Over a long career in physiotherapy, Wendy supported many patients living with Parkinson’s and had done all the training available to her on the condition.
But none of that made her own Parkinson’s diagnosis any easier.
“It’s the most badly handled thing I’ve ever come across,” she remembers.
“They just gave me my diagnosis, and no one checked in on me to see how I was, or if I needed help. I was left feeling confused and uncertain about what it all meant, and what I needed to do.”
Wendy says the biggest challenge she faced was getting a clear picture of what her Parkinson’s journey would look like, and what her treatment options were.
“My dilemma was that the specialists didn’t actually know all the information,” she says.
“They didn’t take the time to explore my individual needs, or which treatments would best meet those needs. Most didn’t even know about other treatments that were becoming available at the time.”
The Fight Parkinson’s Health Team helped Wendy fill in critical information gaps about her diagnosis and treatment, which eased many of her worries.
“I learned that Parkinson’s doesn’t have to be as bad as I first feared,” she said.
“You can still live a long, full life if you’ve got the right treatment, and you respond to symptoms as soon possible.”
In the years since her diagnosis, Wendy has become a prolific and talented painter, something she says keeps her brain active and allows her to express her creativity.
Careful management of her treatment and symptoms has also given Wendy more precious moments with the people she loves.
“One of my favourite things is spending time with my four grandkids. I get a lot of pleasure from doing things with them, and I’d hate not to have them in my life.”
Wendy says the expert advice she’s been able to access from the Fight Parkinson’s Health Team has been vital to enjoying quality of life for as long as she has.
“They’ve been brilliant,” she says.
“They give me answers that my own medical professionals cannot, and they’re always very helpful and encouraging.”
As Wendy’s Parkinson’s symptoms have progressed, the Fight Parkinson’s Health Team has been a vital source of information on alternative treatments better suited to her changing needs.
That includes therapeutic procedures like Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which address movement symptoms and debilitating side effects of common drug treatments.
And technology like pumps, which deliver medication continuously beneath the skin to provide more stable symptom control and more flexible, individualised dosing.
“If it wasn’t for Fight Parkinson’s, I wouldn’t have known about those advanced therapies,” Wendy says. “And I wouldn’t be benefitting from them today.”
The Fight Parkinson’s Health Information Line provides people with free access to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and specialist nurses.
