August 25, 2024 • 30 mins
Ever experienced a day where everything seems to go wrong? Travis shares his story of a challenging day that began with a fall and spiraled into a series of frustrating mishaps, including an unexpected demand from his doctor. Judy, drawing from her own experiences as a care partner, offers valuable advice on how to mentally reset and manage the compounding frustrations that come with living with Parkinson's. Together, they emphasize the importance of mindset in overcoming the daily hurdles and finding resilience amidst adversity.
We also dive into practical tips for staying cool and hydrated during scorching hot weather, from the benefits of sparkling mineral water to low-sugar electrolyte options. Our conversation extends to the joys and challenges of gardening in extreme heat and the innovative strategies for managing shade and humidity. Plus, we invite you to share your own experiences with focused ultrasound by reaching out to the show.
- Co-hosts: Judy Yaras & Travis Robinson
- Editor & Audio Engineer: (EP1-100) Spencer Yaras
- Audio Engineering Intern: Ana MacAller
- Social Media Intern: Ana MacAller
www.INDYpodcast.net
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Travis (00:01):
Welcome to I'm Not Dead Yet with Judy and Travis, a
podcast about living anextraordinary life with
extraordinary circumstances.
Welcome to the I'm Not Dead Yetpodcast.
I'm your co-host, TravisRobinson.
(00:26):
I was diagnosed withParkinson's disease at age 35 in
2014.
Judy (00:43):
And I'm your other co-host , judy Yarris.
My husband Sandy hadParkinson's disease for 18 years
and I was his care partnerToday's episode we'll be talking
about.
Travis (00:59):
Oh, I get pissed off from time to time from having
this damn disease.
Hi Judy, how the hell are you?
Judy (01:19):
I'm good, travis.
I've had a good day so far.
I've spent a lot of time on theLA freeways, but overall my car
is air-conditioned and drivesand I'm not blowing gas, I'm not
in an electric car and so it'sfine.
I'm happy, all is well.
You know, for me All is well inJudy land.
(01:43):
Yes, yes, no big complaints.
Complaints today, can't whineabout anything today, but uh,
but I, I hear what you're saying.
Like, you know, there's, therejust are some days when you just
go.
But I do not want to haveparkinson disease.
(02:04):
This is not the day for it.
I don't need this and I don'twant it.
Right.
Travis (02:09):
Right Then.
Yesterday was just such a dayfor me.
I spell, and that wasn't a bigdeal and that wasn't a big deal,
but I lost my balance in themost stupid way.
(02:37):
I was leaning a little sidewaysto pick up something from the
ground and lost my balance, wenthead over to kettle and crashed
(03:05):
and fucking hurt.
Yeah, I'm tired of hurting.
I smacked Elmo and a jammedthumb and injuries on the front
(03:44):
and back of my body.
Judy (03:46):
So I am just tired of that .
I get it.
Travis (03:48):
Travis, I do.
I mean, I went to make dinnerfor myself and dropped my fork
five fucking times.
The last time I almost fell outof my chair reaching for it
(04:13):
again.
So I was just really sick andtired of where PD had left me.
Judy (04:28):
I hear you, travis, I mean I do and I know that
frustration.
I've seen it firsthand and Ihear it in support groups and I
hear it from you, and it's atough one because that first
fall that you had kind of setthe tone for the day right, like
(04:50):
if you fuck something up firstthing in the day, then it seems
like the rest of the day you'recatching up to more things
happening.
Yeah, it's a spiral, you know,a bad chain of events that keep
happening and I I wish there wasa solution, a great tool I
(05:13):
could give you.
The only thing I can think ofis, once you've had that kind of
a fall, that kind of startlesyour body jarls, your, you know,
startles your body jarls, your,you know, startles the body,
and that's the word I'm lookingfor.
I can't think of it.
That sort of shocks the brain.
You know it's a surprise andit's painful and you're pissed
(05:38):
about it.
There has to be a momentafterwards where you could
literally just stop and closeyour eyes and reset everything,
reset the frigging day at thatpoint, you know, just reset it,
because otherwise what happensis it's sort of in the back of
(06:01):
the mind and it's just festeringthere that you had that fall.
And now anything that happensdropping your fork, making
dinner, anything that isn'tsmooth is going to keep feeding
into that folder in the brain ofthings to piss me off for the
day, right, right.
Things to piss me off for theday, right, right.
(06:26):
So there has to be a way oftaking the folder and
acknowledging it and thensticking it in the shredder you
know, so it's gone before you gointo the next part of your day.
