Valley woman gets Deep Brain Stimulation to help living with Parkinson's Disease

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Glenda Edmonds starts her morning dancing with her loved ones.

She shared a video with Action News of her dancing with her daughter at a birthday party.

Several years ago, Glenda learned she had Parkinson's Disease. That once active lifestyle suddenly changed.

It felt like the disease not only controlled her movements but also her life.

I couldn't get up, I didn't have any energy and I would drag my legs, " she said. "I didn't have any control in walking, and it was really hard for me."

Glenda took a lot of medication, about 22 pills a day, to try to manage her condition. She said it took a toll.

During a visit to Community Health System's Neuroscience Institute, Glenda happened to be in the right place at the right time and met neurosurgeon Dr. Mark Krel.

He introduced her to Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, or DBS.

"The brain has systems where one part connects to another part, that connects to another part, and it creates a loop to make us move, to make us think, to make us have emotion," Dr. Krel said. "What DBS does is that it regulates that circuit."

Dr. Krel is the only surgeon who does this type of procedure in the Central Valley.

He says DBS is a minimally invasive procedure using electrodes to target different areas of the brain.

"In Parkinson's, for example, there's too much brake and not enough gas," he said. "What the DBS does is that it allows the brake to be back in balance with the gas."

Dr. Krel explains that DBS will help people who are dealing with movement conditions, like tremors, rigidity, and slowness, when it comes to Parkinson's.

Since undergoing the treatment, Glenda has improved.

"I'm so thankful that it's like this," she said. "The surgery has changed my life for the better."

The procedure helps treat Parkinson's, not cure it.

Dr. Krel says that, if done early, DBS can help slow down the progression of the disease, giving hope to many people living with the debilitating illness.

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