I was a Primary Care-Giver to a Loved One Who Had Parkinson Disease

Our Golden Wedding Anniversary Portrait- Chateau Du Mer Conference Hall, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, 2007  

My spouse( Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague) for over 63 years passed away in August 10, 2020 after being diagnosed with Parkinson Disease in 2010.  Yesterday would have been her 88th Birthday.

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2021/08/celebrating-macrines-waksi-one-year.html

I was her Primary Care-Giver but we had hired several Home Care Aid Assistants, Physical Therapists and Home HEALTH Nurses and other home care workers to take care of my wife physical needs as the disease progressed.  Most of the services were not covered by my Federal Medical Insurance, so the expenses of her care were from my private savings/funds after my retirement from the Food and Drug Administration in 2002. 

The first five years ( Stages 1 and 2) was tolerable and our life was more or less normal except for our travel annually to our second home, Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque. Philippines.   Her symptoms were manageable with the medications that was prescribed to her. But she needed assistance with her daily living activities.  In Marinduque, we were able to get hired help 8 to 16 hours per day at my expense. But here in the US, we felt we can afford only an 8 hour help, so the rest of the day, I was the Primary Care Giver with the help of our youngest son on his days off and after work. I was lucky to have my youngest son( David E. III )who was single and lived with us during the years of my wife Parkinson Disease Diagnoses and Treatment.    

The third, fourth and last stages of Her PD resulted in two Falls, which landed with a hip replacement that was partially successful. The first Fall resulted in hospitalization and rehabilitation for several weeks which luckily was covered with my Federal/Medical insurance. The battling with the side effects of Levodopa was a nightmare. It was a stressful but rewarding 10 years of my life (see website below).

💙💙https://www.myparkinsonsteam.com/resources/survey-results-stresses-and-rewards-of-parkinsons-caregiving

In 2002 two years after Macrine's death, my youngest son David E. who was living with me suffered a Cardiac Arrest at work. After a week in the hospital with the machines keeping him alive, my family decided to cut of the machine and David passed away at the young age of 59 years. This week is the two year anniversary of his death.

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2023/03/today-is-first-year-anniversary-of.html

I live alone in my 4BR, 3Bath Single Home House( Fair Oaks, CA) for about 1.5 years after David E death. Of course I had a Home Care Aid Help 4 Hours Every Day at my own expense. The Home Care Aide cooks, drive me for my errands and medical appointments and do light house-keeping duties. I have also a Gardener and a Pool Cleaner and occasionally a massage therapist.    

Then last June, 2023 I decided to downsize and move to an active Senior Living Community ( THD) here In Walnut Creek, to be near to my two oldest children, Dodie (Benicia) and Dinah( Dublin). 

The David B Katague Clan, December, 2023. Not in the Photo are Dinah's Children ( Ian and Elaine). 

This is my 9th month here at THD and I am very happy. I am busy with activities, playing bridge and mahjong- my 2 favorite Games. I participates in almost all of the activities provided by THD. If I need a ride to get out of my Gilded Cage, we have transportation services for the Walnut Creek Area. For travel outside the Walnut Creek area I ask either Dodie or Dinah to drive me. 

The other day, I finally received the Plaque of Appreciation from the University of the Philippines, Visayas Library Project for my major donation in memory of David E and Macrine as follows:

Last but not least about Parkinson Disease: A common question asked about Parkinson:" What are the causes of Parkinson Disease?  

"Researchers believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors cause Parkinson’s. In 2003, Heiko Braak, MD, hypothesized that an unknown pathogen (a bacteria, virus or other microorganism that causes disease) in the gut could be the cause of PD.

This was followed by a more extensive hypothesis, stating that PD starts in two places: the neurons of the nasal cavity and the neurons in the gut. This is now known as Braak’s hypothesis. In this theory, the pathogen enters the body via the nose and/or gets swallowed and reaches the gut. The pathogenic products thus come into contact with the olfactory (smell) and/or enteric (gut) neurons, triggering the aggregation of an abnormal protein called α-Synuclein. The aggregated α-Synuclein (called Lewy body) then spreads toward the central nervous system (namely the brain), and eventually arriving in and causing the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the area of the brain called the substantia nigra.

This theory is supported by evidence that non-movement symptoms, such as a loss of sense of smell, sleep disorders and constipation, may appear several years ahead of movement symptoms. For this reason, researchers focus on these non-motor symptoms to detect PD as early as possible and to look for ways to stop its progression".

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231219/Breakthrough-in-Parkinsons-research-Scientists-identify-protein-synthesis-pathway-as-culprit.aspx#:~:text=A%20so%2Dcalled%20pathological%20protein,off%20in%20this%20neurodegenerative%20condition.

Do you have a love one who has suffered or is now suffering from the scourge of PD? I like to hear from you.