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Rick, I was diagnosed almost 6 years ago, I am also working full time, for many of the same reasons you stated - mainly because I love my job. I have aalso begun struggling lately with the physical demands of progressing symptoms and full time work. But as Jeanette said -- we need to hang in there, do whatever we find fulfilling for as long aas we are able to, and try not to dwell on what we can no longer do. BTW, it was Rick who coined the term "lessability" which well describes the stage all 3 of us seem to have arrived at. It helps to know we are not alone in these struggles, and can express our thoughts among people who understand exactly what we are saying. It also proves that this discussion list can be as valuable to us "old timers" as it is to the newly diagnosed. The first person with PD I ever spoke to was listmember Jim Cordy who responded to my first tearful and frightened list posting, shortly after i was diagnosed. He wrote - call me anytime if you have any questions, which I did. It was Jim who first made me believe I could live with this awful disease and also convinced me that the best way to cope was to become involved in Parkinson's advocacy --- at that time working to pass the Udall bill. Jim doesn't write as much to the list anymore, which is our loss, but I hope he still reads the messages, so I can say thanks Jim. The last 5 years i have tried to follow your example, and tried to help other new members, as you had helped me. I also wanted to thank you Rick for your comments on When Parkinson's Strikes Early (btw Rick and I are not related !). Barb and I are honored that you allowed your writings to be included in it. The book could never be, and surely was never meant to be, a definitive statement on life with PD , as you said "The same things will and should continue to be said and shared by all of us. Maybe we need to repeat ourselves, because the same stuff keeps coming up again and again." Absolutely true! That is also why I feel so strongly that the parkinsn list must continue in spite of the periodic squabbles and misunderstandings, of people leaving (but sometimes returning), in spite of messages that seem to have nothing to do with PD (but maybe have everything to do with PD). Even in spite of the occassional rudeness. I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without the daily dose of support and understanding and wisdom from people on this list. It has been far more efffective than any of the meds that have been prescribed. Please folks, keep on writing. Keep on helping one another out. Keep on fighting for our fair share of research dollars until the cure is found. Thanks to you all, Linda Herman ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn