Photo by Tracy Klimek/New Jersey Herald Felicia Arnold sits in the Richards Building last week at the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show in Frankford. Since winning first place for her crocheting at the fair three years ago, Arnold has had to stop crocheting because of Parkinson's Disease. However, following recent brain surgery, she was able to enter some pieces this year..
Felicia Arnold, of Vernon, has always had a creative side, starting with playing the violin in high school and continuing into her eventual love of baking and crocheting, even taking home the coveted first-place blue ribbon for both at the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show/New Jersey State Fair in 2013.
However, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1999 and as the years went on and the disease progressed, Arnold was forced to retire in 2006 from her job as a third-grade teacher at Rolling Hills Primary School after 25 years, and took to staying at home. She also could no longer crochet.
Parkinson's disease progresses throughout the years and causes slow movements, tremors, stiffness and loss of balance in patients, ultimately rendering them unable to drive a car or easily rise from bed in the morning, both of which happened to Arnold.
In addition, Arnold had been diagnosed with four other diseases after the age of 40: Lyme in 1989, osteoporosis, lupus, and after the Parkinson's diagnosis, Celiac's disease in 2009.
This year, she decided that, at the age of 68, she had to do something about her health.
"I would avoid family functions," she said, with tears in her eyes as she sat inside the Richards Building at the county fairgrounds in Frankford during the last week of the fair. "I was missing out on so much and was so embarrassed to go out."
On Feb. 29, Arnold, under the recommendation of her doctor, underwent MRI-guided deep brain stimulation surgery, or DBS.
Afterward, Arnold said she "had her life back," and even was able to pick up a crocheting hook and complete three pieces for this year's fair, taking home a second-place ribbon for a crocheted hat.
According to the doctor who performed Arnold's surgery, Dr. Hooman Azmi of the North Jersey Brain and Spine Center, "MRI-guided DBS, which is a newer variation of traditional DBS surgery, allows doctors to use the real-time image of an MRI machine to identify the exact area where deep brain stimulation hardware is placed, confirming the position with imaging as well, making it very accurate and exact."
The DBS system consists of three components, according to the National Parkinson Foundation: a thin, metal wire called an electrode is inserted through a small opening in the skull and implanted in the brain at the targeted brain area, an extension wire is passed under the skin of the head, neck and shoulder connecting the electrode to a neurostimulator, also known as a "battery pack," which is implanted under the skin near the collarbone.
"The stimulator is turned on two to three weeks after surgery, and the patient will notice an immediate benefit," said Azmi, adding that there are a few months of fine tuning.
The stimulator sends electrical pulses to block the faulty nerve signals that cause tremors, rigidity and other symptoms, according to the National Parkinson Foundation.
Now months after surgery, where she had to shave her head and sleep upright in a chair during the healing process, Arnold is able to control her movements and can attend family get-togethers without embarrassment. In fact, Arnold is looking forward to getting her driver's license back.
"I am very driven and determined," Arnold said. "I am blessed, I truly have a great life."
On June 11, her family threw her a celebration of life party where, for the first time in a long time, Arnold was able to get up and dance.
Grateful for her family and her faith, Arnold believes she is "here for a reason" and would be happy if her story helped just one person with Parkinson's.
Eager to crochet again, Arnold is "already working on a teddy bear for my grandson for Christmas."
Although Azmi said Arnold's motor symptoms have improved, the surgery will not improve her cognitive state, which has also been effected by Parkinson's.
"By improving motor symptoms and quality of life, the surgery may indirectly place a patient in a better mental state, however," he said.
http://www.njherald.com/20160816/in-good-hands-once-more#
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