causing problems

The doctor pulled out a piece of graph paper and once again drew the wavy curves hed drawn for them at every appointment theyd been to for the last ten years. He drew a straight line through the middle, the ideal spot indicating normal dopamine levels, the one that meant the meds were working. The waves seemed larger and farther apart in this new drag, the periods of normalcy much shorter.

The idea is to try to keep him in the middle, the doctor said. She knew well what the idea was. At the high point of the wave, there was too much dopamine and Finchs limbs and head moved on their own, a slow, loopy movement that made him look almost as if he were swimming. At the low point on the wave, Finch was rigid and anxious. All he wanted to do then was to pace, but his stiffness made any movement almost impossible, and he was likely to fall. Its a pity he didnt respond to the timerelease when we tried that, the doctor said.

And the agonists clearly arent working for him. As you were informed, they do cause hallucinations in some patients. He turned to Finch. We cant have you living as Nathaniel Hawthorne forever, now, can we, Professor? Finch looked helplessly at Zee. So whats our next step? she asked. There really isnt a next step, other than upping the levels of dopamine. He took Finchs hand and looked at it, then placed it lightly in Finchs lap and watched for signs of tremor.

The surgery only seems to help with the tremor, and you really dont have much of that, lucky for you. Zee had a difficult time finding anything lucky about the disease that was slowly killing her father. Well keep the timing of his Sinemet the same. But with an extra half pill added herehe pointed to the chartand here. So basically he still gets a dose every three hours, Zee repeated, to be certain she was correct.

Though two of those doses will increase. Thats right, the doctor said. Every three hours except when hes asleep. Theres no need to give him a pill if hes sleeping. He nods off all the time. If I dont wake him to give him his pills, hell only get one every six hours. Wake him during the day, but dont give him anything at night, he instructed. You have any trouble sleeping at night, Professor Finch? Some, Finch said. The doctor reached for his prescription pad and wrote a prescription for trazodone. This is to help you sleep,

he said to Finch. To Zee he said, It should help with the sundowning as well, which should stop his wandering. And give him his first dose of Sinemet about an hour before he rises. Hell want to move, but hell be too stiff. We see some nasty falls in the mornings.

Zee looked at Finch. Your daughter will have to keep a close eye on you in the morning, the doctor kidded. She wanted to tell the doctor that she didnt live with her father, that it was Melville he should be telling all this to, but Melville hadnt come home last night, and she had no idea where he was. When she had asked Finch where he was, all he would say was that Melville was gone. The doctor started to the door and turned back.

Do you have ramps and grab bars? He has one grab bar, she said. In the shower. Im going to send over an occupational therapist to check the house. The OT can tell you what youre missing. The doctor extended his hand for Finch to shake. Nice to see you again, Professor, he said too loudly, as if he were talking to a deaf person and not someone with what Zee had just now come to realize was advanced Parkinsons. She wasnt certain how Finch and Melville had kept that fact from her. Im sorry the meds didnt work out, the doctor said.

Not so bad to be Nathaniel Hawthorne for a day or two, though, all things considered. Finch didnt smile back. He took Zees arm as they left the office together. You lied to the doctor about the freezing thing, Zee said. Ive seen you freeze. She remembered the last time Finch had come to Boston for one of his checkups. As they were leaving the restaurant, hed frozen on his way out the front door.

He couldnt move forward and he couldnt move back. They had all stood helplessly waiting for the freeze to break, freeing Finch to step out the door. Not for a while, he lied. I havent frozen once since the last time he asked me that damned question.

Feel pleasure like never before this Christmas weekend

We now do it multiple times a day and its never been better