Veteran Finds Hope Through Deep Brain Stimulation After Parkinson's Diagnosis

Christian Villarose was in his 30s when he began to notice his right arm no longer swung naturally when he walked. Years later he would be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a discovery that would change his life in unexpected ways.

First signs of Parkinson’s symptoms

Villarose, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served from 1991 to 1995, was living in Lake Tahoe, California, when he began to feel the effects of Parkinson’s. The disease, which affects movement, first showed itself with a frozen shoulder — often a simple injury with a fast healing time. This was followed by more severe symptoms, including stiffness and difficulty moving his arm.

"Most people walk with a natural arm swing," Villarose said. "When I walked, only one side of my body was moving, while the other side remained stiff."

He was working at an art gallery in Lake Tahoe when a co-worker pointed out that his right arm wasn’t moving when he was engaged in conversation. Villarose didn’t think much of it and went on with his high-energy sports life as an avid snowboarder.

Throughout time, the symptoms worsened, and Villarose was officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in October 2014. By then, his right side had become much weaker, and his ability to perform simple tasks was becoming more difficult.

The path to deep brain stimulation

Villarose lived a disciplined, clean lifestyle and preferred to manage his symptoms on his own, rather than taking medication. His Parkinson’s progressed, and by 2019, he found himself in the emergency room, overwhelmed by the impact the disease had on his body.

After the ED visit, he started on medications to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s. They worked at first, but then their effectiveness wore off, and in time, he was back to struggling with his symptoms.

It wasn’t until years later that Villarose heard about deep brain stimulation, or DBS, a procedure to implant a device in the brain that sends electrical impulses to areas that control movement. DBS helps manage Parkinson’s symptoms when medications are no longer effective.

As his symptoms worsened, Villarose decided to explore the DBS option and met with several specialists to learn more about the procedure. He chose UF Health Jacksonville to have DBS treatment, where he met with the neurosurgery team to begin the process.

Haley Anderson, PA-C, a physician assistant at UF Health Neurosurgery – Jacksonville, has been a part of Villarose’s medical journey since he arrived at UF Health.

“For Christian, it became clear that his medication wasn’t providing the relief it once did, so we discussed DBS as an option,” Anderson said.

Anderson works closely with Daryoush Tavanaiepour, MD, a UF Health neurosurgeon who specializes in DBS. Once a patient is considered a good candidate for the procedure, they undergo imaging tests, such as an MRI and CT scan of the brain, to help with surgical planning.

In May 2024, Villarose underwent DBS surgery, which is performed in two stages. The first stage involves placing the DBS leads into the brain. This surgery can take several hours and requires the patient to be awake during part of the procedure. This may sound unusual, but it’s a crucial part of the process.

“Having the patient awake allows us to test the leads during the procedure to make sure they are placed in the right spot,” Anderson said. “For Christian, we could test his tremors and see improvements in real-time.”

The second stage takes place a few weeks later. This procedure involves placing a small battery-operated device, called a DBS neurostimulator, under the skin in the chest, which can then be programmed to send electrical signals to the brain to control symptoms.

Once the device is in place, the patient is referred back to their neurologist to adjust the settings of the DBS system. This ongoing follow-up care is crucial in helping the patient get the best possible results from the procedure.

Looking ahead to a future with renewed hope

For Villarose, the results have been nothing short of life-changing.

“When he first came in, he was really struggling to even walk or move around without a lot of help,” Anderson said. “But after the battery was turned on, I remember seeing him walk down the hallway with ease, without all the rigidity that had made even simple movements difficult for him.”

Villarose has found new hope through DBS. He describes feeling about 85% normal after the surgery, a dramatic improvement compared to his life before. Now, he’s able to look forward to enjoying simple activities again, such as taking walks, petting his dog, and even returning to his love for golf and snowboarding. In addition to his physical recovery, he has found solace in painting.

As he continues to recover, Villarose is more determined than ever to live life to the fullest. Whether it’s painting, playing sports or just enjoying the outdoors, he’s learned that there’s always a way forward, even when the path seems unclear.

“Thanks to DBS, I’m now able to look ahead to a future with renewed hope,” Villarose said.

Visit UFHealthJax.org/dbs for more information or call 904.383.1022 to schedule an appointment.