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Thank you John C (hello John!) for sending this on. Can you please pass this on to Barbara Anderson? I feel sad to read of Bruce's sudden death and send condolences to his family. I have been an on-again off-again List member for years too, and have learnt such a lot from others, including Bruce. Interesting that the docs thought Bruce had PSP. This is what they are now saying Bob (my husband) most likely has. It is good that Bruce has donated his brain for research. Kind regards to Barbara. Thank you for that lovely letter. Joy Graham (Australia) >>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 Bob & Joy Graham Ph & Fax (08) 9430 4730 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn