 |
 |
> The actor reveals "Lucky Man" will be about why the Parkinson's > Disease from which he suffers, "is not a struggle and why I feel > that way." Fox, adds that "in many ways, the illness has > been a blessing to me. It got me out of my own show-biz garbage > and really made me realize there are bigger things in life. And it's........" He notes that dealing with the reality of Parkinson's has also > "given me an opportunity to kind of go through my life and > pinpoint all the people who've really meant a lot to me and done > a lot for me ................. it's been nice for that." > Don't get me wrong, I've always loved Michael J. Fox and I think he's doing a great job.....and I do understand when he says that PD provides a "blessing" and an "opportunity" for the reasons he mentions; I understand that because of what's happened in my life...BUT when I read that he says PD is "not a struggle", I don't understand....what am I doing every day (I even had to leave work it was such a struggle).......(I know I need to read the book but not everyone will) ...as I struggle every day and I get really concerned because it worries me...maybe because I've been up most of the night with PD or maybe because I'm afraid that non-PD people will think that PD isn't all that bad and that research funds/cure won't be important to those who can do something about it...does the public really know or did they forget that Michael's had brain surgery and that he's on medication 24/7, has the care he needs, does the public remember he has the money to have the surgery/medications/care that most of us don't.........and for these reasons he can function normally for the most part ....that he also needs his rest because of PD fatigue with sleeping being a problem....does the general public remember seeing him at the hearings with Joan and Arlen Specter when he was in an "off period" with dysk., sure they saw him but do they remember Michael moving and jerking like he did.....what are we going to do to remind them.... I have people close to me who still can't comprehend the fact that I can be doing so well and then an half-hour later doing so badly....it's hard for them to understand my movements (or lack of movement) and I see them daily.....we need to let others know that PD is a terrible disease, that we need to have the research funds available for the cure because it is such a debilitating disease and we need all help we can get...and most of us are struggling...daily....Good luck, Michael,and I can't wait to read your book. I'll probably be sorry I wrote this later today but at this point in time (four a.m.) it's okay. Have a good day..........Joan Hartman ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn