'It's been a life-changer'
Thanks to DBS treatment, Adina Rivers has maintained her active lifestyle for six years (and counting!) after her Parkinson's disease diagnosis
When Adina Rivers learned she had Parkinson's disease, it hit her hard, although it wasn't a complete surprise, as Adina's mother also had the condition. Adina took steps to stay healthy by keeping active with a variety of outdoor hobbies, and she had hoped the disease would pass her by. When she was diagnosed, she took charge of her situation, researching treatments and seeking out specialists to help maintain her quality of life.
The first steps in Parkinson's disease treatment are usually medications that work to diminish the disease's physical and cognitive symptoms. However, symptoms often worsen over time, requiring patients to take higher medication doses, which can cause additional side effects.
Adina's search led her to EvergreenHealth, where neurosurgeon Ryder Gwinn, MD, uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) to manage symptoms of neurological conditions and movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia and epilepsy.
"I fell in love with Dr. Gwinn's approach and the way he spoke about the procedure, so I scheduled an appointment and drove three hours to see him," Adina said.
The DBS procedure involves the surgical placement of tiny wires, known as electrodes, in critical areas of the patient's brain. These electrodes are controlled by a battery-operated neurostimulator, which is a device similar to a heart pacemaker and is surgically implanted under the skin in the patient's chest. The device sends electrical stimulation to the electrodes placed in areas in the brain that control movement, effectively reducing the signals that cause tremors.
"Brain surgery sounds invasive, and putting technology in the brain sounds almost like science fiction," said Dr. Gwinn. "But the reality is that using technology and implants in the human body is a standard part of medicine today. With DBS, once the wires are in place, we have created a flexible toolbox to interact with each patient and address their unique needs."
Adina's journey toward DBS took an unexpected turn during her initial MRI, when Dr. Gwinn found a benign brain tumor. He removed the tumor in 2023, and Adina underwent radiation treatment at EvergreenHealth Radiation Oncology. Finally, in March 2024, Adina went into surgery again, this time for DBS treatment, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable.
"Adina was having significant dyskinesias and tremors that were interfering with several of her activities of daily living like drinking from a cup of water and kept her from painting. Now she has had significant improvement in her tremors,” said Idil Baysal, ARNP, who worked with Adina to program the DBS device. “She is an incredibly resilient individual who took initiative of her health care and paved the way to getting DBS to improve her quality of life. It has been an honor working with her."
"For me, DBS was a life-changer," Adina said. "It sounded scary at first, but I am so glad I did it. I can now work with clay, paint, and write letters to my grandkids without worrying about legibility. I can go to a restaurant to eat without worrying about spilling anything. It's done wonders!"
Adina, originally from New Orleans, is now happily settled in the Pacific Northwest, which she considers her home. She loves being active outdoors, including hiking, as well as drawing, painting and sculpting.
Deep brain stimulation is one of the many innovative treatments offered at the Eastside Neuroscience Institute. This facility is a collaboration between EvergreenHealth and Overlake Medical Center & Clinics providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery and spine services at two locations in Kirkland and Bellevue. Learn more at www.eastsideneuroinstitute.org.
