Early onset Parkinsons ~ Sylvia Abrahams story

Sylvia Abraham took the brave move of leaving her career as a social worker in the disability sector and following her passion for bespoke floral design. Just as her company, Bella Botanica, was ready to take off, the world and weddings came to a grinding halt due to a worldwide pandemic. During this period, Sylvia started to notice a resting tremor in her left arm, trouble sleeping and other symptoms of Parkinson's' disease. Still, her age, 44, would throw medics off, and it took another 24 months before she finally got a diagnosis of early onset Parkinsons. Sylvia leapt out of her comfort zone to join me on today's episode, but her strength, courage, and refusal to allow this disease to take over her world fueled her. Thanks to Lusson Tan for bringing today's episode. Shop 20% off at lussotan.com using code SKINDEEP20. Here are some resources recommended by Sylvia. You will find her @bellabotanica Websites for webinars and resources *Parkinson's Association of Ireland *Michael J Fox Foundation *Davis Phinney Foundation Helpful Podcasts: *Young Onset Parkinson's Network *The Secret Life of Parkinson's *PD Lemonade *No Silver Bullet *When life gives you Parkinson's Uplifting Book: Being Well with Chronic Illness: A Guide to joy and Resilience with your diagnosis. By Kat Hill & Nancy Peate

[@chrisseyfingers]

Great video, so well and sincerely delivered by both.
Tears and laughter!
I love it when an interviewer, listens, takes it in and allows the interviewee to open up and explain.
There’s also not many stories or videos around where we get to hear the detail of what caused the concern in the first place. There are so many different symptoms to early PD and a lot go under the radar. Best wishes to Sylvia

[@edwardferry8247]

I’d urge anyone to try the finger and foot tap test. You would never think of doing this but it can be extraordinarily revealing. It’s an early sign of Bradykinesia and can be there before tremor is noticed. Parkinsons Disease will usually present on one side (unilaterally) first so a difference in frequency and amplitude in the finger and foot tap test between sides may be something you can discuss with your doctor particularly if you also have some additional issues like sleep disorders, inertia apathy, constipation, stomach, GI issues and so forth.
Neurologists have to be careful as there are other disorders that can present as Parkinsonism but usually these will happen very suddenly with rapid onset within weeks / months and some additional issues such as balance and falls etc. Parkinsons can be there for decades before presenting as tremors and as the lady says by that time a large supply of available brain produced natural dopamine has gone.
❤