Pedal Pusher

I wanted to compliment Dan Hansen on his essay ("Training Wheels," August/September 2019). The story of his son Kyle is inspiring, but Kyle's parents, Dan and Pam, also deserve praise for supporting Kyle and letting him ride that bike even though he was getting bruised. I can only imagine how hard that must have been. I could relate to the feelings of freedom and independence Kyle felt on his bike. To deal with trauma from my childhood, I did the same thing. I would ride my bicycle for hours and hours. Sometimes my mother would pack me a lunch. When I was on my bike, I was safe in my own little world. Today, at 69, I still pedal occasionally, and each time I feel that freedom and independence. Now that I'm dealing with a stroke and essential tremor, I've realized I never appreciated those good years enough. Reading a story like Kyle's is so heartwarming. Best wishes to Kyle and his family. Keep pedaling.- Ron Lawson, Spartanburg, SC

The Speak Up essay by Dan Hansen reminds me of the time my wife and I introduced Becky, a young woman with bilateral cerebral palsy, to skiing. When I asked my wife how mobile Becky was, she said Becky could get up and down the stairs at school without falling. I figured the ski slopes were less dangerous than the stairs, so we decided to try. With the help of other skiers, we got Becky on the learner hill. After overcoming some fears, Becky quickly gained confidence with snowplow turns and stops. The next time we went skiing, she discovered that steeper slopes were easier. She skied like she walked, shifting her weight from side to side hard and fast to stay upright, an asset for skiers. Two years later Becky was skiing expert slopes and teaching others. - Don Hennig, Gales Creek, OR

Down Under

Thank you for the article on anesthesia and neurologic conditions ("Going Under," August/September 2019). It was quite pertinent to me. I have stiff-person syndrome, a rare progressive disorder that can result in muscle stiffness and spasms, which has made everything from an MRI to dental work very difficult because I must be sedated. Many health care professionals have dismissed my requests for sedation or my concerns over what type is best for my condition and situation. I wanted to cry when I read your surgery checklist because I am usually the one coordinating these important factors, and I often can't get the professionals to pay attention and take me seriously. - Elizabeth Snow, Denver

The recent article about anesthesia listed several preventable contributors to postoperative delirium. Another one is the lack of sleep due to changed environment, frequent waking for vital signs, urge to void, or noise. Modern electronic monitoring and attempts at quieter housekeeping are changing that for the better, so it is a recognized contributor that many hospitals are attempting to rectify. - Ernest H. Picard, MD, FAAN, Newton, MA

I enjoyed your article about anesthesia. Another thing worth mentioning is pseudocholinesterase deficiency, an increased sensitivity to choline esters, muscle relaxants sometimes used during general anesthesia. I didn't know I had this condition until I developed problems during a routine surgery and had to be placed on a ventilator. If I ever need general anesthesia again, I need to tell my doctors about my condition-or I may not wake up. - Valerie Golembiewski, Tucson, AZ

Raising My Voice

I've had spasmodic dysphonia for almost 40 years and was a patient at the National Institutes of Health 40 years ago when this disorder was first being researched. When I moved to Lewes, DE, three years ago, my speech therapist and I helped form the Sussex County Dystonia support group. We now have more than 13 members. Please provide a future article on dystonia so our members can possibly gain new hope. - Tom Everitt, Lewes, DE

THE EDITOR RESPONDS: We will continue to publish stories on dystonia. In the meantime, read our story on Scott Adams' experience with spasmodic dysphonia. He's the creator of the comic strip Dilbert. You also can read about Peg Van Horn's experience with the condition.

Patient Resources

Twenty-four years ago, I acquired hydrocephalus after a bout of meningitis. I am now 66 and have been a reader of Brain & Life for years. Upon receiving the most recent issue, I was disappointed to see that the Resources page did not list hydrocephalus. It's difficult to find information about this condition when it affects adults. I'd appreciate your publication including information about it on the Resources page. - Susan Herring, Lumberton, NC

A few of us have written to request a story on ataxia, a very rare illness. I'm not talking about the symptom but the actual movement disorder. Folks may be aware of more common diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's, but the only way they can learn about ataxia is by reading about it in your magazine. Also, you used to have ataxia as part of your Resources section, but for some reason it's no longer there. - Charles Naftal, Mineola, NY

THE EDITOR RESPONDS: The Resources page in the print publication lists disorders mentioned in that issue. For information and resources about a condition not listed on the Resources page, our Disorders A-Z page. For a comprehensive story on inherited ataxias, read "New Research Gives Hope to Patients with Inherited Ataxias."

Another Face of Stroke

In 1978, I had a stroke when I was 24 years old. I credit my recovery to my good physical condition before my stroke and intensive rehabilitation exercises. What didn't help was that no one thought I was having a stroke, and I didn't get proper medical care until 24 hours after my stroke. - Elvira Gonzalez, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico 

Help for Depression

It pays to know what the symptoms of illness are versus when you're having difficult life changes. I had a mother who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and a sister with MS. I myself was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 30 years ago, and recently my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I have remained positive throughout my life until recently. I thought I was depressed because of my illness, but a therapist helped me realize it was life circumstances that had me down: My husband and I were worried about how he and I would take care of each other if I got sick. - Kyle Uphoff Wasowski, Winfield, IL 

THE EDITOR RESPONDS: For more about depression, especially as it relates to Parkinson's, stroke, and epilepsy, read Neurologic Conditions Can Lead to Depression—Here’s How to Manage It.

Lego Lifeline

Your Lego story ("Lego Therapy Builds Confidence in Patients with MS and Autism," June/July 2019) reminded me of how important these colorful plastic blocks were to my son in overcoming anxiety linked to trauma. He would disappear into his room for hours, saying, "I'm going to go build, Mom." We once spent three days building a particularly difficult race car model, but mostly my son designed his own models, some even with moving parts. Years later we donated a huge tub of those Lego blocks to the local library. - Dorothy Daly, Citrus Heights, CA