In a message dated 1998/10/30  10:35:55, you write:
<<  However, The joke didn't seem (to me) that "Ethel"
 considered herself being deliberately treated with cruelty.  >>

hi sharon

i guess the grey area here for me
is my belief is that "ethel" is automatically a victim
due to "her" cognitive mental state and "her" institutionalised situation

i'm afraid that
for me at least
it reminds me all too sharply of grim reality
as reported recently in ontario and elsewhere i'm sure

other than that aspect,
and in response to your 'lighten up' call,
here is a Gem from George to prove that
i can enjoy "wheelie" jokes with the best of them

[sorry, but, thanks, george]

janet

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to set the scene:
george had been declaring the joys of parkies walking backwards
and lena had responded with revelations about her mother:

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Date: 20/02/97 04:47
From: Lena Holmes
Subj: Re: About models, facts and strange PD phenomena - Walking Backwards
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...George &=A0Ida,
my mother is in a wheelchair. The nursing home in which she lives
has a hall walking program after lunch, in which she sometimes
participates. She does so by propelling her chair BACKWARDS down
the hall. Is this a co-incidence? OR meaningful?....

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Date: 20/02/97 19:56
From:=A0George Lussier
Subject: LENA HOLMES AND HER CHEATING, FUN-LOVING MOM...
CO-INCIDENCE? MEANINGFULL? A CLASSIC TALE OF HOW TO
SURVIVE IN YOUR NURSING HOME. WATCH IT, HERE SHE COMES
BACKWARDS!! WEEEEEEE!
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DEAR LENA,
Let me say at the very beginning that I think your mom is a cheat
and.. WATCH IT! HERE SHE COMES AGAIN. WEEEEEEEEEEEE!
and should lose her license to drive her wheelchair until she has passed
both the WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! GOSH, THAT WAS CLOSE!! the
written and the on-the-road..er on-the-hallway test, She should be ashamed=

of herself for using a wheelchair in a walking program; yes you said a
walking program. IT"S TOO QUIET OUT THERE. SHE'S UP TO NO
GOOD. WATCH IT!! THERE ARE TWO OF THEM THIS TIME
Wheelie  1..WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! =A0wheelie #2 =A0yipeeeeeeeeeeeee!
See what I mean Lena, she is terrorizing the other residents. Well,
Gerrge.THATS GEORGE!! =A0ok, g e o r g e, I just wanted to say that mom
is having such a wonderful time...
......DOWN THE HALL, IN THE DARKENED DAY ROOM, OUT OF
SIGHT OF THE STAFF, LENA AND GEORGE; A PLAN IS BEING
DEVELOPED. LENA'S MOM APPEARS TO BE THE RING-LEADER
AND SHE IS DEPLOYING THE 25-30 WHEELIES TO THEIR ASSIGNED
BATTLE STATIONS WITH THE PRIME SITES TO BE SECURED
BEING THE KITCHEN AND THE NURSES STATION
[NO PROBLEM THERE...NEVER ANY ONE IN THERE ANYWAY]
Co-incidence? I don't think so. It seems to me that nursing homes
are failing in their jobs and until they receive a passing grade from
residents revolts like the one detailed above will continue to rock the
nursing home industry......

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janet paterson - 51 now / 41 dx / 37 onset - almonte/ontario/canada
http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/janet/
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