I Have What? I Thought It Was...

Looking back to 2017, maybe a bit earlier, I figured I was in pretty good shape for my 72 years.  Sure, my back ached a bit and I did some physical therapy for that.  I lost almost all of my sense of taste and smell 25 years ago.  My left side arm and leg were a bit stiff and I moved a little slower than I used to.  My doctor told me that all those things could just be attributed to aging, as could the minor tremors in my left hand and leg.

So, when in early 2019, I needed steroid shots in my spine, I accepted that as another part of the aging process.

Prostate cancer

Then came 2020.  More steroid shots, a bit more tremors.  More aging, right?  Oh, oh, now came the rise in my PSA level and a biopsy. Prostate Cancer, the words hit like a sledge hammer.  Hormone therapy and 45 radiation therapy treatments later, I was considered to likely be cancer free.

Of course, it was the testosterone depleting, weakening, hormone therapy and all that radiation that made me feel so weak and stiff the beginning of 2021, right?  That should improve now that the radiation and hormones are done.  Why did the stiffness, weakness, slow movement and tremors continue?  In fact, the tremors had gotten much worse after the hormone therapy began.

March of 2021, I had spinal fusion surgery fusing 3 vertebrae.  Recovery from surgery was slower than expected.  Two weeks of rehab were required, must just be my weakened condition caused by a year of relative inactivity due to the Covid 19 quarantine, right?

Consulting a neurologist

My Primary Care Physician suggested I consult a neurologist about the increasing tremors, stiffness and slow movement.

Ok, you're way ahead of me at this point.  Yep, 3 neurologists and the same diagnosis 3 times.

Parkinson's disease!

I was seeing 5 doctors for different conditions and diseases.  So many symptoms that might have had other causes.   It was confusing and a bit scary.

I wrote this hoping to possibly help some others to not have to go through all this confusion and delay in getting to the core problem.  Now that I'm at the end, I guess there is no solid advice to be given.

It just points out how varied and confusing this damn disease can be.