15 rules8- Forgive and try to forget. If you dwell on the past you will never move forward. Forgive those people and things that you need to in order to move forward. When you forgive, you let go of the past, and forgetting will go with it.9- Money is never made, it is only transferred. People rarely get rich working. Some people just make more money than you, but remember they also spend more than you. You work for a company, they transfer the money money they make to you for the work you have done. You, in turn, transfer it to the bank, the mortage company, the auto loan company, the cable company, the gas company, the electric company, etc… When you look at what you owe, you say to yourself, “How do I get out of this?” The United States National Debt is, as of 1/1/2012, $15,125,898,976,398. You do not see our government sweating. If you owe money, call up the companies and tell them you are having trouble paying them. Don’t ignore them, they won’t go away.

10- Try something you have never done before. It does not matter what, just as ling as it is something you have NEVER done before.

12- Keep your change! I have never been a person to search my pocket for 26 cents when my soda cost $1.26. I always give $2.00 and keep the chsnge, even though I know I have it in my pocket. At the end of the day put all the change in a bucket. If you start today, you WILL NOT have to worry about money for Chritmas presents 360 days from now. Trust me on this, it adds up.

13- “The 3 Bucket Rule. If you have children, do this with them. If you don’t have children, then do it for your grandchildren or even yourself. Use 3 cans, or boxes, or whatever will hold money. Let your kuds decorate the boxes. On Box 1 write “ME,” on Box 2 write “BANK,” and on Box 3 write “CHARITY.” Each week give your kids an allowance (say $3.00). I know many of you are saying that your kids don’t do anything for an allowance. Let me ask you this, “Do you get paid per hour or by how much you do, how fast you are, or how neat your work space is?” I think I proved my point and kids should be treated the same. So, every week you give them $3.00. $1 goes into the ME bucket, which they can spend at any time on what they want. $1 goes into the BANK bucket, which you take them to the bank and open an account for them and they put the book in the bucket when they get home (some banks have kids accounts, just ask). $1 goes into the CHARITY bucket, which at the end of each year they get to pick out what charity they want to donate to. This will give your children the life values of: Spend Wisely, Save Accordingly, and Give Back to those in need.

14- Call your family once a week. I have not been very good at this, but this us the year. Your family is always there for you, whether it be Mom, Dad, Bother, Sister, etc… One of them must like you. Call them.

15- “Choose to have a great Day! I say this to my wife and our girls every morning before they go to school. It is a choice, and DO NOT let anyone stand in the way of your choice to HAVE A GREAT DAY!

I truly care for the well being of all of you deeply, and may this year be your year. It starts today, don’t waste 1 minute of the 525,600 minutes you have this year.

Your Friend & Phsrmacist

Posted 02 January 2012 - 01:11 PMThese are 15 I will follow myself in 2012, and hopefully beyond. I invite you to join me on these “Rules.” Zi think it would make the world a better place.1- Be Truthful to yourself and others. Yes, it is not politically correct. Does a true friend just tell you whats good about you? Friendship begins with honesty to yourself and others. Trust me, honesty will bring closeness and respect. So, wear the same face all the time because truthfully, you can never fool your friends.2- Go through your list of contacts or address book. If you have not communicated in ANY way with that contact in the past year….erase them. Yes, even if it is me. Unless it is a plumber, mechanic, lawyer, etc… Start the year by surrounding yourself with good people with good intentions. “Give and take” does not mean, “I give and you take.” If someone is not putting as much into your relationship as you are, then they are taking a piece of you that someone else may need. If you do this, you will be amazed at how few people are in your contact list. Those are your friends.3- TALK, Do Not Text important issues. An “I’m sorry” or “Please forgive me” text has no feeling because you can not see the person’s face. An occassional “I love you” or “I miss You” is ok. The serious matters you must take care of in person. Along with this, do not text someone while you are having a conversation with others. Be polite with the phone. Hang it up when your in line at the store, do not text at the dinner table, when face to face with friends or family, etc….COMMUNICATION is what sets us apart from animals (that and opposable thumbs.) Show respect to the person to whom you are face-to-face with. It will go a long way. Plus, while texting you may miss some very important things in life you can not get back. It can be lonely with no one to talk to.4- Do just one good deed for a stranger or a surprise for a loved one. It can be as simple as holding the door for someone, writing “I love you” on a napkin and putting it in their lunch, or just saying “I like that shirt” to someone who looks “down in the dumps” at the store. Just like road rage, kindness is contageous.5- Always end a phone call, family gathering, gathering with friends, etc..with, “I love you.” You may never get the chance again.6- Charity is not always about money. At least once in this upcoming year, do something nice for someone less fortunate. It can be a “Red Kettle” donation or, it can be gathering stuff around the house and donate it, it can be delivering a meal to a neighbor, cutting the grass or shoveling snow, it can be donating time to a homeless shelter, volunteering at a school or library, or it can be just listening to someone who has an issue. I am not saying, “Don’t donate money (a good choice may be www.parkinson.org–shameless plug),” but there are other options. You have 525,600 minutes in one year. I think we can all spare 15 to 30 minutes to help those in need.7-

