Ann Stradley – Parkinson’s Update - November 2025.

 

Sunday, 30 November 2025

 

Ann’s Parkinson’s Update - A Recap

 

It is now thirteen years since Ann was diagnosed with Parkinson’s on the eve of her 70^th birthday.  Ann was 83 years old in November 2025 and Rex is 84. 

 

The last 6 months have been somewhat challenging as some PD symptoms have worsened.  This meant adjusting medication delivery amounts to maintain a decent QoL (Quality of Life) for Ann. 

 

A very much trial and error process, as any medication alteration takes a week or so to manifest itself in altered symptom behaviour.

 

Neurologist Consultation – November 27th, 2025

 

The neurologist consultation itself was a 10-minute session.

 

Ann discussed her balance issues and as expected, the neurologist went down the Physiotherapist road and mentioned Rehab Physio. We re-iterated that Ann saw a Physiotherapist every 6 weeks and he was working with Ann on the balance issues.

 

This approach is a continuation of the previous comments about balance being addressed via exercise not medication.

 

On the medication front, the Neurologist was concerned and slightly cross that Ann's pump is unlocked - despite her being told that at the previous four consultations since July 2023. 

 

The Neurologist also commented that the current continuous dosage was high and asked who approved - told her we did it without approval! 

 

She said it was a big jump from the previous setting, but she accepted it after I told her I thought long and hard about the increase.

 

She then admonished us not to increase it anymore - a comment she repeated after she did the Saliva Botox some 20 minutes later.

 

Ann wears her Duodopa Pump 15 hours a day and now has total of 1437 mg of Levodopa a day.

 

This is the high dosage of the oral version of the “Gold Standard” Levodopa medication used to control Parkinson’s Symptoms but is considered a moderate dosage in terms of Pump usage.

 

Doses of over 1800 and even 2000 mg a day of Levodopa via the pump are not unusual.

 

Next Neurologist consultation is on March 24^th, 2026 – 4 months away.  That timing fits with the need for a second Saliva Botox.

 

Saliva Botox

 

Ann had her first Saliva Botox injections immediately after the Neurologist consultation at the adjacent Radiology Clinic.  The injections are done by the Neurologist with the assistance of a technician operating an x-ray machine to guide the needle to the injection site.

 

These injections are designed to reduce the excess saliva production that is common with PD.

 

The injections last around 4 months and cost $250 a time – not that high in terms of our overall PD associated expenses.

 

They are not always successful, as the Neurologist remined us, and it will be up to Ann to decide if it is worth continuing.

 

Bladder Botox

 

Ann had her 13th Bladder Botox procedure on September 12th, and this has worked well – as always.  The next is booked with the Urologist for March 2026 and the Hospital Paperwork is already done.

 

Just a routine procedure that we have in our calendar.

 

Trips away

 

We have managed one trip away since the June consultation. A week at the coast where it was so cold and windy Ann could not even get out of the car at the beach.

 

Still, it was a much-appreciated break away and the disability equipped cabin was well fitted out and very comfortable.

 

Exercise

 

Our GYM routine has suffered a bit in the last 6 months and some weeks we only manage one visit.

 

The exercise routines are unaltered except we now have a recumbent bike at home and Ann prefers ours to the ones at the GYM.

 

We are both using the recumbent bike for 20 minutes a day – well most days in any case.!

 

Average GYM time is now reduced to around 40 minutes of treadmill and weight work using four weight machines and one weight station (seated and lifting weights).

 

Ann still manages the two seated chair workouts with the Village exercise group.  These workouts concentrate on cardio, weights, and resistance bands sessions and last around 50 minutes.

 

Followed immediately by socialising over coffee and biscuits!

 

Where we are in general terms.

 

Little has changed since our last update.  We continue to be busy most days of the week.

 

Our regular repeating medical and allied health appointments alone come to 26 a year – Neurologist, Urologist, Ophthalmologist are the specialists, then there are the General Practitioner, Skin Cancer Doctor, Podiatrist and lastly the Physiotherapist.

 

So, one appointment every second week when spread evenly – which never happens of course.  Add in some unexpected events, and we seem to be having a health associated appointment every week!

 

The rest of our week is consumed with normal activities – like it is a rare week that we do not have something else happening. 

 

Ann still showers, toilets and dresses herself.  Still does around half the meal preparation.  Rex does all housework and grocery shopping.

 

We still have a cleaner for two hours a week, and we shudder to think what the house would look like without this service.

 

The cleaning service is subsidised by the Australian Federal Government Aged Care System via a scheme that provides subsidised physical assistance for people assessed as having a disability. 

 

Ann was assessed in September 2022 and was provided with two hours of cleaning service a week.  The service is not free – just subsidised.

 

We pay $18.65 an hour for the two hours a week cleaning – which is under half the local commercial rates.

 

Rex also receives a Federal Government Subsidy in the form of a Carers Allowance paid to people classified as Carers. That Allowance is $79.50 a week and we use that to pay for the cleaning service.

 

The remainder of Rex’s Carers Allowance goes towards normal living expenses.

 

Looking Ahead

 

We are in the process of obtaining quotations for a major bathroom renovation to improve access for Ann.  We are hopeful we can get the work done in the first quarter of 2026.

 

The next Neurologist consultation is in 4 months - that is the normal time for the Saliva Botox and because the Neurologist does the Botox, we also fit in a Neurologist consultation.

 

Be interesting if she charges us for both - $260 for Neurologist consultation and $250 for the Botox Injections.  At least the Consultation is covered by Medicare with $223 rebate - no such luck with the Botox - all out of pocket.

 

But we do get a $130 IPTAAS rebate (Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme) from the NSW Govt for these trips. 

 

So not all bad news financially - $353 rebates back from a total cash outlay of $510, ignoring the fuel and running costs of our car.