Deep brain stimulation helps man with Parkinson's

In the 15 years since Tom Heil was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the list of things he couldn't do anymore seemed to get longer every day.

Some were big, like give a speech at work or sing with a choir. Others were smaller, more everyday tasks, like put on a shirt, send an email, dial a cellphone or finish a meal without spilling something on his tie.

"It was hard to speak and put sentences together," Heil says. "If I had to write anything, forget about it."

Heil's worsening symptoms began to threaten every corner of his life, from his sales and marketing career to family travels and his involvement in community theater.

In July, Heil, 53, tried a different treatment tactic, a surgical procedure called deep brain stimulation.

The dramatic results have Heil, of Lancaster city, making another, far more positive list. This one includes all the things he can do again, and it's growing every day.

"It's been miraculous," says Heil, whose hand tremors have stopped. "Anyone will tell you I used to shake like a leaf."

The search for answers and relief

Heil was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease at age 38.

In hindsight, Heil, who then lived in New York City, realized he lost his sense of smell several years before his diagnosis. Food began to taste bland, but he smoked at the time and thought that might be to blame.

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Deep brain stimulation helps man with Parkinson's