Does that make sense?
Travis (06:42):
It does, because so many little things happened that
normally would not be big deals.
Already pissed about the fall,they, in my mind, escalated.
(07:12):
You know.
The doctor called and said meto get labs done before my next
appointment and I was furious.
Judy (07:33):
Now, why did that make you laugh?
What made you mad about it?
Travis (07:47):
They hadn't said anything when I got the
appointment.
And I got a telemed appointmentso I would not have to go into
the office, but the lab is inthe same fucking building.
(08:10):
So driving into the lab prettymuch defeats the advantage of a
telemed appointment.
Judy (08:31):
Advantage of a telemed appointment yes, right, that's
true.
So there you go, and it'sunderstandable.
I mean, I'm sure maybe inhindsight they thought that
maybe it was a good time.
They didn't really think aboutit at the time you made the
appointment.
But now here it is and theywant to see the meds or see the
blood work, which is a goodthing, right, right, we like
that.
They're being conscientious,right?
Travis (08:53):
Yes, and it's not even that I was really upset about
the request, but it came on thelast straw of the day.
Judy (09:15):
Right, it was like one more thing to deal with.
And I think, people that havePD, you're so focused on so much
around your PD, it sort ofenvelops your day on how to walk
, how to talk, how to eat, howto speak, how to poop, how to do
(09:39):
all these things that you haveto do.
All these things that you haveto do no-transcript.
Travis (09:52):
Yes, and it was in my mind at the time, a very insult
to my abilities.
Because here they are saying ohokay, mr Robinson, well, this
(10:29):
is all the point for you, so youdon't have to come in.
And then they turn around and,oh, you've got to come in before
the appointment and run labs,which is all well and good, but
(10:52):
calling me at 5.30 on a TuesdayTelling me that I have to do
something before an appointmenton Thursday yeah, I didn't give
(11:12):
you time.
Judy (11:13):
That's not enough time.
Travis (11:14):
Pretty much means I had to go this morning to take care
of it, Otherwise the doctorwouldn't have the lab results
before my appointment, right,which is important, right.
Judy (11:40):
So check it off to one more thing I have to do, one
more thing that makes me leavethe house and drive and find a
parking spot, which, for thoseof you that live in LA, you know
that this is no easy experienceIf you live outside of Los
(12:01):
Angeles, I think a lot of peopledon't quite understand.
Not just the traffic but theparking situation for any
doctor's appointment alwaysseems to be challenging, right?
Travis (12:15):
And regardless of the fact that I have a handicap, a
lacquer, when you're going to adoctor's office, so does
everybody else.
Judy (12:33):
Yes, it doesn't mean a lot in a medical building, that's
for sure.
There's a lot of people with it, so it doesn't buy you a lot to
have it.
Well, I'm sorry you had thatday, travis.
You know I was thinking tomyself for a moment.
Is mercury in retrograde?
You know, for those folks thatare astrology, but whenever I'd
(12:58):
have a really terrible day,someone would always say, oh,
mercury must be in retrograde.
You know, but I don't reallyknow what that means, other than
you can have a reallydisastrous day and that's.
You know, you're not supposed tosign important paperwork.
Buy a house.
You're not supposed to signimportant paperwork.
Buy a house, sign papers forthings like that bank loans on
(13:20):
that day.
So but I think it.
You know.
To put it into perspective,it's not.
It's not unfounded.
It's like you have a goodreason why you're annoyed.
You have a good reason why itbecomes so inconvenient for you,
especially when you planned atelemed appointment where you
(13:40):
weren't going to have to go in.
Is there a lab that's close toyour house?
I know some people go to, likeQuest or I forget what the other
one is, and they run labs there.
But it all depends on yourinsurance, right?
Travis (13:58):
And also the speed at which those labs can get the
results from my doctor.
Yeah, so I chose to go in thismorning to the lab on the first
(14:21):
floor of her medical building.
Judy (14:25):
Okay, good, so that they would have the fastest
turnaround Right.
They can do its stat and they'llget the info to Earth before
your appointment tomorrow.
Yes, well, I'm sorry that thathappened, you know, and we can
take a minute and just talkabout falls.
(14:47):
Falls are part of life withParkinson's, and, although
everyone we try to not make itlike it's the most horrific,
horrible thing that can happento you, in some instances it can
be very serious and it can beextremely debilitating.
In some cases not so much, butfalls are never good and it does
(15:10):
set you off on a.
I just feel like I tried tothink back with Sandy Like if he
had a fall.
It just seemed like I tried tothink back with Sandy like if he
had a fall.
