Phoenix artist regains steady hands after deep brain stimulation surgery

Bill Daggett, a Phoenix woodcarver, has resumed his craft after receiving deep brain stimulation surgery. The procedure addresses the tremors caused by his Parkinson's disease, a condition that had previously hindered his ability to work and perform daily tasks.

Daggett first noticed the shaking in his hands while exhibiting art at a show. A physician attending the event observed the tremors and recommended a medical evaluation. The subsequent diagnosis confirmed Parkinson's disease.

The artist described how the symptoms affected his independence and mental health. "I couldn't even eat, hardly. I was shaking so bad, and I didn't want to go out anymore. That's part of the depression. You don't want to be seen when you can't hold a fork and get it to your mouth," Daggett said.

When standard medication failed to control the symptoms, Daggett opted for deep brain stimulation. This therapy involves placing electrodes in the brain to send electrical pulses that interrupt the abnormal signals causing tremors.

Sam Cradduck, a gerontologist and host of the program "Aging Untold," explained the mechanics of the treatment. He compared the device to a cardiac pacemaker. "What they did was basically give his brain a pacemaker. You know, we're kind of accustomed to the thought of a pacemaker helping a heart keep rhythm. But this is a new way to go in and help that brain reset and send those electrical pulses out to give the brain the pacemaker to now reduce those tremors, reduce some of the side effects of the disease and the progression of it," Cradduck said.

Cradduck noted that the surgery addresses the emotional impact of the disease. "We talk about the physical aspects of disease and aging all the time, but we forget to talk about the emotional loss, and that's where this guy was at. He was so connected with being the artist and being able to create, and the disease was robbing him of that. We see that it's robbing him of physical abilities maybe to eat, but we forget that it's robbing him of a piece of himself," Cradduck said.

Daggett's hands are now steady enough for him to continue carving wood. The deep brain stimulation device helps manage the progression of his symptoms and allows him to maintain his creative practice.