>Re: Bruce Anderson, member of Parkinson's list for 9 years > >Dear Friends of Bruce's: > >I am Bruce's younger sister and have read so many emails from all of you. I >want to thank you for the tremendous support that you all gave Bruce over the >past 9 years. He relied on you all greatly. > >Bruce died suddenly in his sleep on March 4th in San Diego. He had just seen >his doctor, Dr. Fahn, at Columbia 5 days earlier. He had been told that the >test they did on his brain, showed that his brain was fully functioning, even >better than a 57 yr old (his age) man. He then said with good care, Bruce >could live for another 20 years. > >Bruce left New Jersey on Saturday and flew alone to San Diego to spend time >with his youngest son Brian and me (his only sister). He arrived late >Saturday night and Brian and one of Bruce's good friends met him at the >airport. They had arranged a room at the beach so Bruce could be near Brian. >The second week he was going to come north (I am 20 miles north of San Diego) >and spend a week with me - he and I both shared a true love of gardening. It >was amazing to see him, unable to walk or even stand at anything better than >a 45 degree angle, and yet he could plant bulbs and garden with the best of >the best. His home has 4000 daffodils and 8000 irises - and they are all in >bloom now. I am waiting for some pictures - I never managed to be there when >they all came out. > >As I said, he arrived Sat nite, and spent Sunday with his son (and his new >girlfriend who Bruce liked immensely) at a BBQ his son through at his condo >near the beach. Monday, Brian and Bruce went shopping n since it was rainy, >they just puttered around his room trying to get all his electronic equipment >to work. Monday nite he had dinner with his good friend's family and then >went back to his room to bed. > >I was in Los Angeles as my daughter goes to school there. I returned around >midnight on Monday to 4 wonderful phone messages from Bruce. He knows I hate >telemarketers so I don't pick up unless I know who is calling. Hardly anyone >could understand Bruce's speaking, except for me. He left 4 messages saying >"Barb are u there - it's Bruce. Barb, Barb?" Finally when he realized I >wasn't there, he started talking to my dogs (a Boxer Jade and a Pug Max whom >he loved!) "Jadie, how are you? It's Uncle Bruce here. Are you being good? >Maxie, you better NOT be chewing anything as you are going to get into big >trouble!" I laughed as I listened to the messages - the last one was at 11:30 >p.m. n I arrived home at 12:00 p.m. Thinking I would talk to him tomorrow, I >erased the messages. > >His dear friend (since high school days) went to get him to go to the beach >at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Ron thought he was sleeping as he was wearing his >usual sleeping mask and his ear plugs. Ron left him a note and left. Brian, >Bruce's son, arrived at 2:00 to hook up the computer and he says he knew >right away that something was wrong. Bruce was already gone and we were told >he died somewhere between 6-9 a.m. on Tuesday March 4th. > >We requested his brain be sent to Columbia for research. His body had to be >autopsied as in California if you are found alone, it is treated as a >criminal case until after the autopsy. Columbia called today and said that >all this time they had not known exactly what Bruce had - they kept saying >neurological disorder of unknown origin. Today they said he had >"SupraNeucleorPalsy" (I think this is the same thing Dudley Moore had). Bruce >lasted 9 years with this disease. He was so sure he would beat it and they >would find a cure before it was too late for him. (We are still waiting to >hear exactly what was cause of death). > >Bruce was my best friend, my knight in shining armor who treated me with >total respect and love. And even in his most trying times, he would laugh and >make jokes. He never lost his sense of humor. I asked him one time if he >wanted me to help him find another doctor (he had seen so many across the >country trying to get a diagnosis) and he said "Nope, I have the best" (same >doctor as Muhammad Ali). I asked him if he was scared - he looked at me and >laughed and said "Scared? ME? I'm going to around for a longgggg time". > >And in my heart Bruce will be with me forever. > >If any of you who have corresponded with Bruce through the years receive >this, I'd love to know that some of you received it. I have been trying to >reach Janet Paterson, who was especially helpful to Bruce, but have been >unsuccessful in reaching her. If any of you have her correct email, I would >love to be able to email her. She was so good to Bruce. > >And to all of you who shared so many jokes with him - he passed on many of >them to our family. He loved to laugh and you all made him laugh and not >worry. What a wonderful support group you all are. > >What many of you do not know is that Bruce's personal home life was extremely >difficult - far worse than can be imagined. He had no support from his home >(except for his family of origin all of whom lived over 1,000-10,000 miles >away) and in fact had difficulty even getting to doctors. When his lawyer >found out that Bruce had passed away, he was so angry as Bruce had suffered >so much emotionally this past year (and his family here in San Diego and in >Minnesota didn't know how bad it was as Bruce would NEVER complain). His GP >was especially worried about Bruce's emotional health due to the problems he >had with family members who refused to be caretakers and instead wanted him >committed to a mental hospital. > >So your jokes and your warmth to him was all the more appreciated as he >wouldn't let anyone think of him as a burden and would rarely ask for help. > >I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for all your >emails to Bruce - they meant more to him (and to me as I read his files and >see how much he depended on the assistance you afforded each other) than you >will ever know. Bruce was more like a twin than a brother and I miss him more >than I ever thought was possible, but just knowing he had a group such as >yours, puts my heart to rest a little easier. > >I do hope each of you can think of just one more joke and let Bruce know u >are sending it to him. He never lost his sense of humor - a person to be >truly admired just as he admired all of you. > >With loving thanks, >Barbara Anderson ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn