Hi all,

        I  know  that there is a wide range of ages in the subscribers
     to this forum.  I've seen notes from early-onset  PD'ers  through
     PD'ers  who  get hit with this rotten dis-ease at the more common
     ages.  I have read with great interest, many  stories  about  the
     PWP's  and  their  employers.   But, I do not remember seeing any
     discussion on trying to obtain a job -- to keep working  after  a
     lay-off -- while in the throws of PD.

        You  all received (and I did clear it with the list owners be-
     fore I sent it) a combination cover-letter/mini-resume that I  am
     using to try to harness the "power of the Internet" to find a new
     job.  Has any PWP on-list tried to obtain a *new*  job  with  the
     disease?

        It's  been  over three weeks, I've registered myself with some
     20+ 'Net job search Web-sites, and sent my  cover-letter/mini-re-
     sume to some 50+ companies who allow prospective employees to ap-
     ply for employment from their through  corporate  Web-site  or  a
     "jobs"-type e-mail address.

        And, this is where I need advice ...

        One  of  the  things  that I pondered in my mind over and over
     again was weather I should even  mention  that  I  had  PD  to  a
     prospective  employer.   I was uncomfortable with the idea of not
     mentioning it ahead of time, showing up  for  an  interview,  and
     getting  a  polite  "thanks,  but  I  don't think there's a 'good
     match' here -- good luck in your job search."  And,  over  a  few
     days I decided to mention it right up front.  My thinking was:

        1)   A  friend  had once advised me (when I had the same fears
          in the classes I taught) to go ahead and mention  it  in  my
          class  introduction,  get  it out and in front of everybody.
          They're going to see the symptoms and movement  disorder  so
          why  not tell them up-front so they know and can relax with-
          out having to wonder what was wrong with me.  They could see
          that I was "okay" with it so maybe they could be "okay" with
          it too.  And, it seemed to work in class.  Shouldn't it work
          with a prospective employer too?

        2)   There  has  been  a lot of "press" about PD lately.  Many
          folks are getting a good look at other --  some  famous  and
          some  not so famous -- people who have PD and are still use-
          ful, contributing members of society.  Michael  J.  Fox  can
          still act and can write a book, Janet Reno can still partic-
          ipate in politics and run for office, Billy Graham can still
          preach,  and  The  Pope can still ... well, ... can still be
          The Pope.  Shouldn't it be obvious that I can still  help  a
          prospective employer achieve the company goals?

             (FWIW,  I had a secret hope that the PD could actually be
          a "sales tool" for a company's EOE/Employee  Diversity  pro-
          grams.  Kinda' like "Look here! Not only are we hiring a va-
          riety of different ethnic groups,  not only  are  we  hiring
          women  and  people  with  different sexual orientations; but
          we're also hiring disabled people  ... people with  PD   ...
          you  know, like M.J. Fox. and Muhammad Ali!"  Maybe it would
          have helped if I had been as good looking as these two, too!
          (-:)

        3)   I  have  to  have  --  I  must  have -- health insurance.
          Health insurance with a drug benefit.  It seemed to me  that
          it  wouldn't  be  much  too  fun to land a, job, show up the
          first day to fill out all of the forms and paperwork,   only
          to find out that my (and my wife's) pre-existing health con-
          ditions denied coverage for us.  Maybe this isn't  an  issue
          --  I  don't know.  Maybe I need a clarification on what the
          law says in this case.  The only thing I know  is  that  the
          COBRA  will let me pay what my company paid to the insurance
          company (i.e. not the full price but the group  rate  price)
          to  continue  the  same insurance for 18 months.  And, after
          that, (it was my impression) that I was "on my own."

        But, obviously, my thinking isn't getting me anywhere.  In the
     last three weeks -- between Monster, HotJobs, and  several  other
     job  Web-sites -- I've had between 10 to 15 people look at my mi-
     ni-resume (with links to my real, full resume,  and  professional
     experience);  I  have  not  had any replies on that mass-e-mail I
     sent out (which you all received and another group  received  the
     week after); but have not had any personal contacts.

        I  really,  really, really dislike "head-hunters" (or, employ-
     ment agencies, as they prefer to be called), but I  may  have  to
     resort  to one here soon.   If I don't have any strong possibili-
     ties by the beginning of September, I'm going to be on  a  "short
     slide down a steep hill" (silly analogy, -- but that's the way it
     feels).

        So, again, have any of my fellow PWPs been in a similar situa-
     tion?  What did  you  do?   Does  anybody  want  to  share  their
     thoughts?   Does  anybody have any advice?  Does anybody know why
     the answer is 42 (I'm trying to keep a sense of  humor  here  too
     (-;)?

