January 26th through 29th, 2018

Off to Lodi to help. The helping isn’t hard, the observing of decline is the hardest part.

When Don was mobile, and Parkinson’s Disease had a pretty good hold on him, we would go for a visit and help Maureen take Don to the symphony. It was always a challenge, but worth it because it was a favorite activity of his. There were about 10 handicap parking places and every aged person attending, about 90% of the audience, had a handicap placard. Never got the handicap parking. We used the wheelchair to get him in and into his seat. At intermission, it was my job to get him to the bathroom. At this symphony hall, the men’s restroom had a horrible choke point in the path into the stand up urinals and then to the sinks. Foot traffic had to pass through one at a time,taking turns with the men leaving the urinal, going to the sinks, then someone from the waiting line going off to the urinals, then someone leaving the sinks and exiting the restroom. It is a horrible design. I think the pressure of the traffic would hit Don every time he got in the sweet spot and he would lock up and freeze. It wasn’t a little pause, it was a full on 30 – 40 second freeze. The guys would go nuts, which I think intensified the freeze. I read in one of Maureen’s books that if you clasp both their hands in yours, move them up and down while counting out loud, “one, two, three” that it breaks the freeze and he gets moving again. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.

From the Michael J Fox website:

FoxFeed Blog

5 Tricks to Move Through Freezing Episodes in Parkinson’s Disease

Posted by  Nancy Ryerson, February 04, 2015

If you’ve ever experienced gait freezing in Parkinson’s disease, you know it can catch you by surprise. “Freezing is the sudden and unpredictable inability to start moving or continue moving,” says Rachel Dolhun, MD, one of our MDs on staff. “It can happen anywhere and at any time but walking through doorways and turning around are common triggers. Not only is this frustrating but it can lead to decreased mobility and falls.” 

Our community shared strategies that they’ve used to get through freezing episodes.

1. March in place, or imagine or sing a military song. 

2. Count out loud or in your head, or sing a rhythmic melody. If you feel yourself slowing down before a freezing episode, try humming a tune or thinking of a song in your head, then walking along with it.

3. Aim your next step at a specific spot on the floor. Try picturing a stick in your path that you’re stepping over or towards, our community suggests. If there’s a part of your home where you tend to freeze often, such as around a corner or in a doorway, place two strips of colored tape in the area to act as a visual cue.

4. Ask a family member or friend for help. Several commentors said a little bit of encouragement from someone nearby can help get them through an episode.

5. Try moving in a different direction, such as backwards or from side to side.

6. Bonus suggestion: Talk with your neurologist or movement disorder specialist about other ways to manage freezing. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a physical therapist who specializes in treating the gait problems and freezing associated with Parkinson’s disease.