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Bravo, Joan! (I find myself back on the List after having lost you guys for a number of days. Finally discovered I was set on NO MAIL. Why, I have no idea. I didn't do it.) I think PD is especially hellish on women, if for no other reason, because so much of a woman's value in our society is based on her looks. Which is why Joan is one of my heroes...make that, heroines. Carole Hercun --- janet paterson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > At 06:22 2001/06/12 -0500, Joan Snyder wrote: > >This is a repost of an article that I wrote for the > PLWP: > >"My newspaper didn't even mention that April was > Parkinson's Awareness > >month...why not?" I have been asked this question so > many times recently > >and I always have the same answer: the news media in any > area just > >reports on things that it considers news. If you think > that PD Awareness > >is news, then YOU must make it newsworthy. YOU must make > the media in > >your area "Parkinson-friendly." > > > >This is not something that happens overnight, but if you > really want to > >see more mention of PD, NOW is the time to start. Think > of this as > >addressing an audience, trying to educate & help your > friends and > >neighbors to understand what it is like to have PD. Take > advantage of > >the inroads that Janet Reno, Michael J. Fox and Muhammad > Ali have blazed > >across the TV screen-who can > >forget Ali struggling to light the Olympic Torch or > Janet Reno shaking > >like crazy but still in charge during a recent Oprah > appearance or > >Michael J Fox testifying before Arlan Spector, obviously > >under-medicated? > > > >I am no way in the ranks of these trailblazers, but I > must admit to > >being uneasy about the way that I appear on camera. I > have gained so > >much weight since my 2nd pallidotomy and because of the > mirapex that I > >hate the sight of myself on camera. My face has no > expression anymore, > >my > >voice is gone, I drool on myself and I cry when asked > anything remotely > >personal. I have taken the TV cameras along with me as a > fiber optic > >camera was slid up my nose and down my throat and my > vocal chords were > >displayed for all the 5 o'clock news watchers to see, > flapping aimlessly > >in > >an attempt to vibrate together. I was filmed in hospital > gown, shower > >cap and footies as I walked into have collagen injected > into my vocal > >chords and then was filmed unconscious with my mouth > pried open & > >breathing loudly through my nose. Newspaper pictures of > me have included > >me getting a metal halo screwed into my head on the > occasion of my > >surgeries and most recently, a > >fetching picture of me in a wild & very obnoxious > balloon hat at my last > >Parkinson's Awareness Day festivities. > > > >The point of all of these true confessions is that it > would much easier > >and kinder for me to stay at home with my lift chair & > the TV remote and > >let my disease take it's course. But the truth is: PD is > not glamorous > >nor is it pretty nor will I allow it to impose its will > upon my life any > >more than is absolutely necessary. I push myself to be > seen in public, > >bouncing off walls, falling down on Main Street, or > whatever it takes to > >make the public notice that what is happening to me, > happens to millions > >of others and our voices must be heard. > > > >It all starts when you decide that you are no longer > willing to allow > >your disease to dictate your life. When you reach that > point, you will > >find the strength & courage deep inside of > yourself...you will find > >yourself talking to the media and you will allow > yourself to be seen in > >the unflattering light that PD forces upon us and YOU > are the way to > >awareness!! > > > >-- > >Joan E. Blessington Snyder 49/11 > >[log in to unmask] > >http://www.geocities.com/joanbsnyder/ > >"Hang tough............no way through it but to do it." > > Chris-in-the-Morning (Northern Exposure) > > > yowwwwsa!!! > > janet paterson: an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, > parky . > pd: 54/41/37 cd: 54/44/43 tel: 613 256 8340 email: > [log in to unmask] . > snail mail: 375 Country Street, Apt 301, Almonte, > Ontario, Canada, K0A 1A0 . > a new voice: the nnnewsletter: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/janet313/ . > a new voice: the wwweb site: > http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ . > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Spot the hottest trends in music, movies, and more. http://buzz.yahoo.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn