At 11:47 1998/12/14 EST, barbara wrote:
>I thought some listmembers might want to write this letter writer.  I have
>answered her basic question, and have suggested she join this mailing list.
>
>>From: "Elena Tuero" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 03:40:07 -0400
>>
>>Hello, my name is Elena Tuero with Parkinson since 1988.  I am almost on the
>>late stage of Parkinson.  I am 39years old with three children 18, 9, 8.
>>Husband left 4 years ago.  My eldest daughter also left me 3yrs ago.  on
>>8/96 I had fetal cell implanted
>>on my brain in Denver, Co. without no improvement.
>>
>>I thought we can be friends with PD but it has its own mean personality
>>putting on a challenge whenever it feels like. I wonder how much tolerable
>>mind-body can be.
>>
>>  thanks

hi elena

by sending in your e-mail message
you've connected with 1600 other souls
who share at least a bit of the suffering you've been going through

you are not alone
we are all in this for the long haul
and none of us are going anywhere very quickly!

please tell me more details about your version of our pd-friend-enemy:

when did you first notice symptoms?
when were you diagnosed?
by what kind of doctor?
when did you start taking meds for pd? what kinds?
how did you arrive at the decision to have the operation?

why do you say you are almost at the 'last stage' of pd
what are your pd symptoms now?
how are they helped by medications?

have you joined a support group?
what kind of family support/network do you have ?
are you raising your two younger children on your own?

you are right to describe pd as a challenge

but i cannot see it as 'mean'
- which hints at some kind of deliberate punishment
i see it as one of life's many challenges

i believe that
life isn't supposed to be easy
it's supposed to be difficult
so that we can learn as much as we can from it

i have learned a great deal from having pd
and also clinical depression
[or as i call it - cd]

i can't say
that any of it has been easy
in fact i think that cd has been harder at times than pd
but i can say
that the things i have learned have changed my life and my outlook
and i would not now go back and change a thing
not pd and not cd
even if i could

i haven't had to face the losses that you have faced
but i do believe that we are 'given' the tests
that we are capable of rising to
if we can only let go of
the fear

losing the shackles of fear
frees us to do and be whatever we want
regardless of our physical circumstances
viz
stephen hawking
christopher reeve

i know that even minor troubles loomed huge and hopeless to me
while struggling with cd
it can be a dark cloud
distorting our thought processes
and it is implicated in 40% to 60% of all instances of pd
have you been tested for cd?

regardless of whether you subscribe to the pd mailing list
you are now a pd cyber-sibling of mine
[and if you have cd -
you are automatically promoted to slime-sister!]

please let me know how you are doing

with much love for you and yours

janet

janet paterson - 51 now /41 dx /37 onset - almonte/ontario/canada
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