Clean Bill of Health (well, as clean as it can be)

Tim went back to UVA yesterday with his parents for a "tune-up". All feedback I have heard is VERY positive, with 2 thumbs up!!! The doctors are so pleased with the success of this surgery!

Arlene had brought the video of the benefit which took place a couple of weeks prior to the first surgery. I got so sad. He looked awful. I could not believe how bad off he was based on how good he is now. We are truly very lucky that he was able to be fixed as well as he was.

We thank our stars EVERY day. We appreciate the time that we have with him now as "normal" for as long as we have.

Thank you all again for your support and continued prayers and well wishes.

Tim's Tune Up

Tim went back to the doctor this morning for a re-programming of the DBS. He will need to do this monthly for the next six months or so. The doctors were extremely pleased with his progress. They all said he was much further along than he should be. Normal to us, is apparently, adapting quickly to new DBS to them :-)

The surgeon was not there today, as his wife decided to have twins this morning. Yeah for Dr. & Mrs. Elias. A great big congratulations from us to them.

He has gone from 14 pills a day to 1/2 to none. Pretty amazing. He looks great and is happy!!!

Happy New Year!!!

It will be one for us, that is for sure! Tim is doing superb! We are all doing superb! We couldn't be any more pleased (ok maybe a little, but that is what reprogramming is for - scheduled for 1/22)!!!!

You know, you never realize how bad something was until it is gone. I never realized how much of Tim was hiding under Parkinson's. He is so much better now! He glows, he laughs, he frowns, he chuckles, he talks, he jokes AND it is all done with facial expression!!!!

He is so beautiful. I forgot just how beautiful he was (sorry if you read this honey, but it is true)!!! He was always handsome, pre-PD and through the years with PD, but there is something about him when his eyes glow and his face moves. You cannot play poker with him any more, not that you ever did before, but you get where I am going with this... He is just wonderful to look at now, and to talk with!

His tremor in his right side is still all gone! His tremor in his left hand depends on the time of day and it is never where it was. He had both hands out today and was still. My heart filled with joy. His body has been relatively still the entire time and there are no more dsykensias. His head is where it is suppose to be - facing front at all times and it doesn't wiggle any more.

Tim is grateful and understands that with this second lease on life, there is no wasting time. So... we will plan our future again. Goals we once had in place that were removed will be back on the drawing board!

Only time will tell, but I see a great 2009 for the Tim Blum Family!!!!! We wish you all the same!

How do you quantify AMAZING?

So, it's been a week and the results keep getting better and better. It is an amazing miracle. He now once again looks 38 and acts 38, not 68! He is up and out and moving and grooving. I don't mean to be hookie - but man oh man, you should see him now.

We are still working to adjust meds and the DBS, but holy moly, the difference is unbelieveable. The man is a walking miracle. Craig, Tim and I went to dinner last night while Lauren was at cheer practice. I was amazed at the animation of dinner conversation. Usually he sits and listens and shows little emotion. Last night he was as animated as the rest of us. We were laughing and laughing and laughing (I don't think the waiter dropping our 3 dinner plates of food all over the floor as he is about to serve us had anything to do with that :-)). It was beyond pleasant, it was magnificent!

We ran into some friends last night and they also couldn't believe how still he was and how good he looks.

Prayers have been answered and his life has been restored. I will say it forever - it is an amaxing miracle. Dr. Elias at UVa is a true miracle worker and we will forever be indebted to him!!!

I think we are getting the hang of this...

... Over the past few days, we have been experimenting with clicks and meds. Today he is at -11 clicks from where he started and only on a few Requip a day - he is beginning to see the balance between the meds and the DBS.

This afternoon we went out to lunch - his hands didn't tremor, his face was bright, I didn't have to say "huh" at all, and only once or twice did I get nudged from the leg with the dyskensias. All in all, a very successful outing. You can tell when the Requip starts to wear off though - that leg does some mighty strange things...

So, a friend of mine, one we met when we moved down here 18 months ago, stopped by last night to say hi and to check up on us. She sent me an email this morning. I am quoting her straight from the email, "It was wonderful to see Tim SMILE!! I can see why you missed it. I have to tell you that I am amazed at the difference in Tim. I hope that this will continue to improve as you guys learn how to manage the system". So, for those of you who remember the Tim from 7ish years ago... HE'S BACK BABY!!!!

2 Days Later...

... and quite frankly, a bit stressed and anxious over this process. The meds and the DBS are working against each other a bit. He has terrible dyskenisas - don't know the medical definition, but think of it this way - your leg is attached to your body, but you have NO control over it. It has a mind of his own to the point where if he is over medicated and "charged", it is like his leg is a kite string on a windy day. It literally takes off and does its own thing. Obviously, making walking, sitting still, and lying down virtually impossible. It was so bad on the way home from the hospital that we had to turn off the DBS altogether. He is currently -17 clicks from the original programming.

Tim spoke to the doctor yesterday and told him to stop 2 of the 3 medications he has been on. So, the good news is now he is down to 1.5 pills a day - down from I think around 14. We are documenting the reaction of the meds and what "speed" the DBS is set to so when he goes for reprogramming in January, they will have actual data to work with. We have to experiment now.

So, the good news - speech is louder, stronger, and clearer; his beautiful face/smile/expressions are back and he is as gorgeous as ever; the right side of his body is completely "fixed". Absolutely no tremor in that right leg!!!

Working to improve - Left hand/arm tremor; and him just feeling good.

He thinks he may be coming down with a cold now too and he is still healing from surgery, so, I think in a week's time or so, things will regulate more. I do think he is feeling better...

His brothers Chris and Mike showed up in the middle of the night as a surprise to Tim. When Tim woke up this morning and saw them, he was pretty darn happy. They have been out shopping for the past 4 hours. So, I hope this is the first real step in his recovery!

The kids are good. They don't see daddy all fixed yet so they think the surgeries were a waste of time. We told them it could take up to a year to get this all situated and they are not happy about that. This will be a life lesson we teach to them that will stick to their little bones for the rest of their lives - PATIENCE - now, if only Tim and I can walk the talk, we'll be golden!

Happy rest of your weekend. Love to all...

Miracles Really Do Happen!

Unbelievable - that is about THE word to sum up todays events.

They turned on the device and kept ramping up the "electricity" going through his body. The higher it got, the less the tremor was visible. Then, no tremor. Like gone, bye bye, all gone. We were watching through big tears of joy! It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life! He was still.

Then, they kept adjusting the device to ensure he had the best results possible. Then, his face lightened up. That Parkinson's mask was gone. He has expression in his face. He smiled today more times than I can possibly remember. It is so wonderful - I almost forgot what he looked like genuinely happy, not laughing, just a regular happy guy.

He started talking across the room and I heard him. I wasn't straining or asking him to repeat himself. His voice is booming again.

The doctors asked him to go out in the hall and walk for them - his arms swung - not stiff and rigid, but actually swung at his sides.

We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and he ate and did not struggle.

I am amazed and in awe of what these doctors did for Tim. He is where he was 7 years ago - BACK TO NORMAL!

We need to play with his meds now - he definitely doesn't need all of them, but it is dangerous to quit cold turkey so we have to give him the least amount to be in his system that will reak the least amount of havoc.

The power of modern medicine combined with the power of prayer worked amazingly well!!!!!!

I need to thank you all again for all of your help during this very difficult time. It's all good from here on out! Love to all.....