Hi Bill,
     I too would pick diabetes of PD if I had a choice. I would pick PD over
MS. The pain I get in my upper back is not fun at all. I wake up at night a
lot because of the pain. When my husband gives me a hug and my back is sore
or stiff it is a painful hug. With diabetes you don't have to put up with
sore muscles. Janice 51/50/46
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Harrington <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 1:57 PM
Subject: diabetes vs PD


>Hi again :I talked to a friend who is also a nurse and has PD and she
gently
>rebuked me for my original response; I was rude
>and I apologize to the  gentleman and the list.
>I have given the matter more thouhgt and have come to the same conclusion
>I did previously, Parkinson's is by far worse than diabetes. The
>emotional/mental strain of Parkinson's far outweighs that
>of diabetes. You can go by the chart we originally referred to to see
>the costs per case (huge difference). The disease andthe drugs taken
>with PD change your personality, stability, not just your physical
>.health. That's a cost you can't measure in $. How many marriages
>end due to diabetes, far fewer than that of PD I'm sure.
>The treatment for diabetes is standard, for PD each case presents an
>entirely different problem. With advanced diabetes you can still look
>and act normally. Rarely, will you find this with PD.
>I'd like to point as well that pwpd also have heart attacks/strokes,
>cancer, and diabetes as well as blindness, liver failure,
>+major depression.
>No offense, but I have encountered a number of nurses, even in
>neurological units who are completely untrained in dealing with
>Parkinson's and are unaware of ypwp. Also, I note that you're
>a caregiver, ask your husband what he thinks.(no offense
>intended)
> At 29 as now, I would be delighted to have the choice.
>  Respectfully, Bill Harrington
>ps:what does every one else think?
>
>Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:33:42
>>To: Parkinson's Information Exchange <[log in to unmask]>
>>From: Bill Harrington <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: Re: Selling, Flaming  & NIH Funding
>>
>>Mary Ann and list friends:
>>
>>I may be wrong in this but I dont believe the severity or the impact of
>>diabetes is any where near that of Parkinson's.However,  I could be
mistaken
>>due to my OWN experiences with PD and lack of knowledge of diabetes.
>>Bill
>>
>>
>>At 07:01 AM 12/17/98 -0500, you wrote:
>>>Bill wrote:
>>>>>Hello, gee I just got back and I'm already MAD
>>>
>>>I'm glad that you're bad - mad or not.
>>>
>>>. Diabetes "the 4th leadinf cause of death
>>>>can also cause blindess and liver" To say it ranks above Parkinson's
>>>>shows you are blind and death. With PD you get DEAtH, that is your
future.
>>>
>>>
>>>Sorry Bill, you're way off on this one.  Not only is Diabetes more
>>>destructive than PD, but the Type I disease  strikes its victims earlier
and
>>>leads to life-long *severe* health problems.  These are the folks who die
in
>>>their 20's, or lose their vision and kidney function in their 30's, or
die
>>>of heart disease in their 40's.  Unlike PD sufferers, they frequently
don't
>>>make it to their 50's.
>>>
>>>As a medical nurse I've dealt with many chronic diseases.  While PD
patients
>>>are rare visitors to my clinical division, I can always count on at least
2
>>>out of my 8 patients having diabetes (and frequently the numbers are
>>>higher).  The medical cost of maintaining diabetics is substantially
greater
>>>than the cost of PD, while long-term care difficulties are even more
>>>monumental.  Diabetics with no home care support are brought to the
hospital
>>>DOA more than any other patients, in my experience (and I'm including
>>>victims in their early 20's in that number).
>>>
>>>PD does need more funding, but we're not going to advance our cause in
>>>Congress if we suggest that PD is more worthy to receive research dollars
>>>than other far more catastrophic illnesses.
>>>-------
>>>Regards
>>>Mary Ann Ryan RN (CG Jamie 59/19)
>>>
>>>
>>
>