What The Heck Is PD? / Thankful Thursday

That's NOT supposed to be there!

Hi Pals

I need to share some news with you and am making this part of the Thankful Thursday blog hop because we are thankful at our house.  Things can always be worse.   All of  my Twitter pals already know , but somehow I has been too busy with important stuff in the blog to share it with all of you.

M and D both have some kind of disease called Parkinson's.   Dat's such a big word and I don't know xactly what it means, but I do know D was told last summer dat he had it, and M was told I guess in February.   All I know is, whatever it is, I hope I won't catch it too.   I also know dat both of dem shake a lot, and M has trouble walking.   D is on some kind of medicine dat helps him, but when the ooman v.e.t. tried to give it to M, she got sick, was coughing up hairballs or trying to, walked funny, kept bumping into things, and stayed in bed a lot.   She said it made her brain funny and head dizzy!   he he - I told her she's usually dizzy anyway.  

Den dat ooman v.e.t. took her off dat medication and gave her some other kind.  She's not coughing up hairballs anymore and doesn't walk funny or bump into things, but now she shakes more.    Sometimes all dat shaking is worse den at other times.  

The the other day she was back to the ooman v.e.t. because she her fingers were starting to go numb. Dat v.e.t. gave her an EMG test where he stuck some needles (shudder) in her arm den shocked her with a zapper. She said it was something like sticking your finger in an electrical outlet (whatever dat is). So now she also has cubital tunnel syndrome. (She sure has some funny sounding things going on). I guess dat means nerves are squished in or around her elbows. She has decided she'd better do something bout correcting this cuz the v.e.t. said he would have to cut her open and fix the nerve. (shudder). So, she's trying to be careful with how her arms are positioned when she's at the puter  and takes breaks. 

She said I should send her apology for any mistakes she makes in commenting on bloggies  or  tweets.   Sometimes she can hardly keep her fingers on the right keys, and other times she can type pretty good.   One of my friends on Twitter (TinyPearlcat)  says we should get one of those fancy puters dat you can talk into and it types words for you.   We probably will consider dat at some point, but M keeps hoping eventually the medication will work - she says the ooman v.e.t. said they would be playing around with medications until they get it right and it will take time.  She also hoping she can correct the Cubital Tunnel Syndrome by watching what positions her arms are in.,   So she's extra careful with how she sleeps at night to - no more self-hugs.  he he

Hmm, I wonder if one of those fancy puters understands cat language!  ooo, that could be fun - I'd just meow at the puter and it would type for me.   I'd have free use of the puter!

I had heard M and D talking bout moving a few weeks ago, but den dey bought one of these gizmos (called  a stair climber).

Some men came one day and put this on our basement steps.  I inspected their work when they left, and they did a good job.  M said it has to sleep in the basement, and they just push a button on a little box and the funny thing starts moving up the steps all by itself.  One of these days I'm going to race it up the stairs.  Bet I can beat it!

It's not scary at all.  After it had been here for a few days, M picked me up and put me on her lap for a ride.  I just don't look very happy because, well,

I like to climb the steps myself.   But M thought I should have a ride to get used to it.   (Shhh, M's not sad, that's just how people with PD look - they quite often forget to smile for the camera cuz she was busy trying to keep me from escaping and getting hurt.

I'm excited bout the stair climber thing cuz now my peeps don't talk about moving again.   I didn't like dat idea at all cuz all my smells are in this house, and I have it furred up just the way I want it. 

The grandson of some friends  (Harrison) comes once a week and mows the grass for D, so he doesn't have to mow.  D said he will find someone to help with snow shoveling too in the winter.   And, M is happy because D uses the stair climber thingy to send things up and down the steps.   Now M doesn't worry about him falling down the steps like she did before.

So, pals, we has a lot  to be thankful for at our house.

Dat's all for dis time.  Sorry this is so long.

Mario

Now it's your turn to hop on the blog hop and tell us what you are thankful for.