Health Archives - Page 2 of 2

PPMI Smell Test Participation Opportunity

Although the Parkinson’s Progressive Marker Initiative (PPMI) Smell Test is only offered to those who are sixty years of age and older, and live int the United States or Canada, I choose to use this platform to convey this opportunity because, quite frankly, a majority of my readers do qualify.

I have been participating in PPMI research, via online questionnaires, since 2022. I receive an invitation every three to six months. The smell test is different. I am actually asked to spread the word, inviting qualified individuals to take part in the study. Here is what they had to say:

Dear Keith,

Thank you for your contributions to the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Through PPMI, we are learning that ongoing smell loss is one of the most important signals of risk for Parkinson’s disease.

PPMI is exploring this link toward prevention. As a participant in PPMI, you’re our best ambassador. We need your help getting the word out. PPMI is asking everyone age 60 and up without Parkinson’s disease to take a free scratch-and-sniff test.

Encourage your loved ones to follow the steps below:

Visit mysmelltest.org/ppmionline.
Answer a few brief questions to receive your scratch-and-sniff test in the mail.
Take the test and enter your answers online.

Please also feel free to use our smell test toolkit, which includes an email/letter template, talking points, a flyer and more.

We are grateful for your participation in the study that’s changing everything. Thank you for helping us spread the word about this important initiative.

Sincerely,
Your PPMI Study Team

Should you choose to participate, you will be asked to create an account at PPMI where you can decide your level of future participation. You will be asked general questions about where you live, your contact information, your general background, and your ties to PD. Assuming you complete the required fields, you will be told that a Smell Test Toolkit is forthcoming.

Obviously, I encourage you to participate if you qualify. I have relatives, by blood and by marriage, who have PD and may already be participating in other PPMI research opportunities. Please add yourself to the list of those who are fighting to find treatments, causes, and cures for this insidious disease.

Those of you who are too young to qualify for the smell test research, I encourage you to go to PPMI, look into other research opportunities for you to participate in, create your account, and help with this program.

Thank you in advance for your efforts!

Smell Test Link

Smell Test Partner Toolkit (PDF)

What Can’t We Do?

Fire was used beginning approximately two million years ago and was in constant habitual use by about 400,000 years ago. The discovery and use of fire by Homo erectus is tied to the evolution of the human species and helped propel human civilizations from the Stone Age into the Bronze Age.
Study.com

No one knows for sure when language evolved, but fossil and genetic data suggest that humanity can probably trace its ancestry back to populations of anatomically modern Homo sapiens (people who would have looked like you and me) who lived around 150,000 to 200,000 years ago in eastern or perhaps southern Africa [4,5,6]. Because all human groups have language, language itself, or at least the capacity for it, is probably at least 150,000 to 200,000 years old. This conclusion is backed up by evidence of abstract and symbolic behaviour in these early modern humans, taking the form of engravings on red-ochre [7, 8].
BMC Bi o logy

Agricultural communities developed approximately 10,000 years ago when humans began to domesticate plants and animals. By establishing domesticity, families and larger groups were able to build communities and transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle dependent on foraging and hunting for survival.
Nation al Geographic

There is some evidence of human worked metal from as much as 6000 BC but not firmly dated and clearly a “tool”. Simple copper tools were probably made as early as 4200 BC. Only rarely were identifiable harder tools made from meteorites, dated to 3200 BC.
Quorta

The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in Lower Mesopotamia(modern-day Iraq), where the Sumerian people inserted rotating axles into solid discs of wood. It was only in 2000 BC that the discs began to be hollowed out to make a lighter wheel. This innovation led to major advances in two main areas.
Citeco.fr

As early as the third century BCE, they were using crucibles to smelt wrought iron with charcoal to produce ‘wootz’ steel – a material that is still admired today for its quality. Chinese craftsmen were also manufacturing high-quality steel.
The Steel Story – woodsteel.org

I could go on and on. Development of the calendar, mathematics, astronomy, the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, technology and the digital age. But this isn’t meant to be a history lesson on the development of humankind. Rather, I had hoped to keep it simple. Mankind has learned or made progress in a multitude of advances that keep us at the top of the evolutionary ladder. It seems there is nothing we cannot do – except live together in peace!

However, as I pondered this further, maybe it isn’t so simple. Or maybe it can all be rolled up into that one thing we have made no apparent progress. We have developed the ways and means to feed the world. But we don’t. We have cured many diseases and found ways to mitigate the effects of many more. Yet we don’t make the cures and treatments available to all. Shelter, clothing, water, space, all are basic human needs. And we don’t think it necessary to provide them.

I believe in capitalism. But greed is antithetical to living together without hatred for those who have, by those who do not. History also tells us that, as our world sets obstacles in the way of survival, humans’ survival instinct, the one that got us to the top of the ladder, turns further inward, toward or against each other.

We dominate every living thing on this earth. We have mostly mastered every inert object on and within it as well. We are even trying to dominate our atmosphere and environment. Based on our past successes, we may just be able to do it.

Yet it begs the question. With all our abilities to reason, communicate, manipulate, master all that is set before us, why can’t we figure out how to use them to benefit all humankind, not to mention every other living thing? From what I have seen in my short lifespan, we have made little, if any, progress.

It’s not that some don’t try. But when push comes to shove, the shoving is done by those who believe that the only way to survive is to control or eliminate everyone else who is either different, in need, or unable to provide for themselves. It seems that it is true that history, particularly human history, is doomed to repeat itself. I wish I had some answers.

With so many physical, environmental, health, and political challenges facing us and our posterity, it is easy to be discouraged or cynical about our future. But you and I do have a say as whether we destroy each other and our planet. This is my say! There may be dark days ahead. No doubt there will be natural obstacles to challenge our survival. We can choose to help as many as possible, or just a chosen few. What will I do? What will you do?

In the not-so-eloquent words of my wife on her death bed, “This [too] is bullshit!”

Iatrophobia

Fear of Doctors

Originally, I planned to write about fear in general. But that subject seemed too broad. I may take it up in multiple posts at some later time.

Cigna Healthcare defines iatrophobia as “…people [who] have such an intense fear of doctors that they are said to have a phobia of doctors. The clinical word for this is, ‘iatrophobia.’” They further define symptoms as follows:

You cancel doctor appointments or keep rescheduling them to avoid dealing with the fear; you don’t even get the preventive care and important vaccinations you may need to help stay healthy.

Instead of seeing a doctor when you’re sick, you try and self-treat.

In advance of a doctor appointment, you are unable to concentrate on anything else, lose sleep, may not eat, or cry at the thought of the upcoming appointment.

Do you have a fear of dentists, hospitals, and even sickness or illnesses? Some or all of these other types of fears are commonly combined with a fear of doctors.

Cigna Healthcare

To be fair, Cigna also states from the outset that some level of stress leading up to any type of healthcare visit is normal. Based on the symptoms listed above, I cannot definitively say that I suffer from iatrophobia. However, based on my personal experiences in the past couple years, well, let’s just say, I suffer! I found it interesting that Cigna also suggests working with a therapist to help alleviate the symptoms. Okay. I know that therapists aren’t necessarily doctors. But seriously. When you have this phobia, don’t they count?! (sorry Cynthia 😉 )

About three years ago, I finally went to the dentist due to an ongoing toothache. I hadn’t been for a few years. COVID, and caregiving were great excuses to avoid the dreaded chair. Unfortunately, this pain would no longer wait. I had a cracked tooth, presumably from clenching my jaw as I sleep. I later got a mouth guard to assuage that issue.

So I went through the process of getting a root canal and crown. It was stressful. In addition to my personal angst, Pam’s cognition was deteriorating and, as a result, I had to take her with me, leave her in the waiting room (and give instructions to the front desk assistant) while I went under the drill. But we got through it without a mental breakdown (on my part).

Forward to after Pam’s passing

About this time last year, I had a similar problem on the other end of my lower jaw. A persistent toothache. I knew the symptoms and the process. Still a result of clinching my jaw. Schedule a visit to the dentist, go for a root canal, get the crown. I can handle this. Except this time I was told that there wasn’t enough bone left for a crown and I would have to have the tooth pulled.

Instant anxiety. Another loss trauma. I broke down crying while still in the chair! And, I had to schedule with another oral surgeon to get the procedure. Unfortunately, that meant I had plenty of time to “stew” over the appointment. Mind you, I was in a fragile emotional state, dealing with losing my Pam and trying to get my health and my life on a new trajectory.

I knew I was not in a good place when I went to the appointment that day. The first thing they do when you get in the chair is take your blood pressure. Mine was extremely high. They were almost afraid to do the procedure. Take it again, similar results. And again, just a bit better. I told them that I have the anxiety and elevated blood pressure every time I see a doctor and this is extra stressful. Procedure done. Take blood pressure again. Still very high. Now they were afraid to let me get up. But, having no other symptoms, they let me go.

Over the next few days I knew that my BP was still elevated. Still no symptoms besides a feeling of high anxiety. Got a monitor. Yep, still high. Ended up at the hospital. Everything normal except BP. Long story short, I’m on BP medicine now.

I’m not sure how much of this I have already written. But I came to the realization, somewhat recently, that I was living every day in fear of dying. I’ve been afraid, to an obsessive extent, that if I eat the wrong foods, don’t exercise enough, don’t sleep well, high BP, whatever, I was going to die. It is an irrational fear, due mostly, I think, to watching my Pam deteriorate and die in front of me. It is not abnormal in those who lose a close loved one.

Forward to current events

Well, backing up for a moment. Last year my right thumb began to lock up at the joints. Movement was painful and I lost range of motion and gripping capability to the point that I could hardly hold a guitar pick. Problematic! Over time it eased, and I was able to avoid seeing a doctor.

Last November, my left thumb locked up and it’s been a problem ever since. It has impeded my ability to play guitar to the point where I stopped for days at a time. I’ve tried to work it out on my own and discussed it with family and my chiropractor. She, along with a daughter who knows of such things, suggested that I look into physical therapy.

I have an upcoming performance, the first for a bunch of people I do not know, in a public setting. I’ve been working through the pain and impediment so I can practice in preparation. I finally made the move Wednesday when my chiropractor recommended a specific physical therapy company. I went directly there. They were great and, after a quick referral from my primary care, I had an appointment for Thursday. Now I have a therapy plan and high hopes for long term recovery from tendinitis. I also found out that, at least on my left side, it may be related to issues I’ve been having with my shoulder. So much for fear of doctors.

I’m not sure if I suffer from iatrophobia. I can relate to some of the symptoms. Maybe you have similar issues. Hopefully, with recent success, increased knowledge, and recognition of the normalcy of my experiences, I can better deal with health issues and abandon the fear of eminent death.

Monday I have a teeth cleaning and PT for my thumb. Wednesday, it’s an appointment for my hearing devices and PT. If getting out there and doing it help with overcoming a phobia, I must be on the right path. Hopefully also, with life in general. I guess the moral to the story is, if you have health issues, work with the professionals.