---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 1996 04:27:41 -0500
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: back again, browsing the list

Hello again.

It's been a while since I've addressed the list.  This time, I freely admit,
was due to all the repeated messages/repeated messages/repeated/messages that
accompany new postings.  I am back because I realize that all I have to do is
to skip over these parts.  This is MY problem.  I have to deal with my
feelings about these extra bytes.

I have a few questions and a few comments:
to Barbara Zimmer:  I have to deal with children quite often, sometimes with
their parents.  My young nephew, now six and 1/2, always wanted to know why I
always shook so bad.  I tried being honest with him, explaining the disease
to him.  Almost every time I was around him he would ask me again.  He can't
understand what I had been telling him.
       Tell the kids what they can understand.  I learned. with my nephew,
that the best way for me to deal with the kids is to tell them the truth in a
way they can easily understand.  I simply tell them that my brain is sick.
 That line has satisfied most of the curious kids.   (My nephew does tell me
now that he would like for my brain not to be sick so I can play video games
with him.)

re: depression:   Parkinsons is an incurable, progressive and debilitating
disease.  It causes major life-style changes in the patient and his/her
family and friends.  When first diagnosed I used drugs and alcohol to deal
with my feelings.  If I hadn't done that I woujld probably have killed
myself.
      Eight years after being diagnosed I was forced to begin a new life
without alcohol.  That was six years ago.  I had to accept the fact that I
had Parkinsons before I could accept the fact that I was alcoholic.  I know
now that there is nothing I can do to change the fact that I have the
disease.  But with my friends in recovery I know that I am not alone.  Some
of them have worse problems than I do, and others don't.  Most believe that I
am "so brave" to be dealing with my problems the way I am.
     What I've learned is that I need to deal with my Parkinsons problems as
they come up, the same way that I deal with all of my other problems.  I have
found support in strange places.   The latest being a young lady who is a
checker at a grocery store nearby.  She simply began talking about her
father-in-law who has PD.  She never asked me if I had it.  When I overexert
and go to the store she usually calls me on it.
      About a year ago I had to quit driving at night.  I had trouble seeing
around all the headlights.  I also suffered a moment of confusion when I
forgot where I was, wat I was doing and where I was going.  The confusion
only lasted a few seconds but I ended up on the wrong side of the road.
 Fortunately there was no on-coming traffic and no accident occured.
     About  two  months ago I was involved in an acident.  I was not at fault
and no one in either car was hurt.  I took the opportunity to look back at my
driving over the previous few months and came to the conclusion that I can no
longer drive safely.  My truck was totaled and I got a good settlement for it
  A portion of the settlement went to upgrade my computer so I can fully take
advantage of the services offered on line.
     Depression that I can no longer drive is not a factor.  I made the
decision, not the police or the Dept of Motor Vehicles.  I still get around
Las Vegas nearly as much asa I used to thanks to friends who are willing and
eager to help me out if I need a ride.  I am also blessed by the fact that
Las Vegas has an excellent bus system.  My mobility is somewhat restricted
but I am still mobile.

My question is simple:  Is anyone, anywhere still doing the fetal tissue
implants?  I am happy for anyone who has had any of the other surgeries but I
cannot put myself throough those procedures.  I would appreciate any
information that you can send.