If you have Parkinson’s disease you have probably learned to carry around a handkerchief in your pocket so that you can periodically wipe up the spit that seems to regularly leak out of your mouth. Survey studies have recorded the presence of excess saliva or drooling in 70 to 78% of patients with PD. Men drool more than women and it appears to be more embarrassing for men than for women.

Why All the Excess Saliva in Parkinson’s Disease?

Scientists have found that the problem is not one of over-production but one of inefficient and infrequent swallowing. In fact, saliva production in PD is typically diminished over normal levels. Persons with PD simply do not swallow as much as other people.

So What Can Be Done?

There are several drug treatments available. Potent drugs knonw as anticholinergics, such as trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride and benzatropine mesilate, are prescribed in an attempt to “dry up” the excess saliva. But this class of drugs often creates troublesome side effects such as constipation, urinary retention, memory impairment, confusion, and even hallucinations, particularly in elderly individuals. Another possibility is to take a drop of 1% atropine ophthalmic solution under the tongue twice daily but this has been tried in only a handful of patients. Injections of botulinum toxin A have also been used to try to eradicate excessive saliva in PD. Although this drug is effective for some people with PD, side effects are again an issue including an excessively dry mouth and dysphagia or trouble swallowing food.

medication errors causes of patient injury

Medication errors are one of the most preventable causes of patient injury, although its incidence varies in different healthcare settings. The sources and avoidance of medication errors are multifactorial and multidisciplinary.

Healthcare providers and patients and/or their caregivers have their respective roles to play in reducing the occurrence of medication errors.

Patients and/or their caregivers can do so by knowing the medicines, understanding and adhering to instructions, monitoring the effects of the medicines and ensuring there is good communication between patients and their healthcare providers.

Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated

New Year’s resolutions to help you live well with Parkinson’s disease

For most people, New Year’s Eve is the time to look ahead to the promises of the coming year, and reflect on the changes we want to make in our lives. Those of us living with Parkinson’s disease too often find ourselves on the sidelines, afraid to dream in the face of our uncertain future. This is unfair to ourselves and to those who care about us.

Each of us must find our own way to put fear, anger, and sadness behind us and get on with the business of living.  Although life will never be the way we had planned in our pre-Parkinson’s days, “different” does not necessarily mean bad. More than 13 years into my own journey with Parkinson’s, I assure you that the daily choices we make will impact our quality of life down the road. I’ve chosen my 10 resolutions for 2012 with this in mind and I am sharing them here to inspire and motivate you to make your own resolutions to put yourself on the path to living well with our shared disease:

1.      Make daily exercise a priority. Research reveals it is the one thing that may slow disease progression. It also improves overall health and makes us look and feel better.   

2.      Get more sleep. Sleeping less than 7 hours a night impairs our ability to concentrate, make decisions, and moderate our emotions. It also contributes to weight gain as well as “excessive daytime sleepiness” and “sleep attacks” that compromise safety behind the wheel and in the workplace.

3.      Eat better. The foods we eat impact our fitness level and overall health.

4.      Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. I can do things now that I could not even dream of doing in my pre-Parkinson’s, like swimming half a mile at a time. Friends say I am in the best shape of my life except for the fact that I have PD. Yes, except for that!

5.      Live in the moment. Do the best you can today and deal with tomorrow when it comes.

6.      Don’t allow Parkinson’s to rob you of the good times still awaiting you. Since learning I had PD I have seen both my sons graduate from college and one from law school, danced at one son’s wedding, welcomed a wonderful daughter-in-law into our family, and seen both sons buy houses and host parties for friends and family. Had I given up from the start, look what I would have missed.           

7.      Take up a new hobby or learn something new.

8.      Volunteer to help others and find new purpose for our lives. Each of us has a gift we can share to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

9.      Remain an active participant in your healthcare, learning about clinical trials that may benefit you, regularly visiting the websites of the national Parkinson’s organizations to stay up on the latest Parkinson’s-related news, and attending symposia where I can learn from experts in the field.  

10. Spend more time with family and friends, creating a support system that can provide outlets for expressing your feelings. Tending to our emotional health is as important as taking care of our physical health.

