I always here of PD patients dying from complications associated with PD. Anyone know what these "complications" are...heart, liver, vibrating to death or what?
I don't think one of the complications is vibrating to death LOL. But some of those that are associated is pneumonia and not being able to cough up the phlegm and dying from that. One other one is getting so weak that you just can't go on. Some people literally choke to death if they can't get liquids down or food down. Others starve because of rigidity.
I don't know if I've covered them all or even explained them right, but that's a few of the answers to your question. Maybe our doctor friend can help us out here.
Ruth, You did a good job on a difficult subject. I get so angry when I read that someone "died of Parkinson's Disease". Maybe they died from an affect of PD but not from the disease itself. Another possibily you could add to your list is constipation.
Here's to good days for all of us!
Sandy
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[This message has been edited by SANDY SUE (edited 10-29-2001).]
[This message has been edited by SANDY SUE (edited 10-29-2001).]
Sydney Dorros the PD author,Died from complications of bowel back up.Two of my old friends from our PD group we use to be in had a fall.Went in the hospital and developed Pneumonia.Both Sandy and Ruth are right.You dont die from PD.Basically Bill who will be 80 next year is in better health than I.But of course he has PD.I think he will out live me.Now if I could spell!
Elderly people with advanced (severe) Parkinson's disease are debilitated, not just from Parkinson's but also from all the other things that go along with being of a certain age, such as heart disease, strokes, cancers, etc. People who are older and are chronically ill are less able to rally against infections. In this situation, recurrent infections, such as aspiration pneumonia (saliva, food or drink going into the lung instead of the stomach) can ultimately be fatal. Hip fracture in people 80 and above carries a significant risk of death, not from the fracture, but because of the possibilities for infection during the hospitalization and recovery.
I think it is important to remember that people with Parkinson's disease who are treated (as nearly everyone is these days) have life expectancies that are about the same as people the same age who do not have Parkinson's disease.
Death 
You did a good job on a difficult subject. I get so angry 
when I read that someone "died of Parkinson's Disease". Maybe they died from an affect of PD but not from the disease itself. Another possibily you could add to your list is constipation.
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