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I agree with you 1000% Anne. Yesterday, someone told me that I was looking for sympathy when I told people I had PD... I thought her comment was interesting, and way off the mark! M Marla L. Gillham PO Box 343 Yachats, OR 97498-0343 541.547.4090 [log in to unmask] ----- Original Message ----- From: Anne Rutherford <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 6:09 PM Subject: PARKINSONS--tell it like it is > Is Kindness helping our Cause? > > > by Anne Rutherford. Feb 2001 It appeared first in the Newfoundland > Parkinson News, our provincial newsletter. > > When we put a good face on Parkinson's, because we don't want to be > labeled a whiner, are we really making things worse? > > When we advise a Young Onset Parkinson Person (YOPP) not to attend a > Parkinson group, because of what they may see, are we just showing our > own fears? > > When we hide at home, avoiding new places and new people, are we letting > > Parkinson's win by default? > > In a recent survey more than 90% recognized Parkinson's as a medical > condition. Great!! > > However fewer than 10% of those interviewed were aware of how > debilitating Parkinson symptoms can be. > > Are people with Parkinson's invisible? Well, if you can't talk and > can't move, you might as well not be there. > > Sudden immobility would be noticed but Parkinson's sneaks up when you > are not looking and takes away your ability to communicate. Handwriting > > and speech are affected. Then facial expression disappears.......even a > smile is too difficult. Driving is no longer safe as vision and > reaction time deteriorate. Aches and pains, cramps and falls keep you > close to home. > > You have become an invisible person. > > Are we watering down the message out of consideration for the YOPPs? I > think we are. > > Speaking as a former YOPP I think we should tell it like it is. Now. > > > > > Is Kindness helping our Cause? > > > by Anne Rutherford. Feb 2001 It appeared first in the Newfoundland > Parkinson News, our provincial newsletter. > > When we put a good face on Parkinson's, because we don't want to be > labeled a whiner, are we really making things worse? > > When we advise a Young Onset Parkinson Person (YOPP) not to attend a > Parkinson group, because of what they may see, are we just showing our > own fears? > > When we hide at home, avoiding new places and new people, are we letting > > Parkinson's win by default? > > In a recent survey more than 90% recognized Parkinson's as a medical > condition. Great!! > > However fewer than 10% of those interviewed were aware of how > debilitating Parkinson symptoms can be. > > Are people with Parkinson's invisible? Well, if you can't talk and > can't move, you might as well not be there. > > Sudden immobility would be noticed but Parkinson's sneaks up when you > are not looking and takes away your ability to communicate. Handwriting > > and speech are affected. Then facial expression disappears.......even a > smile is too difficult. Driving is no longer safe as vision and > reaction time deteriorate. Aches and pains, cramps and falls keep you > close to home. > > You have become an invisible person. > > Are we watering down the message out of consideration for the YOPPs? I > think we are. > > Speaking as a former YOPP I think we should tell it like it is. Now. > > Just a comment > Anne Rutherford, Newfoundland > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn