The Thomas Family

This year has been hard for me. I've been in and out of physical therapy and on/off medications to help me with back pain and spasm muscles. At one point, my sister suggested I go speak to her Neurologist in Tampa. My sister has had Parkinson Disease with tremors since her mid 30's. Surprisingly, my father's death certificate had Parkinsons listed on it too. Anyways, desparate for help, I agreed to go. I was prescribe a test called a DatScan to determine if my Dopamine levels in my brain were low. My lovely insurance wouldn't cover the test calling experimental, even though it is the ONE and only test available to determine Parkinson. Due to the family history, my new neurologist decided to put me on one of the trial medications for Parkinsons. She prescribed me a medication with some significant side effects. None of which a mom of 3 boys, a full time job, has the time to deal with. Anyways, I tool the medication and surprisingly to me, my muscle pain decreased significantly. I became overall much happier and more free to move around with much less pain. The side effects of the medication is insomnia. I would take the medication at bedtime and then wake up at 2am and be up until 5am and eventually fall back to sleep. This doesn't really work for me because I have to be up at 6am to get the kids fed, ready and off to school and then report to my job by 8:30am. So after enjoying not being in pain, I stopped the medication so that I could carry on as mom and employee. That is when I realized that I am in a very difficult position. I am 42 years old. I cannot shoulder the pain of stiff muscles and function either. I'm at a cross road and during the interim, I'm struggling to complete all of the basics tasks that a 42 year old should be able to do. I can't keep up with the housekeeping, I can't keep up with the laundry. I tell my DH that I hurt and he just doesn't get it. I don't wish this level of pain on anyone. It's awful. I'm scared as well for what lies ahead in my future.