2024-04-21 05:00:00
Father of three young children, a 43-year-old Montrealer is learning to live each day “intensely” despite the difficulties that have come his way since he was diagnosed with an early form of Parkinson’s.
“Parkinson’s, we don’t hear regarding it happening to young people,” said Simon Langlois, for whom the diagnosis came like a death knell four years ago.
A water polo player, this athlete who was then 39 years old realized that his right side was having difficulty following his left during training.
After a consultation with his family doctor and further examinations by a neurologist, the verdict was in: early form of Parkinson’s.
Like him, between 5 and 10% of Quebecers who have been diagnosed with this disease receive it before the age of 40. 20% of them receive it before reaching the age of 50, according to data from Parkinson Quebec.
“It was really a shock, I told myself that it wasn’t possible,” admitted the forty-year-old.
TOMA ICZKOVITS
After a little while to absorb the news, Simon Langlois wasted no time in responding to his “urgency to live”. In particular, he embarked on hikes in the Himalayas and Iceland, trips that he always had in the back of his mind.
“There’s not just a negative thing regarding having Parkinson’s. We live intensely and that forces us to make choices knowing that quality time is limited,” he philosophized.
Not just tremors
Often the image of a person with Parkinson’s disease is associated with tremors. However, the symptoms differ for each Parkinson’s patient.
Right arm swinging less, limping, tone of voice more monotonous, brain fog or even increased anxiety, the college teacher feels these signals as soon as the effects of his medication wear off.
Like anyone suffering from this disease, he takes levodopa, the molecule of which is transformed into dopamine in order to limit the symptoms. Although this medication is very effective initially, its effects fade between three to seven years following diagnosis.
“At first, I took my medication every eight hours, then every six hours, then every five hours. Currently, I take my medication every three hours. It’s 24 pills a day,” he said.
Such a financial cost
In addition to medication, Simon Langlois also needs other treatments to relieve him. He can count on two massage therapists, an acupuncturist and a speech therapist to maintain a normal daily life for as long as possible.
A public professor, he obtained disability insurance which reimburses the costs of his care by 60 to 80%. “But with medication, the reduction of work tasks, three children, it’s a financial adjustment,” he admitted.
Far from being discouraged, the father of children aged 6, 8 and 10 said he had developed daily resilience.
In particular, he participates in a support program offered by Parkinson Québec which allows him to interact with another 34-year-old Parkinson’s patient.
“We discover our trajectory as we go along,” he admitted. There are big stretches where it’s not easy, but there are still plenty of beautiful things to experience.”
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