        Note  that  I'm  on  the  digest-version  of the list -- I get
     batches of list-mail once or twice a day.  So, feel free  to  re-
     spond on- or off-list.  Thanks in advance ...

Bill--
  ...who sometimes thinks that Chicken Little was right.
                                                      +-oOOo---oOOo------+
.. William A. Parrette ...... 7177 Heritage Drive ....+------------------+
.. [log in to unmask] .............. Westchester ............|  ||     || (42?) |
.. [log in to unmask] ......... OH 45069-4012 ..........|  ||/|_|\||  /    |
............................. 513/779-0780 ...........|  \\ @ @ //       |
.............. http://w3.one.net/~wap/ ...............+--- ( V ) --------+
                                                           / O \

Original message:

>From [log in to unmask] Tue Jul 23 14:32:37 2002 -0400
>Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 14:32:32 -0400 (EDT)
>From: "William A. Parrette" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>cc: [log in to unmask]
>bcc: ... (several other friends, family, etc.)
>Subject: Person w/Parkinson's Seeking Employment
>Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
>Status: O
>X-Status:
>
>  (Was written in a 24x80 terminal window with a monospaced font in 64 lines)
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>* I'm a "Person with Parkinson's Disease" (PWP) recently laid off.
>   =====> http://www.parkinson.org/
>* Looking for a new Employment Opportunity in IT.
> - Have programming, administration, training, and writing experience.
>--- Technical -----------------------------------------------------------------
>* Self-acknowledged UNIX geek, admitted Macintosh addict, PC literate.
>* Fingers talk vi, brain thinks in C/C++/Java, enjoy shell but appreciate Perl.
>* Believe "regular expressions" are "the best thing since sliced bread."
>* Think C is best, C++ hides C's beauty, value Java's more O-O merge of both.
>* Would, someday, like to work on a real-world project using yacc and lex.
>* A true believer of the UNIX tool/software development philosophy.
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapResume.html
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapProfessional.html
>* Published author with titles about UNIX and X/Motif.
>* Actually used vi/troff to write the books and find uses for nroff in scripts.
>* Enjoy writing -- two unpublished manuscripts on C programming on the shelf.
>* Say teaching UNIX can be like a "religious experience" when students "get it"
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapUnixFAD.html
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapMotifPITXWSE.html
>--- Job -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>* Salary negotiable -- haven't reached "six figures" yet. ;-)
>* Prefer full-time/salaried, but contract/consultant work given consideration.
>* Consider telecommuting a valid option.
>* Travel okay -- currently a Delta lifetime Silver Medallion Million-Miler.
>* Enjoy SW Ohio but relocation might be considered with appropriate assistance.
>* Health Benefits Required! Need Immediate Coverage! Must Cover Pre-Existing!
>* Salary history and References  available upon request.
>--- Training ------------------------------------------------------------------
>* Need great software training?  The best money can buy?
> - Contact my previous employer:
>   =====> http://www.batky-howell.com/
>--- Personal ------------------------------------------------------------------
>* PWP diagnosed in 1995, still work w/leg & hand tremors and head dyskinesia.
>* A drummer who enjoys "classic-rock."  Favorite band: Grand Funk Railroad.
>* Enjoy reading.  Favorite book: Heinlein's "Stranger In a Strange Land."
>* One of the few adults who seems to understand the Teletubbies. :-)  :-)  :-)
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapTremorStory.html
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/GFR_WEB/
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/wapGrok.html
>   =====> http://w3.one.net/~wap/TELETUBBIES_WEB/ttlAdultEnjoyment.html
>--- YOU -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>* This e-mail was certainly sent unsolicited but is not "spam."
>* You have received this e-mail message because:
> - You are a friend/acquaintance of mine.
> - You are an employer of a friend/family member who told me I ought to apply.
> - You are subscribed to a mailing list I subscribe to.
> - You are part of the media that I read, watch, or listen to.
>* This e-mail is an attempt to use the "power of the Internet" to find a job.
>* If you can help, please reply. If you know somebody who can, please foreword.
>* *PLEASE* reply directly *To Me* ([log in to unmask]).
>* If you received this from a mailing list *PLEASE* DO NOT reply on-list.
>* If you have no input for me, exercise your right to press the "delete key."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Bill--
>  ...who has heard that the modem Jimi Hendrix used was a purple Hayes.
>                                                       __  _-==-=_,-.
>.. William A. Parrette ...... 7177 Heritage Drive ..../--`' \_O-O.--< ---+
>.. [log in to unmask] .............. Westchester ............`--'\ \   <___/.   |
>.. [log in to unmask] ......... OH 45069-4012 ..........|    \ \\   " /    |
>............................. 513/779-0780 ...........|     >=\\_/`<  42?|
>.............. http://w3.one.net/~wap/ ...............+--- /= |  \_/|----+
>                                                         _/=== \___/

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