It just seemed like after thatone fall, then there'd either be
two more falls and somethingelse that would happen.
That would just be sofrustrating that he'd want to
like throw either throw thecomputer across the room, throw
(15:33):
his phone across the room, throwme across the room.
You know his phone across theroom, throw me across the room.
You know it's just like that.
Yeah, it's strange to do that,but I think it was just that
feeling of frustration thatovertakes so many people when
you're dealing with medicalissues.
Travis (15:53):
Right, right.
And other things, like the dogsbarking when Sarah came home
and the alarm going off on herfish tank, okay, or things that
(16:14):
were driving me mad, right,because, okay, now I've got to
get into my pocket and grab myphone, pull up the app, turn off
(16:36):
the alarm, all this when I'mtrying to eat.
Judy (16:45):
Right, too many activities at one time, too much
multitasking, right, right,probably it's a good idea.
Okay, I'm going to give youanother simplified tool.
When you sit down to eat, takeyour phone out of your pocket
and put it on the table next toyou, because the truth of the
(17:09):
matter is it is so hard to get aphone out of a pocket For a
normal person, for someone thatI shouldn't say normal, but for
a person that doesn't have PD,it's hard to get a phone out of
a pocket.
It just gets worse and worse.
You know it's a struggle to dothat, so maybe from now on, a
(17:31):
good lesson is put the phone onthe table next to you so at
least if you have to answer it,if you have to turn off an alarm
, you have it right there andyou don't have the frustration
of getting the phone out andworried about not hitting it at
the right time.
Travis (17:48):
Yes, and today I'm wearing armor to protect myself
in case of another fall.
Well, that's a good idea.
It's not if, but when.
Judy (18:11):
Yes, it seems like for some people there are weeks
there might be one week wherethere's multiple falls.
You could go months or a monthwithout it, weeks without it,
days without it, and then all ofa sudden there is a series of
falls and you're kind ofpreparing yourself.
(18:35):
Now.
Yes, Well, for our listeners Ican say that he doesn't look
like a knight in shining armor.
I can't see the protective gear, but I know that Travis
sometimes uses that.
I know people that walk aroundwith knee pads and elbow pads
all the time because they've hadso many falls.
(18:57):
So it's just part of life.
Travis (19:04):
And it means that today at least I can relax.
Yes, not be so apprehensive,mm-hmm.
Judy (19:23):
You can kind of do your day without worrying about it.
Travis (19:27):
Yes, which takes one thing off my mental plate, which
is a good thing.
Judy (19:41):
It is a good thing.
I mean it's a good thing tostart your day maybe with a
little meditation, three minutesto just clear a reset.
Three-minute reset, clear themind, get yourself focused and
kind of do an affirmationToday's going to be a better day
.
I'm okay today.
I feel good, I feel strong, I'mgoing to get through today
(20:06):
whatever comes my way.
I mean that's a good one, evenif you don't feel good or you
don't feel strong.
But just knowing that you canget through the day, whether
it's good or bad, you'll surviveit.
I think sometimes remindingourselves of that can be very
helpful.
Travis (20:26):
Yes.
Judy (20:29):
So you know you have the tools, Travis, it's just
implementing them and makingthem happen.
Travis (20:37):
Yes, so what does this do with you?
Are you managing to stay coolin this 100 plus degree?
Judy (20:55):
weather don't keep my house set at 68.
My house is set at like 76 or77 and I have this thing that I
do with dwp.
So it's part of a um, a programto save energy, so they
(21:18):
actually can manage my, my nestum, which is the little unit
that has the temperature gauge.
They can manage it during peakhours and it's actually pretty
good.
It's just that the way my houseis set up and the way the
original vents were done, theback of my house gets very cool
(21:40):
and the front of my house getslike an oven by the afternoon.
But that's because it's facingwestward so I have that sun
coming in and it's really it'shard to cool the front of the
house.
So I just stay to the back ofthe house, I stay in my little
TV den room and that's where Ikind of hang out and I keep my.
(22:01):
I have my office here and itseems to be a good room because
it doesn't get too hot in theafternoon.
But then when I go out I do haveto say that I've had to remind
myself several occasions thissummer to make sure that I have
a water bottle with water in mycar, like one of those metal
water bottles I don't even knowwhat it's called.
(22:23):
There's a billion of them around.
Water bottles I don't even knowwhat it's called.
There's a billion of themaround.
But I make sure that I havesomething in my car so, even if
I'm running out for a short time, that I can hydrate myself when
I get back in the car, becauseit's really hot.
And I just want to say, at oldage, I don't know if it's a
hormonal thing, but I am asweater now, like I really
(22:48):
perspire.
I don't remember being likethis as a young person, except
when I really worked out hard,but now if I'm in that really
hot weather, I find myselfperspiring a lot, which I think
is good.
It's good for your body to dothat, but it can make me so
tired so fast.
So I just am making sure that Ihave water with electrolytes
and I'm drinking throughout theday.
(23:10):
You know, that's the key for me.
Travis (23:13):
Yes, and if you are like me and you steer clear of flat
water, it's important to keep astash of Leucoiganza Dobochico
(23:41):
or some other sparkling mineralwater.
Judy (23:50):
I know.
I mean I think for a lot ofpeople they don't.
Sandy hated the taste of waterand I used flavor enhancers for
him in all of his water.
Some of those have a lot of.
Them used to have a lot ofsugar.
I mean I'm not a big Gatoradeperson, it's just too sweet, too
much.
But there's plenty ofelectrolyte replenishments that
(24:15):
don't have a lot of sugar, thathave a lot of sodium, have a lot
of magnesium, a lot of calcium,and they seem to really put it
back for me and I guess that'swhat I need after I've been out
in the hot weather.
I mean, you know, I left agarden.
My garden looks like a desertright now because I haven't been
spending much time out there.
It's just way too hot to doanything and you can't plant
(24:37):
anything in this kind of weather.
It's not going to be successful.
Travis (24:40):
So Right, you almost need a chill house.
Right, you almost need a chillhouse.
Right, like folks that have theglass greenhouses, you need one
with an air conditioner.
Judy (25:04):
Yeah, I mean, I think I'm very fortunate that I have a
very huge tree.
I call it my jack-in-the-beanstock tree.
It's a tipi, tipu, tawanda andum.
It's massive in my backyard andit was planted on the advice of
a horticulture person that said, oh, this tree will grow fast
(25:25):
and it'll give you lots of shade.
I had no idea it was going tolook like it's 100 years old in
a matter of 12 years, and soit's grown very quickly and it's
very big.
But it does keep the back ofthe house more shaded, which is
great.
So I can't complain about it.
I love it and I'm happy it'sthere.
(25:47):
But I think those are the thingsthat we have to look at as to
how to keep ourselves coolerwith this terrible weather.
And I was talking with someonewho was on the East Coast and he
was saying that it was justnasty.
He was in Florida and he said,if you want to talk about bad
weather, the humidity there isso high.
(26:07):
He said you just feel like youcan't breathe.
So I feel fortunate that we'rein LA and although it's more
humid than it's ever been youknow, 40, 50% humidity here and
there is not going to do me inwhen it's 80 and 90%.
I just I can't imagine doingthat on a daily basis by choice.
(26:30):
Way too much, not not my thing.
But you know I did want to saythere's a lot of cool things
that are happening in thepipeline of um, of Parkinson's
awareness and Parkinson's drugs.
We haven't really talked aboutthe bill.
I'm going to try to get someoneon here to really talk about
(26:53):
that bill that Biden signed forthe Parkinson's Act and I think
it's going to be fantastic tohelp stop Parkinson's.
It's going to help bring morefunding for organizations for PD
.
Hopefully PCOA will eventuallysomeday be benefit as well.
We probably would be low on thetotem pole, but I think there's
(27:20):
so much happening now with newdevelopments, with guided
ultrasound, with new forms ofDBS, new ways of doing DBS.
I think there's a lot that's outthere that people can start
looking at and saying, well, wehave there's new ideas, there's
new things happening.
There's drugs that are veryclose to being approved by the
(27:44):
FDA and I think that you knowthere's hope.
You know that seems to be theword of the week this week is
there is a lot of hope that theymay not find a cure, but we can
certainly hope, to help peoplefind a better life for
themselves, to live a betterlife with PD, and that's my goal
(28:08):
is.
You know?
I know that I know when Sandywas diagnosed in the early 2000s
, you know the talk was oh,we're five years out from a cure
, and I'm, and now we're 20years out from no cure and they
still haven't figured outexactly what causes it beyond
pesticides.
(28:29):
And maybe it's the gut, maybeit's the olfactory bulb, maybe
it's an insulin resistance.
They're not sure about all ofit or any of it.
They're pretty close, but notthere to really be able to make
the statement, and it just meansthat we have to be very
(28:50):
diligent in how we live ourlives, if we're living as a
person with Parkinson's or acare partner taking care of
someone with Parkinson's Right,and so you know, I am hopeful.
I think there's a lot going onnow.
Travis (29:10):
Okay.
Well, you folks out there, ifyou have had focused ultrasound
ultrasound or know someone thathas, write into the show and
(29:31):
tell us about that.
Yeah, it's Henry just said.
Indie podcast Show at Gmail.
Judy (29:51):
That's Indie Podcast Show at Gmail.
I-n-d-y-s-h-o-w at gmailcom.
All right, Travis, See you nexttime Okay.
Travis (30:07):
That's a wrap, bing.
Welcome to I'm Not Dead Yet with Judy and Travis, a
podcast about living anextraordinary life with
extraordinary circumstances.
Welcome to the I'm Not Dead Yetpodcast.
I'm your co-host, TravisRobinson.
(00:26):
I was diagnosed withParkinson's disease at age 35 in
2014.
Judy (00:43):
And I'm your other co-host , judy Yarris.
My husband Sandy hadParkinson's disease for 18 years
and I was his care partnerToday's episode we'll be talking
about.
Travis (00:59):
Oh, I get pissed off from time to time from having
this damn disease.
Hi Judy, how the hell are you?
Judy (01:19):
I'm good, travis.
I've had a good day so far.
I've spent a lot of time on theLA freeways, but overall my car
is air-conditioned and drivesand I'm not blowing gas, I'm not
in an electric car and so it'sfine.
I'm happy, all is well.
You know, for me All is well inJudy land.
(01:43):
Yes, yes, no big complaints.
Complaints today, can't whineabout anything today, but uh,
but I, I hear what you're saying.
Like, you know, there's, therejust are some days when you just
go.
But I do not want to haveparkinson disease.
(02:04):
This is not the day for it.
I don't need this and I don'twant it.
Right.
Travis (02:09):
Right Then.
Yesterday was just such a dayfor me.
I spell, and that wasn't a bigdeal and that wasn't a big deal,
but I lost my balance in themost stupid way.
(02:37):
I was leaning a little sidewaysto pick up something from the
ground and lost my balance, wenthead over to kettle and crashed
(03:05):
and fucking hurt.
Yeah, I'm tired of hurting.
I smacked Elmo and a jammedthumb and injuries on the front
(03:44):
and back of my body.
Judy (03:46):
So I am just tired of that .
I get it.
Travis (03:48):
Travis, I do.
I mean, I went to make dinnerfor myself and dropped my fork
five fucking times.
The last time I almost fell outof my chair reaching for it
(04:13):
again.
So I was just really sick andtired of where PD had left me.
Judy (04:28):
I hear you, travis, I mean I do and I know that
frustration.
I've seen it firsthand and Ihear it in support groups and I
hear it from you, and it's atough one because that first
fall that you had kind of setthe tone for the day right, like
(04:50):
if you fuck something up firstthing in the day, then it seems
like the rest of the day you'recatching up to more things
happening.
Yeah, it's a spiral, you know,a bad chain of events that keep
happening and I I wish there wasa solution, a great tool I
(05:13):
could give you.
The only thing I can think ofis, once you've had that kind of
a fall, that kind of startlesyour body jarls, your, you know,
startles your body jarls, your,you know, startles the body,
and that's the word I'm lookingfor.
I can't think of it.
That sort of shocks the brain.
You know it's a surprise andit's painful and you're pissed
(05:38):
about it.
There has to be a momentafterwards where you could
literally just stop and closeyour eyes and reset everything,
reset the frigging day at thatpoint, you know, just reset it,
because otherwise what happensis it's sort of in the back of
(06:01):
the mind and it's just festeringthere that you had that fall.
And now anything that happensdropping your fork, making
dinner, anything that isn'tsmooth is going to keep feeding
into that folder in the brain ofthings to piss me off for the
day, right, right.
Things to piss me off for theday, right, right.
(06:26):
So there has to be a way oftaking the folder and
acknowledging it and thensticking it in the shredder you
know, so it's gone before you gointo the next part of your day.
Does that make sense?
Travis (06:42):
It does, because so many little things happened that
normally would not be big deals.
Already pissed about the fall,they, in my mind, escalated.
(07:12):
You know.
The doctor called and said meto get labs done before my next
appointment and I was furious.
Judy (07:33):
Now, why did that make you laugh?
What made you mad about it?
Travis (07:47):
They hadn't said anything when I got the
appointment.
And I got a telemed appointmentso I would not have to go into
the office, but the lab is inthe same fucking building.
(08:10):
So driving into the lab prettymuch defeats the advantage of a
telemed appointment.
