Boxing Activity Planned for Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting in La Grange
There is a new group in town with an exclusive membership list. This is a crosssection of patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD), along with their caregivers. The escalating malady, which affects movements and their related disorders, once forced its victims to go into hiding, so embarrassed were they of their disability to control involuntary jerking and trembling in their bodies.
The most serious circumstances can be responsible for unlikely people to join together in a mutual bond. Such was the case in the fall of 2018. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and the feeling that no one was available for assistance or aid drew two couples together: Mike and Mazie Hess of Ellinger, along with Charles and Sylvia Hebert of La Grange. Mike and Sylvia shared a special bond. Not only did they both face a daily battle with the “Big P,” but both had utilized a fairly recent treatment known as DBS – Deep Brain Stimulation where two probes are inserted in the brain, in the portion controlling movements. These are then attached to a stimulator located in the upper chest cavity, where they are computer programmed to eliminate tremors, facilitate steady, balanced walking, clear slurred speech, and generally address a variety of Parkinson’s symptoms.
The four worked cooperatively until Sept. 8 of this year. Mike and Mazie awoke in their Ellinger home, only to have it explode around them, causing fatal injuries to both. Mike had lost his sense of smell to Parkinson’s and did not detect the warning smell associated with escaping propane gas. The growing group was deeply moved by their deaths, feeling them personally. Shared experiences create strong feelings of commonality, and the members consider themselves friends.
Meeting on the third Thursday of every month in the parlor of the old First Baptist Church campus, the 10 a.m. gatherings may find 12 – 20 people in attendance. During the past two years, the group has tried to bring a variety of speakers to the group. To date, they have heard from two pharmaceutical reps who made special trips from Dallas and Houston just for the meeting. They had a therapist with “BIG – AND – LOUD” present info about that program. This program is designed to help patients with the volume and clarity of their speech. A representative of Visiting Angels had special words for caregivers, especially the need for “time out” when things become overwhelming.
Next month, we are scheduled to knock members’ socks off with a presentation on boxing for Parkinson’s patients. Those who have seen it demonstrated know it is fast and fun. The group would like for as many people as possible to be in attendance simply because you won’t want to miss it. Bring a carload of friends.
Don’t you just love the surprises to be found on the internet? In the course of just looking around, Charles found the Rock Steady Boxing group, out of College Station. The person in charge is Cindy Conte, whose husband is a doctor in Brenham (and has Parkinson’s). Their group was founded in July 2018 with twelve people. At the beginning of 2020, they had grown to 35 people with PD, all working in a local gym. As mid-March approached, she sent out workouts to follow online so members would not fall behind in their training. Half of the PD fighters would enlist three days per week. She hopes the remainder decide to return when things settle down. There is no charge to participate.
Most Rock Steady Boxing Programs nationally are forprofit businesses. The College Station group is a 501©(3) organization. Their website is included here but it has not been updated recently: https://www.robertcontefoundation.org/.
The group has posted several You Tube videos that show their group in action. Recorded on Oct. 16, go to: https://youtu.be/4uHUN4rsSXg.
Currrently, the group is launching a research project at Texas A & M, where the main emphasis is soon to be centered on the medical benefits of a certain shoe insert.
The group hopes to see you on November 19.