wanted to go to Acme with her at 9 pm.  Apparently, she was hungry!  So Dan and I went because she wanted certain foods and I needed gallons of water and a few other things. Due to Parkinson's, I need Dan to get the gallons of water because it is difficult for me to carry a lot of heavy things because of Parkinson's.
        There is a boxing gym near me that is offering 6 weeks(one day per week, I think) of free boxing classes for anyone who has Parkinson's.  I think I will try to go if my sciatica allows me to do it. Cheap is a good price but Free is the best price!
        I am excited because I am having lunch next week with my childhood friend Leslie. I can't wait to see her! I love to spend time with her,  There is just something so special about spending adult time with someone who knew you way way way back then!!!And on Wed. I am having lunch with my friend Myra!  I haven't seen her in quite awhile so it will be nice to catch up with her. Her daughter Jasmin is getting married in a few months, it is out of state, but I will send her a gift. We were invited but it is too far away for us to attend.  I hope she takes lots of great photos to share!