Judy (08:31):
Advantage of a telemed appointment yes, right, that's
true.
So there you go, and it'sunderstandable.
I mean, I'm sure maybe inhindsight they thought that
maybe it was a good time.
They didn't really think aboutit at the time you made the
appointment.
But now here it is and theywant to see the meds or see the
blood work, which is a goodthing, right, right, we like
that.
They're being conscientious,right?
Travis (08:53):
Yes, and it's not even that I was really upset about
the request, but it came on thelast straw of the day.
Judy (09:15):
Right, it was like one more thing to deal with.
And I think, people that havePD, you're so focused on so much
around your PD, it sort ofenvelops your day on how to walk
, how to talk, how to eat, howto speak, how to poop, how to do
(09:39):
all these things that you haveto do.
All these things that you haveto do no-transcript.
Travis (09:52):
Yes, and it was in my mind at the time, a very insult
to my abilities.
Because here they are saying ohokay, mr Robinson, well, this
(10:29):
is all the point for you, so youdon't have to come in.
And then they turn around and,oh, you've got to come in before
the appointment and run labs,which is all well and good, but
(10:52):
calling me at 5.30 on a TuesdayTelling me that I have to do
something before an appointmenton Thursday yeah, I didn't give
(11:12):
you time.
Judy (11:13):
That's not enough time.
Travis (11:14):
Pretty much means I had to go this morning to take care
of it, Otherwise the doctorwouldn't have the lab results
before my appointment, right,which is important, right.
Judy (11:40):
So check it off to one more thing I have to do, one
more thing that makes me leavethe house and drive and find a
parking spot, which, for thoseof you that live in LA, you know
that this is no easy experienceIf you live outside of Los
(12:01):
Angeles, I think a lot of peopledon't quite understand.
Not just the traffic but theparking situation for any
doctor's appointment alwaysseems to be challenging, right?
Travis (12:15):
And regardless of the fact that I have a handicap, a
lacquer, when you're going to adoctor's office, so does
everybody else.
Judy (12:33):
Yes, it doesn't mean a lot in a medical building, that's
for sure.
There's a lot of people with it, so it doesn't buy you a lot to
have it.
Well, I'm sorry you had thatday, travis.
You know I was thinking tomyself for a moment.
Is mercury in retrograde?
You know, for those folks thatare astrology, but whenever I'd
(12:58):
have a really terrible day,someone would always say, oh,
mercury must be in retrograde.
You know, but I don't reallyknow what that means, other than
you can have a reallydisastrous day and that's.
You know, you're not supposed tosign important paperwork.
Buy a house.
You're not supposed to signimportant paperwork.
Buy a house, sign papers forthings like that bank loans on
(13:20):
that day.
So but I think it.
You know.
To put it into perspective,it's not.
It's not unfounded.
It's like you have a goodreason why you're annoyed.
You have a good reason why itbecomes so inconvenient for you,
especially when you planned atelemed appointment where you
(13:40):
weren't going to have to go in.
Is there a lab that's close toyour house?
I know some people go to, likeQuest or I forget what the other
one is, and they run labs there.
But it all depends on yourinsurance, right?
Travis (13:58):
And also the speed at which those labs can get the
results from my doctor.
Yeah, so I chose to go in thismorning to the lab on the first
(14:21):
floor of her medical building.
Judy (14:25):
Okay, good, so that they would have the fastest
turnaround Right.
They can do its stat and they'llget the info to Earth before
your appointment tomorrow.
Yes, well, I'm sorry that thathappened, you know, and we can
take a minute and just talkabout falls.
(14:47):
Falls are part of life withParkinson's, and, although
everyone we try to not make itlike it's the most horrific,
horrible thing that can happento you, in some instances it can
be very serious and it can beextremely debilitating.
In some cases not so much, butfalls are never good and it does
(15:10):
set you off on a.
I just feel like I tried tothink back with Sandy Like if he
had a fall.
It just seemed like I tried tothink back with Sandy like if he
had a fall.
It just seemed like after thatone fall, then there'd either be
two more falls and somethingelse that would happen.
That would just be sofrustrating that he'd want to
like throw either throw thecomputer across the room, throw
(15:33):
his phone across the room, throwme across the room.
You know his phone across theroom, throw me across the room.
You know it's just like that.
Yeah, it's strange to do that,but I think it was just that
feeling of frustration thatovertakes so many people when
you're dealing with medicalissues.
Travis (15:53):
Right, right.
