Chapter 102 - Peripheral Pursuits

A few weeks ago at our local PD group we had two speakers; the first a practitioner of PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy, the second a local physio. The reluctant PEMF person was encouraged to attend our meeting to describe the benefits of applying her $28,000 machine to a wide range of illnesses, including PD & MS. The PEMF person said she had alleviated her MS symptoms by using the machine. Talk of "energy levels" and like terms tend to raise my inherent scepticism of such alternate procedures. The PEMF machine consisted of a heavy box mounted on a trolley of a pair of wheels and a handle; two cables ending in loops of heavy gauge wire (all insulated) were attached to the box, a control (intensity?) knob and a start button on the front. Solidly made yet a prototype look about it. When turned on, loud "clacks", that sounded like a large contactor operating, came from the box. I thought the machine was some form of low level induction heating device, possibly able to cook a body and not much else. Except that our local member declared that after one half hour treatment his PD symptoms had lessened and after three treatments his movement problems & stiffness had been relieved. He was quite positive about the changes in his body, he exhibited the joy of a true believer. He is a farmer from a small spud growing town near here. He was the PEMF person's only PD patient to date and herself the only MS patient. At the conclusion of her short talk group members were invited to move the PEMF coils over their bodies. Some felt sensations in parts of their bodies, others didn't. Costs? $50 for one session although a reduction to $40 for three sessions taken over a week. Some Internet searching found plenty of positive information about PEMF yet nothing really negative, about the dangers surely associated with such equipment. So we made an appointment. Last Wednesday we drove out to the spud town for her first PEMF session, short applications of coils to chest, upper & lower back, each side of head (concerned about that!).

Mid-afternoon Wednesday at home she was shaky, without pain or balance problems, yet felt cold (weather outside was lousy) and yawned a lot. Later she felt bright. Then early evening she was asleep in her chair. Between mid-afternoon & bedtime she went to the loo six times. After watching a movie she went to bed at 11:30 saying "I will sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow", and she did except for when she needed the loo at 1am, 2:30am, 4:30am and 6am. The effect of the PEMF?

The following morning, Thursday, she showered, dried, & dressed except for one item with small hooks, cardigan & socks. Then to her weekly physio session at the hospital. Afterwards, shopping & lunch. She was feeling well, although this is a Thursday pattern and must be due to the physio. She steps out much better. Yet we can't establish a routine to perform similar exercises at home, even though we have bought dumb-bells, leg weights, a small stepper & use a small box for stepping to take advantage of the benefits to her. (A short time ago I stopped typing for her to go through the physio routines - we MUST set aside time mid-mornings). She spent the remainder of the day & evening reading a recently published book exposing the inner workings of a happy-clappy "Christian" institution (business?) modelled along the lines of similar mega-churches in the land of the free. She did not feel tired. When the PEMF practitioner rang to ask how matters were going she was told the day had been good, mentioned the numerous trips to the loo and also an extreme amount of flatulence. Seems the latter was expected but not the first.

Yet on Friday she needed drying & dressing after her shower, then the TENS machine on her right hip. Just the nature of the Beast. Later her balance was bad. She fears that soon she will fall badly. Mid-afternoon a-snooze in her chair & on waking she was not moving very well. Then I drove her down to the local park named after that old & round Pommy queen. We have been doing this regularly now for perhaps 3 weeks; just a short walk, maybe 10 minutes around the paths, frequently sitting on the garden benches, otherwise her back/hips stiffen enough to cause her pain. When we first began this afternoon walk I had her walk for too long and I became concerned I was in danger of not getting her back to the truck. Also on Friday she decided we were running out of clothes, so by the time she sorted dark & light things to place in the washing machine she was quite done in. The washing machine is something I'm prevented from using (the last of her domain?) although I usually, as this time, get to remove the damp clothes into the dryer, or onto hangers and the clothes line. It seems I can't be trusted so separate things to prevent her underclothes becoming a neutral shade of gray.

A reversal on Saturday when she showered, dried & dressed completely, even those little hook things! Although her back was somewhat tender, blamed on bending during sorting clothes yesterday.

Last night she woke me at 2:45am when she was stuck in the middle of turning over. How can a normal healthy person understand that problem? Then at 5am a cramp in her right leg required her to walk the house for awhile. We woke just before 9am. Again she showered, dried & dressed completely yet had insufficient energy to get her bowl of breakfast cereal with sultanas (or are they raisins?) on top. No church today.

Last weekend friends from the southern steel town (not that there's a northern one any more) paid us an impromptu visit; I felt as if I had had a holiday.

I don't think I have mentioned her medication changes, so for the record, 1 only Sinemet CR & 1 Inderal at 9am, 2pm & 7pm, then rather than take a dose around midnight and then a Madopar Rapid at 6am, she takes only a Sinemet CR sometime during the night between 1am and 6am, just one of those times when she wakes. Yes I know, the average neurologist would tell her she is under-medicated!!

Oh hell, I am past lunch time, so must cook something frozen.