Twists & Turns continued...

Peter Cohen



Though Peter had a small part in the film, his battle with Dystonia represents the experiences of so many. He suffers from generalized dystonia where his whole body is affected. "I'm a big guy. I stand at six feet, four inches. But hunched over, with my neck turned to the left, I was unable to even stand up."

When Peter was offered the opportunity to have DBS surgery he knew he had to try it. "I really had no choice. It was truly a no-brainer.  I was functionally incapacitated.  When I was at my worse, I was lying on the floor, unable to sit up, and literally having tremors. Prior to my DBS surgery, I was completely house bound. I couldn't drive, and I was in constant pain and discomfort. There are really no words that can describe it."

Today, Peter is running, hiking, and feeling fantastic. He has his batteries changed about once a year, and is lucky that he has a doctor in his home town that can correct the settings to his batteries when he needs it.

Peter has returned to practicing law and travels every chance he gets.

"Everything routine is not routine for me at all," explains Peter. "I just ran three miles, and before the surgery I couldn't even get out of a chair. I appreciate every single thing I do."

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