New Hyde Pk. man second on Long Island to receive tremor fix

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New Hyde Pk. man second on Long Island to receive tremor fix
Dr. Albert Fenoy, left, Murray Bocian, Beth Bocian and Daniel Bocian, right, at North Shore University Hospital. (Photo courtesy of Northwell Health)

A New Hyde Park man is nine months away from living tremor free after suffering from essential tremors for more than three decades.

Murray Bocian, 76, is one of 10 million Americans who suffer from the movement disorder that affects both hands and arms when performing actions and standing still. 

Bocian is also the second person in Long Island and North Shore University Hospital to receive a new treatment that eliminated the shaking in one half of his body, an experience he reflected on Wednesday afternoon in Manhasset. 

“For me, it’s nothing short of a miracle,” said Bocian. “I inherited these tremors from my mother. It started about 30 years ago, but for the last five years it’s been increasingly difficult. I couldn’t eat or drink without spilling – I had to rely on a baby’s sippy cup because I couldn’t hold onto a glass.”

Prior to the treatment, Bocian was unable to complete simple tests that required drawing a straight line and drawing a line through a spiral without touching the walls. 

Not only was Bocian able to complete both tests with ease minutes after his treatment, but he also held out his hands Wednesday, showing his right hand staying completely still. 

Bocian underwent a non-surgery procedure — one his wife, Beth, found called “HIFU,” or high-intensity focused ultrasound.

The treatment, only available on Long Island at North Shore, lasted two hours and put Bocian in an MRI scanner before deploying highly focused sound waves that interacted with specific brain tissue to eliminate tremors, leaving the surrounding areas intact and unharmed. 

“Before this procedure became available, patients would have to rely on medication and/or surgery to help relieve their tremors,” said Dr. Albert Fenoy, director of functional neurosurgery. “When we met Murray, we knew he would be a great candidate for HIFU.”

Bocian said he was grateful for both the treatment and the staff at North Shore, but jokingly complained about needing to wait nine months before getting treatment on the right side of his brain to treat the tremors in his left hand. 

“I wish I could back go in tomorrow,” Bocian said.

Bocian’s family is also appreciative of the work done at North Shore.

 “We’re about to celebrate our 56th wedding anniversary in August,” said Beth, a retired Northwell nurse. “And this has affected us to the point that I couldn’t even hold my husband’s hand because of the shaking. Now, I see a lot more hand-holding in our future. We consider this to be a miracle.”

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