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Eleanor - We belong to both the PIEN list and the CARE list. I've made some wonderful friends through these lists - some I correspond with every day. They're there for us, and we're there for them, sharing the ups and downs of everyday life. Over spring break we flew to visit one couple (the husband has PD) we'd "met" through the list, and found that we'd truly gotten to know each other through our letters and phone calls. It was like seeing old friends again rather than meeting for the first time. Without this list, we'd have never met a number of friends who enrich our lives every day, and who are going to be there for us (and we for them) as other friends drift away over the years. In addition, of course, there's all the information available on the list that we never would have come across on our own. It's valuable to us to be aware of ongoing research on new meds, cures, etc., but even more helpful is to hear the personal experience of PWP and caregivers. When we want to know if a symptom is part of PD or a side-effect of meds, we ask the list. There are so many obscure little symptoms that go along with PD that the doctors aren't ready to recognize as such. I could also mention that we've been invited to a number of support groups to speak about Dick's DBS surgery. We're always shocked to find how many PWP in those groups haven't heard of the surgery, current research, new meds, and so forth. There are people out there living with inadequate or inappropriate medication and suffering much-reduced quality of life without knowing there's any alternative. Many don't even know there's such a thing as a movement disorder specialist. People on the PIEN list are the ones who are going to be knowledgeable enough to seek out and find the best care and best treatment for them. I'd strongly recommend a computer for *anyone* who is dealing with PD. Margie Swindler cg for Dick, 55/18