Barb,

Seems to me my "it" didn't become "a part of me" until mild became moderate.
As it headed toward severe it became too much a part of me -- So I'm glad to
see good role models like (uh huh) you on this list and Janet Reno whose
trembling hands are on a microphone instead of our you-know-who President.
-----Original Message-----
From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]>; [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: Janet Reno


>Seymour....
>
>Thanks so much for posting a copy of the Janet Reno article.  I
>found this to be very interesting in many ways...
>
>The author showed a Janet Reno I'd never seen before - one who
>DOES discuss Parkinson's Disease, but refers to what she has a
>"IT," (which I usually do, also, not wanting to grant "it" even so
>much as a name).
>
>That she even discusses "IT" at ALL is a surprise to me, and to
>share her FEELINGS about having this disease is even more of a
>surprise, considering what the press has quoted her as saying
>about it in the past, I.e., "it's no big deal, etc.."
>
>This message actually changes my view of Ms. Reno, because I
>presumed from previous press-originated articles that she had no
>desire to discuss "IT" at all, and it appears NOW that she WILL
>discuss "IT."    BUT - she isn't going to let "IT" dominate her
>conversation OR her life and is willing to say that.
>
>I'd like to see this message in other newspapers, if possible, and
>will send a copy of it to the L.A. Times, with a brief cover
>letter suggesting that they show a COMPLETE picture of Ms. Reno
>the next time one of their reporters comments that she has PD.
>
>Better yet, I'd like to see Ms. Reno take a even a small public
>stance letting the world know that with the drugs that are
>available today, persons with "IT" can lead a longer and more
>productive life in many cases.
>
>It should also be noted that for every Janet Reno, there's someone
>struggling to just make it thru the day with a modicum of comfort
>and a tiny bit of dignity and quality of life.
>
>Barb Mallut
>[log in to unmask]
>-----Original Message-----
>From: MR SEYMOUR GROSS <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Monday, May 17, 1999 8:07 PM
>Subject: Janet Reno
>
>
>>-- [ From: Seymour Gross * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --
>>
>>This article was on page C8 of the May 17 edition of the
>Philadelphia
>>Inquirer
>>
>>Even with Parkinson's, Reno carries on
>>
>>By Carol Rosenberg
>>
>>KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
>>NEW YORK - Some people with Parkinson's disease stuff their hands
>in
>>their pockets. Others routinely sit on them or clamp them behind
>their
>>back. Not America's attorney general.
>>
>>Three years after her diagnosis, Janet Reno does nothing to hide
>the
>>tremors that wrack both arms. At a recent event at MTV's Times
>Square
>>headquarters, she shuddered so much during a talk on youth
>violence that
>>both the podium and microphone shook.
>>
>>"We are living in a culture of violence," the former Dade County,
>Fla.,
>>prosecutor said, asking adults to listen to young people - a
>short
>>speech that won warm applause and kind words.
>>
>>In trademark style, Janet Reno has gone from Stage 1 to Stage 2
>>Parkinson's while in the limelight as America's top law enforcer.
>By
>>dealing with it matter-of-factly, by dismissing her tremors as a
>>"phantom wing" - Reno has, perhaps unwittingly, emerged as
>Parkinson's
>>"poster child." Her experience may also say something about
>America's
>>changing attitude toward disabilities.
>>
>>Listen to Judy McGrath, MTV's hip black-clad president, who
>joined with
>>the Justice Department recently to promote a CD-ROM providing
>young
>>people with advice on how to channel their rage creatively - into
>poetry
>>, music, and public service: "I think of the power of her
>personality
>>and who she is when she gets going - and I kind of forget what
>she's
>>doing and how she looks," said McGrath, 46, whose corporation
>reaches
>>265.8 million homes worldwide.
>>
>>Not that it's easy to ignore.
>>
>>"I see it. I feel bad for a minute and I completely forget about
>it,"
>>she said. When Reno works a crowd, McGrath says, people look her
>in the
>>eye, not at her hands. "If anything, you respect her even more."
>Why?
>>"She acts like she's in charge of her own life. So you forget
>about it.
>>You don't go to feeling sad. She crackles with life."
>>
>>Parkinson's is a brain disorder that generally comes with age and
>has no
>>cure. It gradually robs people's ability to control their
>movements. It
>>is caused by the absence of a chemical called dopamine, which
>lets most
>>of us move our limbs smoothly. More than a million Americans have
>it,
>>among them the Rev. Billy Graham and actor Michael J. Fox.
>>
>>Tremors are a frequent first stage. Then can come what doctors
>call a
>>masklike face, meaning people with Parkinson's do not show
>typical signs
>>of emotion. If they live long enough, people can lose all motor
>skills.
>>
>>So, is a public figure's disability necessarily a news story?
>When is a
>>disease a disability? If it is only cosmetic, should journalists
>be
>>asking questions - and writing articles - about something that is
>>perhaps a private matter? A Justice Department spokesman recently
>>welcomed a Miami Herald request for permission to interview
>Reno's Miami
>>neurologist about how her disease has progressed. Her tremors
>became
>>more noticeable lately, and seemed to surprise some people.
>>
>>Yet Reno's aides say she shows no signs of slowing down and seems
>>untroubled by the disease that could someday leave her
>permanently
>>bedridden. In a brief interview Thursday, she gave a one-word
>answer -
>>"no" - when she was asked whether Parkinson's interfered with her
>work.
>>
>>"She has no evidence on examination that she has any problem with
>>judgment, thinking, abstract thinking, etc.," said her doctor,
>Miami
>>neurologist William J. Weiner.
>>
>>Weiner described Reno's condition as "mild Parkinson's."
>Technically,
>>she is classified as Stage 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being
>the most
>>advanced, or bedbound or in a wheelchair. "She has Stage 2
>because it's
>>obvious on both sides of her body," he said.
>>
>>So much so that when she sat among reporters, rockers and youth
>>counselors at the MTV studios, her feet flat on the ground, her
>hands
>>folded in her lap, she shook in her seat while she listened
>attentively
>>to a teen from Arizona recite rage poetry.
>>
>>"She doesn't seem to care. She says outright that she has
>Parkinson's.
>>She is to be admired for that. She has nothing to hide," Weiner
>said.
>>
>>The doctor says her disability could disqualify her from certain
>jobs -
>>such as brain surgeon or pilot - but not from directing the
>100,000
>>lawyers and FBI agents, bureaucrats and border guards of the
>Justice
>>Department.
>>
>>Of course, he and other Parkinson's experts say, stress adds to
>the
>>symptom - accentuates the tremors - but it does not make it
>progress any
>>faster than a stress-free environment.
>>
>>So, her doctor said, if she doesn't mind the stress of the job
>making
>>the tremors more noticeable, why should others? Reno, for her
>part,
>>cannot connect stress and her tremors. "It's so hard to tell
>because,
>>some days, when I should be totally stressed out, it doesn't
>shake much
>>at all," she said. "It doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason
>to it."
>>