 |
 |
i agree with you sentiment entirely greg i am as yet undiagnosed but feel that there are only a few people to whom i want to divulge the possibility one dear friend with whom i shared then regaled me with a story about someone she had read about in a book blah blah blah ya de ya ya de ya chamber of horrors story which, from my connection with the net i feel was not pd i didnt need that input i am still struggling with the possible loss of my physical self as i know it i also feel that many people dont understand the syndrome as i am older and was ready to retire there was no issue about work but had i been younger i feel i would have kept my *secret* for as long as possible we are gloriously different and our response to pd is as diverse judy >From: Greg and/or Diane Sterling <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: hiding awareness? >Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 13:12:16 -0400 > >It's all well and good to be willing to reveal your PD or any other >illness to the world and relieve yourself of the heavy burden that you >are carrying, but in reality it's not so cut and dry. There are many >variables to consider before you divulge something as personal and >devastating as your deteriorating health. Especially if your income, >health insurance, and your families' standard of living depends on your >earning potential. I would advise anyone to consider the pros and cons >as they pertain to their particular situation before jumping into any >decision. It's a very personal matter and no two cases are alike. > >Do what's right for you and your family then worry about the broader >dilemma of public awareness for PD. There are enough of us that are >beyond that point in our lives to take up the cause. > >Greg >47/35/35 > >janet paterson wrote: > > > hi all > > > > applying some of the benefit of 20-20 hindsight > > it seems to me > > that our current problems with 'awareness' of pd > > on all sorts of levels > > work medical home self > > have some pretty strong roots in the concept of 'hiding' pd > > on all sorts of levels > > work medical home self > > not the least of which > > might be part and parcel > > of personal acknowledgment and acceptance > > of a profound change in our individual physical health > > not > > a matter of giving in and rolling over and playing dead > > but > > a matter of acknowledging and grieving the perceived losses > > and then moving forward with it all > > > > in terms of my work identity > > i thought the very worst thing that could happen to me was to > > 'go bankrupt' > > but that turned out to be the right thing to do > > > > in terms of my youthful exuberance > > i thought that the very worst thing that could happen to me was to > > 'have an illegitimate child' > > but that turned out to be a joy > > > > in terms of my physical health > > i thought that the very worst thing that could happen to me was to > > 'lose my independence' > > i'm still working on this one, but the illusions are fading here too > > > > hiding anything out of perceived fear shame embarassment > > only allows it to fester and strengthen > > in the dark > > > > brought out into the light of day > > [sometimes kicking and screaming, granted] > > it fizzles and fogs > > and is gone > > > > janet > > > > janet paterson > > 53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset > > 613 256 8340 / PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada > > visit my website "a new voice" at: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com