Bill Schmalfeldt is serving notice. It's time for Parkinson's disease patients to stop being invisible. It's time for a nationwide effort to raise awareness about crippling degenerative neurological disorder and the havoc it wreaks on American families -- approximately 1.5 million people currently have a PD diagnosis with 50-thousand new cases each year. Having had PD himself since 2000 at age 45, Bill volunteered for experimental brain surgery in 2007. He spins a humorous, poignant, sometimes angry tale about his life with this incurable progressive neurological condition. He will soon retire from Federal service and plans to use his remaining time, focus and energy to help fund the research that will find the cure. This book should be owned by anyone who has Parkinson's, the people who make the laws concerning funding for research of this disease, anyone who knows someone with PD, or anyone who might GET Parkinson's someday -- in other words... YOU!
About the Author: Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2000 at age 45, for Bill Schmalfeldt PD was "just a concept" for the first several years. As his condition worsened and he went to work for the US Federal Government's premiere Medical Research Agency, Bill began to search for clinical research trials that might shed some light on his disease -- afflicting 1.5 million Americans with 50- to 60-thousand new diagnoses each year. He found that for most clinical trials, he either had "too much" Parkinson's disease or "not enough." At length, he found one that fit perfectly. It was a phase one trial of Deep Brain Stimulation in Early Parkinson's Disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. According to the inclusion/exclusion requirements, he was a perfect candidate. One catch... if he were to be one of the 15 people randomized to the surgical group, he would have to undergo brain surgery for the implantation of the DBS devices. After discussing it with his neurologist and family, Bill decided to enroll in the trial in 2007. He was, in fact, randomized to the surgical group and had the surgery in June 2007. This book tells the story of Bill's journey, from blog and diary entries at the time. He takes you into the operating room with him as he remains awake for the seven-hour brain surgery. He writes about the highs, the lows, the good days and the bad ones. He writes with a twinkle in his eye and with a sense of humor that makes one wonder how one can write such a funny book about such a serious subject. DBS is not a cure for PD and Bill's disease continues to progress. He is filing for early disability retirement from his government agency. In the meantime, he hopes to use this book and other means to raise awareness about Parkinson's disease.