Michael Lock was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease nearly two decades ago. It was a gradual progression that the Crown Point, Indiana resident was able to keep at bay by taking a medley of medications, but his condition started to worsen over the past five years.
The disease began to rob him of his mobility as time went on. His cocktail of pills — Rytary, Amantadine and Sinemet — were only effective for a short interval during the day, forcing him to depend on a walker the rest of the time. Once his condition progressed further, it became hard for him to stand up or walk.
“I couldn’t pick up my grandkids because I was afraid that I was going to fall over. They’d come up to me and say, ‘Hey, Grandpa, give me a hug!’ but I couldn’t do it. It was very difficult,” Lock, 64, says. “I realized this isn’t the way I want to live.”
Years earlier, his doctor had recommended deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure in which one or more electrodes are implanted into the brain to treat symptoms of chronic, neurologic conditions using electrical energy.
