Senator Johnny Isakson is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Committee and his office issued a release last week that we'll note today. Whether you're supporting him in his re-election campaign or not is your business (and maybe, like me, you don't live in Georgia so you're won't be voting for him) but hopefully you can appreciate his re-election run and its meaning (regardless of outcome) which has another layer this go round as a result of a health issue.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Maddox, 202-224-7777
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Isakson: Parkinson's Diagnosis Won't Slow Down Run for Re-election in 2016
Neurologist says Georgia senator 'fully capable' of maintaining rigorous schedule, serving in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today released the following statement regarding his diagnosis of Parkinson’s
disease:
“Over
1 million Americans have Parkinson’s and I am one of them. I first went
to see a neurologist in 2012 for stiffness in my left arm. I continued
seeing the neurologist regularly to try to figure
out the cause, and in 2013, I was diagnosed as having Parkinson’s. I
am in the early stages of the disease, and my main symptoms are the
stiffness in my left arm and a slowed, shuffling gait. The recovery from
the back surgery I had in October 2014 also has
affected my gait. I have undergone rigorous physical therapy; I do
exercises every morning and evening; and I take two Parkinson’s
medicines.
“While
I am facing this health challenge head on, I have wrestled with whether
to disclose it publicly. I recently shared the news with my three grown
children and my senior staff a couple of months
ago. Their support, along with the steadfast support of my wife Dianne,
helped me to take this step today. In the end, I decided I should
handle my personal health challenge with the same transparency that I
have championed throughout my career.
“My diagnosis has not impacted my
ability to represent the state of Georgia in the U.S. Senate. I am
serving on five Senate committees and am the only Republican serving as
chairman of two Senate
committees. I am busier and have more responsibility today than ever
before in my political career, and I couldn’t be happier about that. I
remain devoted to public service, to my state and to my constituents. I
am eager to take my record of results to the
voters of Georgia as I run for re-election in 2016.”
Isakson’s treating neurologist, Thomas M. Holmes, MD, issued the following
statement regarding Isakson’s diagnosis:
“I
have been seeing Senator Isakson as a patient since November 2012. He
first came to see me with a symptom of rigidity in his left arm. After
several additional visits, I diagnosed him as having
Parkinson’s disease in August of 2013.
“My
most recent assessment of Senator Isakson was on May 27, 2015. Using
physical examination and several accepted Parkinson's disease rating
scales, I have concluded that Senator Isakson is in
Stage 1.5 of 5 accepted stages of Parkinson's disease. This staging is
indicative of his mild symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Senator Isakson
has been treated with medication since August 2013 to assist his body's
naturally occurring dopamine and to limit
symptoms of Parkinson's disease. In addition, I have Senator Isakson
doing daily exercises every morning and evening, and I had him undergo a
rigorous physical therapy regimen tailored to treat symptoms of
Parkinson's disease.
“Senator Isakson has been dedicated
to performing the physical therapy and maintaining the daily exercise
routine, and he has been compliant with his medication treatment. He has
continued to maintain
his rigorous Senate schedule without difficulty since 2012. I believe
he is fully capable of continuing to perform his duties as a U.S.
Senator, and I believe he is fully capable of running for re-election
and serving for another term.
“As
a practicing neurologist, I have treated many patients with various
chronic neurological diseases, and I encourage all them to pursue their
livelihoods with vigor and enthusiasm. With this
in mind, I have encouraged Senator Isakson to do the same.
“If there are any questions that I
can answer, as Senator Isakson's treating neurologist, please feel free
to contact me by phone at (678)-872-0200. Messages left at this number
will be reviewed
and answered in a timely manner by myself or my staff.”
A pdf copy of Dr. Holmes’ statement can be accessed
here.
Please find below answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson's disease is a chronic
movement disorder and it is progressive, meaning that symptoms progress
over time. More than 1 million people in the United States are living
with Parkinson's disease.
The cause is unknown. There is presently no cure, but there are
treatment options to help manage symptoms, including physical therapy,
exercises, medication and surgery.
How is Parkinson’s diagnosed?
There are no standard diagnostic tests
for Parkinson’s such as a blood test or an MRI. To diagnose Parkinson’s,
the physician takes a careful neurological history and performs an
examination. The
diagnosis rests on the clinical information provided by the person with
Parkinson’s and the findings of the neurological exam.
How long has Senator Isakson had Parkinson’s?
Senator Isakson has had symptoms of Parkinson's since November 2012, and he was officially diagnosed in August 2013.
How many stages are there of Parkinson’s and what stage is Senator Isakson in?
There are five stages of Parkinson’s, as
defined by the modified Hoehn and Yahr staging scale that is commonly
used. Senator Isakson is in Stage 1.5 (or between Stage 1 and Stage 2)
as of May 27, 2015,
the date of the most recent assessment of him by his neurologist.
How fast does someone with Parkinson’s progress from stage to stage?
Every patient is different, but the
predicted progression for someone of Senator Isakson's age (70 years
old) would be 5-6 years per stage.
What symptoms does Senator Isakson have?
Senator Isakson first went to see the
neurologist with a symptom of stiffness in his left arm. That symptom
and a slowed, shuffling gait are Senator Isakson’s two main Parkinson’s
symptoms. Every Parkinson’s
patient has different combinations of symptoms. The most commonly known
symptom of Parkinson’s – tremors – is one that Senator Isakson
currently does not have.
Does Parkinson's cause cognitive impairment and if so, does Senator Isakson show signs of it?
Parkinson's
patients can experience cognitive impairment -- most commonly, memory
issues -- in the later stages of Parkinson's. Senator Isakson is in the
early stages of Parkinson's and his neurologist
has seen absolutely no evidence of cognitive impairment.
What treatment is Senator Isakson using for his Parkinson’s?
Senator Isakson is using a combination
of two Parkinson’s medications plus a daily regimen of exercises that he
does every morning and evening. In May 2015, he also completed a
rigorous, four-week
physical therapy regimen tailored to treat symptoms of Parkinson's
disease.
Senator Isakson had back surgery in October 2014 – was that related to his Parkinson’s?
No.
The back surgery in October 2014 was to remove a small, benign cyst at
the base of his spine that was causing pain. The recovery from the back
surgery has added to the slow, shuffling gait when
Senator Isakson walks.
Has Parkinson’s prevented Senator Isakson from doing his job as a U.S. senator?
No. He has continued to maintain a
rigorous schedule. Since January 2015, Senator Isakson has been serving
on five Senate committees (Finance, VA, HELP, Foreign Relations and
Ethics) and he is the
only Republican serving as chairman of two Senate committees (VA and
Ethics). He has more responsibility today than ever before in his
political career, and remains devoted to public service, to his state of
Georgia and to his constituents.
Will Parkinson’s keep Senator Isakson from running for re-election in 2016?
No. Senator Isakson announced in
November 2014 that he is seeking re-election in 2016 and he is
aggressively running and fundraising. He remains passionate about his
public service and about the job
that the Georgia voters have entrusted to him. Senator Isakson’s doctor
has stated publicly that he believes Senator Isakson is fully capable
of performing his duties as a senator, of running for re-election in
2016, and of serving another term.
Why did Senator Isakson disclose that he has Parkinson’s?
Senator Isakson wrestled with whether to
disclose it publicly. He shared the news with his three grown children
and his senior staff in April 2015. Their support, along with the
steadfast support of
his wife Dianne, helped him make the decision to disclose. In the end,
he decided to handle his personal health challenge with the same
transparency that he has championed throughout his career.
Have there been other members of Congress who have shared that they have Parkinson’s?
One that we know of was U.S. Rep. Lane
Evans, a Democrat from Illinois, who served from 1983 to 2007. In 1995,
Evans shared that he had Parkinson’s, and he was re-elected to the House
five more times
after that before retiring in 2007.
There are many House and Senate
caucuses for many issues – is there one for Parkinson’s and if so, is
Senator Isakson part of it?
There is a Congressional Caucus on
Parkinson’s Disease. Senator Isakson has been a member since 2005 and a
Senate co-chair since 2009 – long before he was diagnosed in 2013.
Currently, the two Senate
co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus are Senator Isakson and Senator
Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
Has Senator Isakson worked on any legislation related to Parkinson’s?
Yes, Senator Isakson has cosponsored
annual resolutions recognizing April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month each
year beginning in 2010 – before he was diagnosed in 2013. Senator
Isakson also is also
the lead sponsor of a bill to create registries to enhance research on
Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). He was an original cosponsor of
similar bills introduced in 2009 and 2011.
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AMANDA MADDOX
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Press Secretary
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OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR JOHNNY ISAKSON
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131 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC 20510
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phone: 202.224.3643
| fax: 202.228.0724
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