 |
 |
I watched my husband hide his PD for 7 years and continue to work until he could do it no more. He would hide taking his medication, and rise 2 hours early to drive 50 miles to get to work, his life was work, exhaustion, bed for 7 years. He could not believe at 46, his life was over and it wasn't, just his identity was. He now has totaled 17 years of this dreadful disease and is progressing rapidly to where he cannot move just as the character on ER portrayed. But, there again, when I read some stories where in 2 years someone has lost the ability to walk, I think it could have been worse. At that time, we had to wait 2 years for disability, no pension, so we wiped out our life savings just surviving. People knew nothing about PD so early in life, it was my famous line "it's just an old people's disease, no big deal." That's all I ever heard when I spoke to someone. There was no Michael J. Fox, just about 50 of us who went to Washington to try and do something, anything. I know I am thankful for ER giving realistic view of this disease. Gerry ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn