Hi! Connie: I would reccomend any newbie PWP to check the following site for motivation and inspiration: www.bangor.ac.uk/ThrivingonParkinson Wish you good reading! Raj [log in to unmask] ************ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Connie De Wolfe" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 7:56 PM > Subject: New Member > > > > Hi, > > > > I'm new to this list. I found out about the list through reading the book > > When Parkinson's Strikes Early. I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, > > Canada. I'm 43, single, and have no kids, no cats, and no dogs. I belong > > the "Book of the Day Club" as I am a voracious reader. I'm also a member > > of Mensa. > > > > I'm in the middle of diagnosis right now, pending the results of the CT > > scan - but it is almost a given that it is Parkinson's. After the CT scan > > I will be going back to the neurologist, and hopefully begin some sort of > > drug therapy. I definitely have three of the four cardinal signs and > > symptoms: bradykinesia, cogwheel rigidity, and a resting tremor - all > > right sided for now. I also have a number of other secondary stuff > > occurring, like my voice deciding to go hoarse in the middle of a speech > > (which is not "fun" considering that I'm a leader in two different > > Toastmasters clubs). My emotional state is that of being "stunned." > > > > The biggest struggles I'm having these days are with the lack of manual > > dexterity and with stiffness. I struggle daily to count change when going > > through the checkout stand and my longhand writing is becoming miniscule. > > I feel like an old granny trying to get out of my chair at work or getting > > out of bed - stooped over and shuffling along until I get going. > > > > One of my biggest worries is wondering if this will proceed as quickly as > > it did for one of my uncles - he also had Young Onset Parkinson's; his > > tremor was very noticeable by the time he was in his late 40s and he was > > in a nursing home by the time he was in his early 60s. Of course that was > > 20+ years ago, and I'm sure he would have done much better with the type > > of medication and surgical treatment that is now available. > > > > I hope to learn more about coping with this disease, and to give some > > support to others. > > > > Talk to you all later... > > > > Connie > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > 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 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn