Susan Schneider, Robin Williams' wife, disclosed that the actor was diagnosed with early stages of Parkinson's disease. What happens to patients with Parkinson's?
"Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson's disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly."
With this admission, people begin to ask what happens to patients with Parkinson. The answer depends on the disease stage.
According to WebMD, the person feels tremor in just one arm or leg, or in one side of the body during the early stage. As the sickness progresses, the tremor is felt on both sides of the body already. A patient may also suffer from fatigue, joint pain, and weakness.
In the moderate stage, the individual with this condition begins to move slower, and struggles with poor coordination and stiff muscles. Some chores, such as shaving and brushing teeth, may be difficult to do. Similarly, issues on balance and posture progress. Walking becomes challenging as the person walks with his body bended and his feet waddling quickly.
What happens to patients with Parkinson if it has reached the advanced stage? There's muscle stiffness and the tremor escalates. He may be restricted to his bed or wheelchair. The patient needs the assistance of his family or other people. Other movement problems begin to arise. One-third of patients with this health condition may also suffer from dementia.
It is not known if this illness and the symptoms that come with it have prevented him from working but a person close to the family spoke to CNN and said that Robin Williams' early stages of Parkinson's disease was "an additional fear and burden in his life."
Williams stunned his family, the industry, and everyone when he ended his life. But if there's one thing that he made people (particularly those suffering from depression and anxiety) to realize, it is to seek treatment and support whenever necessary. His wife said in a statement: "It is our hope in the wake of Robin's tragic passing that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid."