And other things, like the dogsbarking when Sarah came home
and the alarm going off on herfish tank, okay, or things that
(16:14):
were driving me mad, right,because, okay, now I've got to
get into my pocket and grab myphone, pull up the app, turn off
(16:36):
the alarm, all this when I'mtrying to eat.
Judy (16:45):
Right, too many activities at one time, too much
multitasking, right, right,probably it's a good idea.
Okay, I'm going to give youanother simplified tool.
When you sit down to eat, takeyour phone out of your pocket
and put it on the table next toyou, because the truth of the
(17:09):
matter is it is so hard to get aphone out of a pocket For a
normal person, for someone thatI shouldn't say normal, but for
a person that doesn't have PD,it's hard to get a phone out of
a pocket.
It just gets worse and worse.
You know it's a struggle to dothat, so maybe from now on, a
(17:31):
good lesson is put the phone onthe table next to you so at
least if you have to answer it,if you have to turn off an alarm
, you have it right there andyou don't have the frustration
of getting the phone out andworried about not hitting it at
the right time.
Travis (17:48):
Yes, and today I'm wearing armor to protect myself
in case of another fall.
Well, that's a good idea.
It's not if, but when.
Judy (18:11):
Yes, it seems like for some people there are weeks
there might be one week wherethere's multiple falls.
You could go months or a monthwithout it, weeks without it,
days without it, and then all ofa sudden there is a series of
falls and you're kind ofpreparing yourself.
(18:35):
Now.
Yes, Well, for our listeners Ican say that he doesn't look
like a knight in shining armor.
I can't see the protective gear, but I know that Travis
sometimes uses that.
I know people that walk aroundwith knee pads and elbow pads
all the time because they've hadso many falls.
(18:57):
So it's just part of life.
Travis (19:04):
And it means that today at least I can relax.
Yes, not be so apprehensive,mm-hmm.
Judy (19:23):
You can kind of do your day without worrying about it.
Travis (19:27):
Yes, which takes one thing off my mental plate, which
is a good thing.
Judy (19:41):
It is a good thing.
I mean it's a good thing tostart your day maybe with a
little meditation, three minutesto just clear a reset.
Three-minute reset, clear themind, get yourself focused and
kind of do an affirmationToday's going to be a better day
.
I'm okay today.
I feel good, I feel strong, I'mgoing to get through today
(20:06):
whatever comes my way.
I mean that's a good one, evenif you don't feel good or you
don't feel strong.
But just knowing that you canget through the day, whether
it's good or bad, you'll surviveit.
I think sometimes remindingourselves of that can be very
helpful.
Travis (20:26):
Yes.
Judy (20:29):
So you know you have the tools, Travis, it's just
implementing them and makingthem happen.
Travis (20:37):
Yes, so what does this do with you?
Are you managing to stay coolin this 100 plus degree?
Judy (20:55):
weather don't keep my house set at 68.
My house is set at like 76 or77 and I have this thing that I
do with dwp.
So it's part of a um, a programto save energy, so they
(21:18):
actually can manage my, my nestum, which is the little unit
that has the temperature gauge.
They can manage it during peakhours and it's actually pretty
good.
It's just that the way my houseis set up and the way the
original vents were done, theback of my house gets very cool
(21:40):
and the front of my house getslike an oven by the afternoon.
But that's because it's facingwestward so I have that sun
coming in and it's really it'shard to cool the front of the
house.
So I just stay to the back ofthe house, I stay in my little
TV den room and that's where Ikind of hang out and I keep my.
(22:01):
I have my office here and itseems to be a good room because
it doesn't get too hot in theafternoon.
But then when I go out I do haveto say that I've had to remind
myself several occasions thissummer to make sure that I have
a water bottle with water in mycar, like one of those metal
water bottles I don't even knowwhat it's called.
(22:23):
There's a billion of them around.
Water bottles I don't even knowwhat it's called.
There's a billion of themaround.
But I make sure that I havesomething in my car so, even if
I'm running out for a short time, that I can hydrate myself when
I get back in the car, becauseit's really hot.
And I just want to say, at oldage, I don't know if it's a
hormonal thing, but I am asweater now, like I really
(22:48):
perspire.
I don't remember being likethis as a young person, except
when I really worked out hard,but now if I'm in that really
hot weather, I find myselfperspiring a lot, which I think
is good.
It's good for your body to dothat, but it can make me so
tired so fast.
So I just am making sure that Ihave water with electrolytes
and I'm drinking throughout theday.
(23:10):
You know, that's the key for me.
