Edith: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I am 84 and have no Care Giver so this network and my local support group are very important to me. Each night I thank God for letting me enjoy another day because each day has at least a moment of joy. Usually there are several such moments. Your message provided one today. I recently lost a computer friend who died alone at night. He always managed to find joy in each day and shared it with his friends , and he really wasn't alone. I need a new computer friend to replace Roy. He is a "hard act to follow". I respond to all personal messages. Peace, Bob Berger
>From: edith love <
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>Reply-To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network <
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>To:
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>Subject: From Where I Stand
>Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 20:42:57 -0800
>
>Dear Emily, from where I stand:
>
>Thank you for sharing. All of us, Caregivers, PDers, PD+ers and those of us
>who remain undiagnosed and who are under the PD umbrella need something on
>which to fasten our lifelines.
>
>Each of us lives high on his/her own mountain close to a life-defying
>precipice. Although we are related, we cannot share accommodations because
>the bus driver who placed us where we are had one last assignment. Instead
>of designer jeans, we were awarded a designer chronic illness which I call
>"the shadow within me".
>
> On the whole, our meds are different, our symptoms though often similar
>don't manifest at the same time under the same circumstances. Identified
>stages occur in some at a very early age/stage or in others over long
>periods of time. Each day is like experiencing the prize at the bottom of a
>Cracker Jack box. We never know what we're going to find!
>
>Somehow, some way, we have to fool that "shadow within". Whether it be
>through the love, care and devotion of a blessed caretaker or the
>determination of self, each of us must discover his/her own path. This
>path may lead to religion, to the sea, even to the lush forests that may be
>close by or a childhood memory, even to a little-know headdress. It may be
>comfort from classical or modern music or it may be the laughter caused by a
>SPARKLEl joke. It may be anything we choose that wipes away anger or tears .
>It may be anything that even momentarily melts ever-growing fear. Then,
>having done this for ourselves, we are bound by common need to share with
>others what we have learned. No man/woman or child should ever walk alone
>with "the shadow within". There is for each of us an extended hand, and we
>must let everyone know that extended hand belongs to us!
>E of the headdress
>
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