If your current mental or physical state is not what you desire, now is the time to change course and alter your destiny. The choice is yours.

Sheryl

medication errors causes of patient injury

Medication errors are one of the most preventable causes of patient injury, although its incidence varies in different healthcare settings. The sources and avoidance of medication errors are multifactorial and multidisciplinary.

Healthcare providers and patients and/or their caregivers have their respective roles to play in reducing the occurrence of medication errors.

Patients and/or their caregivers can do so by knowing the medicines, understanding and adhering to instructions, monitoring the effects of the medicines and ensuring there is good communication between patients and their healthcare providers.

Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated

Medication errors are one of the most preventable causes of patient injury, although its incidence varies in different healthcare settings. The sources and avoidance of medication errors are multifactorial and multidisciplinary.

Healthcare providers and patients and/or their caregivers have their respective roles to play in reducing the occurrence of medication errors.

Patients and/or their caregivers can do so by knowing the medicines, understanding and adhering to instructions, monitoring the effects of the medicines and ensuring there is good communication between patients and their healthcare providers.

Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated

Secret recipe behind the mask

Hero Teo
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTpu_zBvDME

I often smiled when I watched the video recording of my kick-boxing exercise which I uploaded to You Tube. My trainers and videographer told me the same thing – “You do not look like a Parkinson’s patient at all”. Even my doctor shook his head in disbelief and said, “This is shocking. I can’t imagine a 70-year-old Parkinson’s patient doing a very strenuous exercise such as kickboxing. I am sure that you are the only Parkinson’s patient in Malaysia who is doing the kickboxing exercise.”

As early as 1998, I already had both the motor and non-motor symptoms. Since my diagnosis in 2002, I went through a period of depression, anxiety, denial and anger. Subsequently, I bounced back after discovering a secret recipe for fighting Parkinson’s, which consisted of: knowledge (is power), exercise, medications, nutrition / supplements and prayer. In my quest for knowledge, I surfed various Parkinson’s websites, raining them with questions, questions and questions. I even started the first Parkinson’s blog in Malaysia (www.heroteo.com). I tried to learn everything about Parkinson’s in order to overcome all complications - the Chinese heroes won the battles by understanding their enemy first.

Animal experiments showed that exercise may be neuroprotective. Rats which were forced to exercise had a lesser degree of brain damage after they were exposed to poison. In mice which were made to undergo treadmill exercise, there was increased production of dopamine.

Parkinson’s patients are comparable to the car. The medications are needed to help patients to start walking, while fuel or battery is needed to help start the car engine. Exercise is needed to improve the patients’ physical mobility and endurance, while driving helps to recharge the battery. Thus, exercise helps our “engines” warm up before leaving home and keep the “cars” going everyday. Even healthy people such as Bruce Lee, the Chinese Kung Fu master, know that exercise is beneficial.

As such, since 2005, I decided to “get physical”. I spend 3-4 hours everyday at the California Fitness gym, doing a wide range of “heavy” exercise such as kick-boxing, weight-training and spinning (indoor cycling). Twice a week, I do yoga exercise at home with the guidance of a trainer.

Since this year, my physical condition has drastically improved. I sleep and eat well (I eat to live, and live to eat). I enjoy driving around the Kuala Lumpur city with my wife everyday and going overseas for holiday. I managed to reduce the daily dose of Parkinson’s medications recently. Sometimes, I wonder whether I am just a “normal person” behind the mask.

I know that it is technically difficult to prove that exercise has neuroprotective effect in Parkinson’s patients. Despite this, I believe that exercise has slowed down my disease progression. I hope that my video recording will bring hope and happiness to all Parkinson’s patients in this world, by reminding them that they can still live a physically active life.behinf

Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood.  However, symptoms of bipolar can also manifest during childhood, and some bipolar symptoms develop late in life. Bipolar may be difficult to diagnose as an illness, and some people may suffer for years before the mental illness is properly identified and treated.

The deep mood swings of bipolar disorder may last for weeks or months. Research suggests that bipolar disorder manifests a wide range of symptoms.  The main characteristics of bipolar disorder are quick changes from mania to depression and back again. The periods of highs and lows are called “episodes”.  Mood episodes are intense. The feelings are strong and happen along with extreme changes in behavior and energy levels. The signs and symptoms of manic episodes and depressive episodes follow.

Signs of a manic episode/ mania

• Agitation
• Aggressive behavior
• Decreased need for sleep without fatigue
• Denial that anything is wrong
• Difficulty concentrating
• Drug abuse (especially cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications)
• Exaggerated optimism
• Excessively “high” or euphoric mood
• Extreme irritability
• Impulsiveness
• Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
• Increased physical and mental activity and energy
• Increased restlessness
• Increased sexual drive
• Inflated self-esteem
• Poor judgment
• Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
• Racing thoughts jumping from one idea to another
• Risky behaviors
• Shopping sprees
• Talking very fast
• Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers

Signs of a depressive episode / depression

• Chronic pain not caused by physical illness or injury
• Decreased energy,
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Feeling fatigued or of being “slowed down”
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Indifference
• Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety
• Loss of energy, persistent lethargy
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
• Restlessness
• Sad, anxious, or empty mood
• Significant changes in appetite
• Sleeping too much, or difficulty sleeping
• Social withdrawal
• Weight loss or gain (unintentional)

It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in bipolar disorder as a continuous range of moods. At one end is severe depression, which is followed by moderate depression and then mild low mood.  Normal or balanced mood is somewhere in the middle of the continuum, after which comes mild to moderate mania and then severe mania.

Bipolar disorder may mimic a problem other than mental illness such as alcohol or drug abuse, poor school or work performance, or strained interpersonal relationships. Such problems, in fact, may be signs of an underlying mood disorder.  If you experience any symptoms of bipolar disorder, seek medical help as soon as possible.  In order to understand the ins and outs of diagnosis, read the next sectiowhich describes how doctors use a bipolar test here.

Dear Dr.Okun

 I am gone to research into bipolar and Parkinson’s disorders

My experience why ARE the bipolar’s medication after side effects SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS ARE pARKINSON’S DISORDERS’?

Why Bipolar disorders is curable but not the Parkinson’s disorders?

THEY ARE THE SAME FAMILY WHY THEY ARE DIFFERENCES?

kindly elaborate

Regards

TEOKIMHOE
to help the PD patients aware the diseases and encourage to set up support groups to educate the patients and their immediate families

#2 Dr. Okun

Advanced Member

Group: Ask the Doctor Moderators
Posts: 1,927
Joined: 19-January 07
LocationUniversity of Florida
Posted 28 September 2010 - 09:05 AM
Bipolar and PD are two completely different diseases.Interestingly some patients with bipolar can become Parkinsonian from chronic use of dopamine blocking drugs. Sometimes when in the manic phase the PD symptoms improve.Where they get confused is that they share a lot of the same brain circuitry.

Posted by teo at 11:43 PM

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Personal Stories

A Warrior With Parkinson’s

Phil Sorgel
Southlake, TX

I was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006 at the age of 44.  At the time, I had several undiagnosed health issues, but was somehow able to “power through” it all to a keep alive a rapidly rising career—and no matter what I said, career is really what was most important to me.

I don’t mean to minimize my family, but when I got the diagnosis of Parkinson’s, I had to look myself in the mirror and answer one key question:  “What was really the most important thing in my life?”  I came to find out that my heavy focus on “career” had been way off target—what was most important was “family” and “relationships.”  I went into a period of reassessing all aspects of my life to refocus on these key areas of my life.

I had to take disability retirement from my career toward the end of 2006, given my growing inability to multi-task, make decisions, attend meetings without getting up every five minutes to stretch or relieve my painful spasms, and basically just not being able to do all that was required of me.  THAT was a very tough decision for someone with my focus at the time.

But once I looked myself in the mirror, and put my career on the back burner, I decided to focus on my family, friends, health, and hobbies.  In 2008, we went on a long awaited vacation to New York City (see picture—I am the one male in the picture, and my wife Renee and daughters Alyssa (17) and Niki (14) represent the rest of my family).  It was a great, albeit active and tiring, vacation.

And as of 2009, I took the next step of my journey with Parkinson’s by undertaking Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery.  It was a tough decision to make, but I really had no choice—the amount of medication I had to take to control my symptoms was getting higher than my doctors were comfortable with.  Bottom line, the surgery was successful, and my first programming session (which is all I have had as of the time of this note) was very successful as well.  The procedure has allowed me to virtually eliminate my tremor, and greatly reduce my muscle rigidity.  And who was there to support me through this part of my journey—family and friends, the most important part of my life.

The key things I would tell anyone with Parkinson’s are as follows:  1.)  try to find the “gift” hidden in the fact you have this horrible disease—for me, it was a refocusing of my life on what was most important, 2.) understand that Parkinson’s is not a “death sentence”, even though it is chronically progressive—there are lots of things to accomplish on your journey, and the symptoms and problems of Parkinson’s are just things to manage through, and 3.) Parkinson’s is in fact a “journey”—a path you start down with your initial diagnosis, but one that continues as you evaluate the various alternatives available to you, and one that further continues based on the decisions you make….. “decisions YOU make”…… the disease doesn’t have to make your decisions for you.