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In a message dated 2/21/2003 11:37:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, Laura, This is my first time replying on the list, but reading your e-mail prompted me to correspond back to you. I was diagnosed at 48 years old am now 54 and can understand your feelings. At the time I was diagnosed I had a 19 year old daughter in her 2nd year of college a 15 year old in private school a young and growing business and all of a sudden the diagnosis of PD was delivered to me and I was devastated. I saw my whole world falling apart and as I read information on the Internet it confirmed some of worst fears. As is true in anything you read there is good and bad, happy and sad, disturbing and helpful, truth and untruths, optimistic and pessimistic information to be assimilated. I tend to take the upper road while still aware of the lower road. I then began to tell my family, my wife and kids were concerned, upset and confused, but my mother was the toughest one as her first comment was "Why couldn't it be me." That was tough, but she and my entire family are involved in the APDA in an effort to find better drugs and eventually a cure I then told some close friends watching the pity on their faces and then just quit telling anybody crawling into an emotional black hole. Then one day I decided I could not change I fact I had the disease and why waste time acting like a recluse about my PD. Why not share with others that may be starting down the same road I traveled a few years ago? I told people selectively, began to get in contact with those new to the disease and have moved my life forward. When I tell people I have PD and I see that "pity look" I tell them "don't feel sorry for me, concerned is OK and in your prayers is wonderful," but never pity. Many people know little or nothing about the disease and each time we tell someone the number of people with knowledge about PD just expanded and will never be the same again. You will get angry about having the disease and that's OK, but don't let PD run your life learn to live and compensate with the disease staying active with a positive attitude and that is tough sometimes. I have found (6) things that help me get over these bumps (sometimes pot holes) in the road we call life with PD, attitude, medication, exercise, good medical care, love from family and friends and prayer. Laura, it sounds like you husband is concerned cool guy. As a caregiver he has a tough job but it is a great deal easier to carry the burden of PD with a little help along the way. As your best friend. he will tend to see things in a different light than you do and can help you travel down the road with confidence. Warm regards, Leonard [log in to unmask] writes: > Subj: New List Member > Date: 2/21/2003 11:37:36 PM Eastern Standard Time > From: <A HREF="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A> > Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A> > To: <A HREF="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A> > Sent from the Internet > > > > Hello, > > I am Laura, I am a 47 year old accountant with two grown children and a > beautiful grandson, and I was diagnosed with PD four months ago. I have > however, had symptoms for five years and I suppose I wanted to be able to > deny that there was a real problem. > > For the last three years my family physician was treating me for essential > tremor (common among PWP I now read.) This last year I have begun to have > many symptoms that I did not realize were related. I spent most of the > year > thinking "I'm not that old, I can't be having this many problems." My > husband has been quite distraught about the tremor and then the dragging > foot and I finally asked the Dr. "I know the two are not related to each > other, but my husband wanted me to ask?" He then asked if I wanted to go > to > a Neuro and I said I guess it would make my husband happy. I was sure > there > wasn't anything really wrong, just many little things. > > When the Neuro told me she suspected I had PD, I remained very calm. And > even after her many tests and the confirmation that I have PD I did not > think much of it. I also didn't tell anyone except by immediate family. > Finally at New Years we decided to tell our extended family, some friends > and my co workers. Once I told people it really hit me hard and I guess I > have finally accepted it. The worst part is that in accepting the reality > of PD I have become much more stressed and the symptoms are much more > pronounced. > > I am happy to join the list so that I can "hear" what other PWPs have to > say > and how you are all dealing with PD. This is probably the most I have > "spoken" about it. > > Thank you for allowing me to be included in the list. > > Laura > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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