Travis (23:13):
Yes, and if you are like me and you steer clear of flat
water, it's important to keep astash of Leucoiganza Dobochico
(23:41):
or some other sparkling mineralwater.
Judy (23:50):
I know.
I mean I think for a lot ofpeople they don't.
Sandy hated the taste of waterand I used flavor enhancers for
him in all of his water.
Some of those have a lot of.
Them used to have a lot ofsugar.
I mean I'm not a big Gatoradeperson, it's just too sweet, too
much.
But there's plenty ofelectrolyte replenishments that
(24:15):
don't have a lot of sugar, thathave a lot of sodium, have a lot
of magnesium, a lot of calcium,and they seem to really put it
back for me and I guess that'swhat I need after I've been out
in the hot weather.
I mean, you know, I left agarden.
My garden looks like a desertright now because I haven't been
spending much time out there.
It's just way too hot to doanything and you can't plant
(24:37):
anything in this kind of weather.
It's not going to be successful.
Travis (24:40):
So Right, you almost need a chill house.
Right, you almost need a chillhouse.
Right, like folks that have theglass greenhouses, you need one
with an air conditioner.
Judy (25:04):
Yeah, I mean, I think I'm very fortunate that I have a
very huge tree.
I call it my jack-in-the-beanstock tree.
It's a tipi, tipu, tawanda andum.
It's massive in my backyard andit was planted on the advice of
a horticulture person that said, oh, this tree will grow fast
(25:25):
and it'll give you lots of shade.
I had no idea it was going tolook like it's 100 years old in
a matter of 12 years, and soit's grown very quickly and it's
very big.
But it does keep the back ofthe house more shaded, which is
great.
So I can't complain about it.
I love it and I'm happy it'sthere.
(25:47):
But I think those are the thingsthat we have to look at as to
how to keep ourselves coolerwith this terrible weather.
And I was talking with someonewho was on the East Coast and he
was saying that it was justnasty.
He was in Florida and he said,if you want to talk about bad
weather, the humidity there isso high.
(26:07):
He said you just feel like youcan't breathe.
So I feel fortunate that we'rein LA and although it's more
humid than it's ever been youknow, 40, 50% humidity here and
there is not going to do me inwhen it's 80 and 90%.
I just I can't imagine doingthat on a daily basis by choice.
(26:30):
Way too much, not not my thing.
But you know I did want to saythere's a lot of cool things
that are happening in thepipeline of um, of Parkinson's
awareness and Parkinson's drugs.
We haven't really talked aboutthe bill.
I'm going to try to get someoneon here to really talk about
(26:53):
that bill that Biden signed forthe Parkinson's Act and I think
it's going to be fantastic tohelp stop Parkinson's.
It's going to help bring morefunding for organizations for PD
.
Hopefully PCOA will eventuallysomeday be benefit as well.
We probably would be low on thetotem pole, but I think there's
(27:20):
so much happening now with newdevelopments, with guided
ultrasound, with new forms ofDBS, new ways of doing DBS.
I think there's a lot that's outthere that people can start
looking at and saying, well, wehave there's new ideas, there's
new things happening.
There's drugs that are veryclose to being approved by the
(27:44):
FDA and I think that you knowthere's hope.
You know that seems to be theword of the week this week is
there is a lot of hope that theymay not find a cure, but we can
certainly hope, to help peoplefind a better life for
themselves, to live a betterlife with PD, and that's my goal
(28:08):
is.
You know?
I know that I know when Sandywas diagnosed in the early 2000s
, you know the talk was oh,we're five years out from a cure
, and I'm, and now we're 20years out from no cure and they
still haven't figured outexactly what causes it beyond
pesticides.
(28:29):
And maybe it's the gut, maybeit's the olfactory bulb, maybe
it's an insulin resistance.
They're not sure about all ofit or any of it.
They're pretty close, but notthere to really be able to make
the statement, and it just meansthat we have to be very
(28:50):
diligent in how we live ourlives, if we're living as a
person with Parkinson's or acare partner taking care of
someone with Parkinson's Right,and so you know, I am hopeful.
I think there's a lot going onnow.
Travis (29:10):
Okay.
Well, you folks out there, ifyou have had focused ultrasound
ultrasound or know someone thathas, write into the show and
(29:31):
tell us about that.
Yeah, it's Henry just said.
Indie podcast Show at Gmail.
Judy (29:51):
That's Indie Podcast Show at Gmail.
I-n-d-y-s-h-o-w at gmailcom.
All right, Travis, See you nexttime Okay.
Travis (30:07):
That's a wrap, bing.
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