So I can concentrate on this charming new friend of mine!
I suspected something was wrong when walking in rough heather on the North York Moors with a Duke of Edinburgh group in September 2007. I kept tripping up, losing my balance and falling over and my left arm and leg were not working properly. I thought it could be a stroke so we went home to the cottage we were staying in and with some rest things went back to normal. I did go to the GP and was told that it was stress and that I should 'calm down'.
The symptoms gathered pace with shaky hands, but the most pressing issue was my bladder (I now know this to be a direct result of MSA) which I saw a Urologist for in early 2008 (Dr Keonig). They asessed me with suspected prostate cancer. I was subsequently operated on at Airedale hospital on 1 October 2008. The operation confirmed that I did not have cancer, but did not resolve my problems.
I had been planning a trip to a major international conference just outside Venice, Italy (I take these invitations up as the Italians have wonderful food and drink), University of the North East in Boston USA and Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. The trip was demanding for any fit person, let alone one that was suffering involuntary leakages. This was the last big trip I would make.
Anyway, I met and stayed with my cousin Penny at her lovely house in Boonah, Queensland. She lives in a very nice spot, but she has had to work through her husbnad dying of cancer while she had breast cancer treatment. Today she is having further chemo to safeguard her as a result of her other breast being cancerous. Compared with me I think she has had a rough time but she is remarkably cheerful and has a remarkable friends network who look out for her. When I was staying with her she organised a BBQ and invited her physiopherapy friends to the party. By this time I was extremely tired and having bladder problems. As the guests began to leave they were talking to Penny quite earnestly and two of the physios stayed back for a while. One of them asked me if I was feeling alright and of course the answer was 'yes', but after all the guests had gone and sitting on the verandah with Penny surrounded by a beautiful night's sky, she said I should go and see a consultant neurologist so when I got back home it was back to the GP.
I duly had my appointment with the consultant neurologist in February 2009 and met my near neighbour waiting as well, which was a complete surprise. When I saw the consultant he took about 20 minutes of standard exercises to diagnose Parkinsons Disease. But that was still not the end.
Me at the University Club NYC 2007
For more details about MSA go to: http://www.msatrust.org.uk/
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