Hello everyone,
 
A few days ago I introduced myself on the listserver as new. It is amazing
what I saw in this few days. At this moment I feel the need to tell you all
about myself.
 
I'm Geert, 38 years old, married and father of 2 beautiful boys, named
Thomas (5 years) and Benjamin (3 years). I suffer the disease of Parkinson.
In my profession-life I was a teacher in elementary school.  I loved my job,
but at the end I couldn't write anymore.  So now I'm at home (for the 3th
year) and I take care of my kids, do the housekeeping whyle Vera (my wife)
is going out for work.  It is still my "big dream" to come back as teacher.
"I have a dream" said Martin Luther King once.  Perhaps my dream could
become true...
We're living in Belgium - a little country in Europe and our language is
Dutch. So please, excuse me when my English is not so good.  But, I'm sure
that you shall understand what I would tell you.
 
When I was young, I lived in a family with a sister and a brother. I was the
eldest.  I had a lovely mother who took completely care of us.  My father
worked hard to give us wath we needed.  But, he was so severe for us.  I
couldn't get that.  The living-room was his workplace.  He was like
"Hitler".  When I would talk with him he had never time for me.  So, I wrote
a letter, but even for that letter he had no time.  So, for myself this was
"the big shadow" in my life as kid and I'm sure that this was the beginning
of Parkie in my body.
When I see him now with his grandchildren - my sons, he plays with them,
tells storys to them, his grandchildren are his heaven to earth -  I become
very emotional and I'm thinking : "FATHER, WHY DIDN'T YOU DID THE SAME WITH
ME WHEN I WAS YOUNG  ???"
 
 
I'm convinced that Parkinson's disease could start after TRAUMATIC=
 EXPIRIENCES
It could be, said the neurologist and he told me a story :"In WORLD WAR I
some soldiers became Parkinsonians after TRAUMATIC EXPIRIENCES. On the
borders of France, the Belgians were surrounded by the Germans.  The
horrible situations there (gas-bombardements, the mud and the blood all
around, heavy wounded bodys,...) on that little BATTLE-FIELD made some
Belgians so afraid that afterwards, some of them became Parkinsonian...
Now, in my case it wasn't so heavy, but I'm a very sensitive person.  And
what my father did to me, touched me very strong !!!
The disease started with me very early.  I was 17 years old when I had for
the first time bad feelings in my body.  I was young and optimistic, loved
every new day...  BUT, I was not like all the other young-ones.  At that
time I was in a youth-mouvement were I was in touch as leader.  We walked in
the forrests.  I couldn't follow the group.  I had terrible cramps in my
left feet and when there=20
were no cramps I was very slowly,...   I was also very nervous. =20
 
In the army I couldn't walk in group.  I was terrible afraid when an officer
came into our room.  I began to shake.
 
In my schooltime I had a terrible hand-writing and I couldn't never follow=
 with
writing wath the teacher told us to write.
Even later in my own professional life as teacher I had big troubles to
write well for the children. My collegues had to work a few hours on the
rapports for the children.  I needed at least 2 days to do the same.      =
=20
 
FROM MY 17TH UNTILL MY 30TH - EVERY DAY - WAS A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
EVERY MORNING I STAND UP TOTAL FROZEN, IN THE BEGINNING I COULD STILL WALK,
BUT A FEW HOURS LATER I WAS TOTALLY FINISHED.
 
I went to several doctors (I think that I've got all the specialismes).
They gave me no solutions, but pills, pills and pills (TEMESTA, VALIUM,...)=
 !!!
They didn't know that I was a Young ounset Parkinsonian. In other words they
didn't know the existance of the disease of Parkinson by younger people...=
=20
 
When I was 30 it couldn't go farther on by this way. I was thinking of
killing myself.  One day I took a book of Parkinson's disease.  The author
described the several symptoms of the disease.  From the 30 symptoms he
discribed, at least 20 of them I've got.  I was convinced that I was a PD.
I went to a neurologist with the book and told him that I was thinking about
Parkinson's disease.  At that time, he gave me L-dopa (SINEMET).
 
 =20
THE FIRST HALF TABLET I TOOK GAVE ME A TOTAL NEW LIFE !!!!
I BELONGED AGAIN TO THIS WORLD....
 
Now I finish my first part of the story.  Second part follows soon....
 
With a warm heart to all the people who suffers this disease, partners,
friends, neurologists,....
 
UNITY  makes us much stronger !!!
 
                    " T O  H E L L  W I T H  P A R K I N S O N "
 
                                 With love from Belgium,
 
 
                                      Geert.
                                   =20
 
E-MAIL : [log in to unmask]    =20
Geert Ari=EBn
Young and Parkinson Society Belgium
Tel./Fax : +3236440250
 
Adress for mail send by post : JEEPEES V.Z.W.
                               PARKIE
                               KAPELSESTEENWEG 135
                               2180        ANTWERP
                               BELGIUM  =20
                               ____________________
 
E-MAIL : [log in to unmask]
 
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