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Guidelines for sites linking to mayoclinic.orgIntro: Imagine not being able to do simple tasks like buttoning your shirt or drinking a glass of water because your arms shake uncontrollably. That's a reality for many people with essential tremor. Sometimes medications work, but all too often the symptoms just get worse. Now, doctors at Mayo Clinic are implanting a device into patient's brains that stops the shaking and gives people a second chance at life.
| Video | Audio |
| Total Running time 1:36 | "EVERYTHING MOVED. IF YOU LISTEN TO MY VOICE I SOUND LIKE KATHERYN HEPBURN." |
| VO: Karen shaking, sitting with daughter Leslie | 42-YEAR-OLD KAREN BERGSTROM HAS HAD A MOVEMENT DISORDER CALLED ESSENTIAL TREMOR SINCE CHILDHOOD. |
| Karen Bergstrom | "I COULDN'T WRITE. I COULDN'T EAT. I'D HAVE MOMENTS WHEN I'D GO INTO THE CLOSET AND JUST CRY." |
| VO: Karen shaking, sitting with daughter Leslie | THE SHAKING WAS DEBILITATING. BUT THAT WASN'T THE WORST PART. IT HURT MORE TO WATCH HER CHILDREN TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHY MOMMY WAS DIFFERENT. |
Leslie BergstromKaren's daughter |
"IT WAS HARD BECAUSE I WOULD LOOK AROUND AND SEE EVERYBODY STARING AT MY MOM. I WAS SAD AND ALSO EMBARRASSED." |
| Karen Bergstrom | "IT HURT. RIGHT HERE." |
| VO: Karen shaking, holding balloon | AND AS A GYM TEACHER KAREN COULDN'T EVEN HOLD A BALLOON STEADY LIKE SHE TOLD THER KIDS TO DO IN CLASS. MEDICATIONS DIDN'T WORK. BUT - WATCH THIS. |
| Karen Bergstrom | (BEEP) "IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT THERE." |
| VO: From Karen to animation | KAREN FOUND RELIEF AT MAYO CLINIC. THERE DOCTORS IMPLANTED ELECTRICAL WIRES INTO A SPECIFIC SPOT IN HER BRAIN. THE ELECTRODES ARE ATTACHED TO A STIMULATION DEVICE THAT'S PLACED UNDER THE SKIN NEAR THE COLLARBONE. WHEN THE DEVICE FIRES, TREMORS STOP. |
Virgilio Evidente, M.D. Mayo Clinic Neurologist |
"IT WORKS SIMILARLY TO A HEART PACEMAKER." |
Standup Vivien Williams ReportingVO: to surgery video |
DURING SURGERY KAREN STAYED AWAKE SO DR. VIRGILIO EVIDENTE AND HIS TEAM COULD MAKE SURE THE WIRES WERE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. WHEN THE DEVICE WAS TURNED ON IN THE O.R., HER TREMOR IMMEDIATELY SLOWS AND ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPS. |
| Karen Bergstrom | "SEE IF YOU CAN BALANCE IT ON YOUR NOSE." |
VO: Karen teaching gym class (focus on her child) |
NOW KAREN CAN BALANCE BALLOONS IN GYM CLASS WITH THE KIDS. WITH HER OWN CHILD. |
| Karen Bergstrom | "I'VE BEEN GIVEN A SECOND LIFE WITH THIS. I'VE BEEN GIVEN A NEW CHANCE." |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. |
Tag: Karen says her new chance at life means she can finally do simple activities that most people take for granted. Before she couldn't even hold a book steady enough to read it. Now, that's all over.
Dr. Evidente says this device also works for some patients with Parkinson's Disease. For more information on treatment for essential tremor, log onto our Web site at ...
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