Has you friend never heard of "pikuach nefesh" - to save a soul. Jewish
Law permits any commandment to be set aside, if it will save a life -
which is open to much interpretaion, but given the choice  your friend
has, I would drive you to the hearing! But I guess I'm a PWP, so I see
things differently; so no insult intended to  your friend; it's just the
way I am ! Anyway I shall think of you while I'm in synagogue, and pray
for you.
Hilary Blue

Barbara Mallut wrote:
>
> I'll be at the SSDI hearing by 9:30 to meet with my lawyer, and the hearing
> itself starts at 10:30, Gina.
>
> Actually, I'd been so caught up in this SSDI thing, that I completely forgot
> that the 21at is Roshashana - the start of the Jewish High Holidays.  I got a
> rude awakening this evening when my friend who'd' volunteered to drive me to
> the hearing backed out because she'll be in synagogue then.
>
> I'm going to go to that hearing tho, and figure that God will understand
> 'cause looking around amongst his creations here, I can see that HE
> understands what the word "priority" means.
>
> If worse comes to worse, I'll just grit my teeth and "drive over the hill,"
> (as we l who live in the San Fernando Valley call the City-side of L.A.) in
> the heavy morning traffic - about an 1 to an hour an a half drive at that
> hour.  I haven't driven a distance like that (I usually drive BLOCKS, not
> miles) in a coupla-three years.
>
> Thanks for planning on being with me in spirit, Gina.  That means alot to me.
>
> I'm going to feel the essence of so many dear Parkie friends surrounding me
> with their good will and support at that hearing that it'll be like I'm
> wearing a coat of armor to protect me from anything the SSA can throw my way.
>
> Warm hugs at ya....
>
> Barb Mallut
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ----------
> From:   Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Gina Cass
> Sent:   Monday, September 14, 1998 5:26 PM
> To:     Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
> Subject:        Re: Short-term Disability Rest of my life type stuff.
>
> God Love ya Barb:  I am honored to be your friend, the passion and fire coming
> in on your email is amazing.  I believe going to court with that attitude will
> bring the place down and win for everyone that day.  Even those not going to
> court, those not yet diagnosed and those just having a single episode.  You
> are a formidable fighter taking on the scores of nonbelievers for all of us.
> Thank you lady.  I am with you.  You will be going on the 21st at what time.
> Typical court building or SS Office?  Well, I will personally send myself
> there with you.  I will be sitting in the audience with my usual look.  Hair
> that is silver, kind of a wild style, short, blue eyes, a PD complexion (so
> pretty, kicker I never had a blemish in my life), swollen legs, ankles, feet,
> walk with a walking stick as I have a very bad habit of toppling over, dizzy
> spells, etc., I now notice that I lean to the left my head just wants to go
> that way, Aches and pains everywhere so you will hear me moaning in court, and
> shifting from side to side can't find a comfortable position to sit, so you'll
> look out and find a few of us moving, shifting, groaning, moaning.  Since, my
> meds have not settled out yet I still get these major tremors and if I slide a
> dose for a while whoa that outa be something.  But with shakes I can't hold
> books, magazines, phamlets, etc., in my hands and read so I now have my
> headset with me and various little audio books, music tapes, play those
> somewhat loud.  I have noticed something relatively new, these little body
> jerks, along with the head bobs, lip quivering, leg jumping, throat clearing
> visions I should really be convincing.  Get a little group of us all in an
> area to "Sit" kinda and the judge won't be watching the other side. He will be
> so freaked and say "Hey Aunt Petunia had something like that, but she was so
> old. You're to young are you"?  But he would look at us and say "Maybe not."
> See, I figure I am good for a few little things.
> I want to relate something that happened to me:  It was last Wednesday, as I
> was still awake decided to go to bed, lay there put my legs up and pray for
> sleep.  I got into the bedroom as I had for seven years the same way.  I was
> standing at the end of the King Size Bed trying to sort dog -- dog -- cat from
> covers, sheets & comforters.  I was somehow turned around.  I stopped and
> waited hoping to hear the snoring a dog or my husband.  All was quiet.  OK,
> lets try it again.  I walked to the door, rotated back facing the bed one more
> time.  Carefully picking my steps so as not to fall and wake anyone I was at
> the end of the bed again.  Lost, I could not find my way.  The picture in my
> mind was the other side of the bed and I was over by the door again.  This
> time my one dog Bandit sat up and huffed as if to say, "Well come on, I want
> to sleep."  So stood one last time hoping to find my way.  My husband asked
> what was wrong in a sleep state, me at that moment being to proud, to
> independent told him nothing was wrong.  I was OK.  But as I made that final
> attempt to find my bedrail, I failed.  I know I ran my hand along the whole
> side but could find nothing familiar.  At that point I was crying and so
> afraid.  I was scarred, feeling so all alone, so vulnerable.  Oh God, please
> help me.  I am sitting crying right now, this poor computer. I was so hurt.  I
> didn't realize how much I am beginning to depend on others.  How the sometimes
> get so frustrated with me/PD.  It just hurt so badly.  I left the bedroom and
> slept on the couch as I had so much lately if I sleep at all.  And at 3:00 AM
> there aren't many there to here the lonely cry.  I am angry, hateful, hurting,
> cheated, thought of as the disease (we being one and the same).  I am locked
> inside this shell that is deteriorating and I want out of it.  I don't want to
> shake, and fall, and walk funny, and have skin on my face like so much
> leather,  Take this med, take that med, eat this at this time, don't eat that,
> report, report, report.  Try to get SSDI or any help at all. Work outside the
> home and be punished.  I can't even think of working.  Even the thought makes
> the tremors go nuts.  I have dropped things, pushed things, paper plates are a
> joke, food just bounces off.  I have such pain tonight.  I am so tired of this
> crap.  We get on the list and talk, trying to help each other when we should
> be living full, active and healthy lives.  The only active part is how much
> our bodies move without our help.  There's a new one, an exercise program
> entirely of PWP, what a concept.  Do the PD Shake.  The falling part I can do
> real well.  I know that everytime I fall, a new rail goes up.
> Boy, I do go on.  I thank for those of you who have listened.  I needed to
> vent with people who know what this disease is.  It is hard to talk with
> someone who hasn't a clue.  I also, don't know who came up with the phrase
> "Side Effects."  Let's try "Main Effects," and sometimes they are worse then
> the problem.  Almost makes you want to quit.  I used to do Accounting, I was
> an Accountant.  Now, I have mush for brains, I can't key very well do to
> shaking (double key, triple key, no key), I can't stay seated due to pains.
> So, I am on SSDI with a re-hearing in May 1999, maybe they will find a job I
> can do in my physical and mental state.  Ticket taker, but then one of the
> meds has lent me to bout of Hallucinations and Paranoia.  I wanna be there, I
> wanna hear this one.
> Well, I have to blow my nose, whip my eyes and sweep the floor.  Darn
> Hallucinations, there are so many things crawling on it.  Yes, Jim and Betty I
> went back on the Seroqual, just hasn't kicked in yet.  God bless you.
> Thank you for letting me dump.  I am having a really hard time.  Couldn't
> guess eh?
> TTFN
> Gina
> Oh yea Med time!!!!!!!!!