Congratulations Jeanette,
Great article! I found your article online yesterday and am including it
below for those who missed it or don't have web access. Thanks to you and
your support group members for your contributions to PD awareness.
Linda Herman
"Parkinson's sufferers see increased awareness of disease"
By JESS DeHAVEN, [log in to unmask]
St. Joseph's News-Press, Feb 1, 2000
www.stjoenews-press.com
"For most of us, paying for purchases with credit cards instead of cash
is a convenience, but sometimes it's a necessity for Jeanette Fuhr.
"Some days I have trouble getting change out of my wallet, my hands just
can't function fast enough, so I'll have to use a credit card instead
because it's easier to get to,"
Ms. Fuhr, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, says. "People behind me
in line are wondering why I can't just hurry up and get my money out, but
with Parkinson's, everything is more of an effort."
Ms. Fuhr, who teaches speech and tutors students at North Central
Missouri College in Trenton, is one of an estimated 1.5 million people
nationwide who suffer from Parkinson's, a chronic neurological condition
marked by symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement and
balance problems. And thanks to celebrities like Michael J. Fox who also
suffer from the disease yet lead active lifestyles, local people affected
by Parkinson's say there is more awareness of the affliction.
"It's helped immensely because people know who they are and can see
that anyone can get this," Ms. Fuhr says. "Still, there needs to be more
understanding and people should be more responsive."
The National Parkinson Foundation estimates the disease effects one of
every 100 people over the age of 60, although younger people can get it
too. There is no cure for Parkinson's, which generally worsens over time,
but medication can help control it.
It's not known what causes the disease. Ms. Fuhr, 49, was diagnosed with
Parkinson's in 1997 after a frozen shoulder sent her to a doctor. She
still works, but in the past two years fatigue from the disease and the
medication she takes to control it has caused her to cut back on time
spent teaching, she says. Fatigue, say those who have Parkinson's, is one
of the more debilitating effects of the disease.
"Sometimes it's just hard to even hold a book up," says Mildred Davidson,
71, of St. Joseph. "I have to lay down and rest more than most people."
And while she's had to cut back on her square dancing, Mrs. Davidson, who
has had Parkinson's for about 10 years, says her tremors don't keep her
from driving, doing puzzles or most housework. "I have good days and I
have bad days," she says.
"But I get out, putter around in the yard, do the laundry. It doesn't
stop me from living."
Melvin H. Smith of St. Joseph, 73, was diagnosed with Parkinson's 19
years ago. Although he retired from his job as a salesman soon after his
diagnosis, like Mrs. Davidson he says he hasn't let the condition hold
him back. He's traveled to Australia, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.
among other places since he's had Parkinson's.
"I've had to stop mowing the yard and I can't lift heavy things, but
really I can do most anything," he says.
In addition to the fatigue, the symptoms of Parkinson's can sometimes be
startling for those who don't understand the disease and embarrassing for
those who suffer from it. "A lot of people practically back up, like it's
catching," Mrs. Davidson says of her tremors. "Sometimes I'll catch
myself holding my hands because I'm self conscious about it."
Ms. Fuhr says her Parkinson's sometimes throws people off because her
face can seem a bit frozen. "To people who don't know me, my facial
expressions may seem a bit odd," she says. "My Parkinson's involves
stiffness."
Mr. Smith, whose Parkinson's includes tremors, says controlling stress
and exercise can help lessen the symptoms of the disease. And he and the
others say support groups also are an important lifeline which provide
them with an opportunity to exchange information and interact with others
who know what they're going through.
What also helps, they say, are celebrities like Mr. Fox who make the
world take notice of Parkinson's. "The more we know about it, the quicker
it will get cured," Mr. Smith says. "
