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Hello to all you lovely PWPs!! My name is Geoff (Geoffrey) Wade, I am 57 years young, and live in a picturesque village called Barley, near Cambridge, in England. About four years ago, I was forced to take two months off my work for Cambridge University Press, through severe depression. It was shortly after my return to work that I thought I was experiencing R.S.I. (Repetitive Strain Injury) in my upper left arm. Over the next three years, the flexibility decreased so that I could no longer touch-type with my left hand, which had become very swollen along with tight, aching and unrelaxed forearm. My left leg was also aching a lot too, difficult to relax, and dragging on the ground when I walked (weird, because in order to clear the ground, it felt as though I was trying to bring my knee up to my chest, which I wasn't!) When my yearly "depression" check-up came round, my doctor was perplexed to see my hand, and hear about my symptoms. He arranged for me to see a specialist neurologist, who immediately suspected, and confirmed after a scan, that I had mild Parkinson's Disease. He prescribed Sinemet, and said that I should have another five to 10 good years left!!! After reading about the bad side effects of Sinemet, and how often PWPs found these side effects worse than the PD symptoms themselves, I have decided to delay taking this medication, and hang on to my five to 10 years, as long as possible. I definitely find exercise to be a benefit, once the body's natural painkillers (endorphins) kick in. Mornings are always the worst, and I become more and more positive as the day goes along. But then I wake up next day, and the tiring, painful and bloody-minded, concentrated and stubborn effort has to be made yet again, knowing things will never improve for long. My wife Ann is a tower of strength, and tries to help all she can. Ann found out about some special properties said to be contained in broad beans. Now whether these will help any of you, I don't know, but I certainly seem to be getting at least some short-term help from eating some of these every day. Ann found out about these on _www.wholisticresearch.com_ (http://www.wholisticresearch.com) A friend recently gave me the book by Barbara Blake-Krebs and Linda Herman, entitled When Parkinson's Strikes Early. A wonderfully helpful book, which made me feel a part of a world-wide family, and not just a single unique and isolated sufferer of PD. This is where learned about Barbara Patterson's PIEN brilliant support group. Thank You in anticipation of being fully accepted into PIEN. Love and Best Wishes to You ALL. Geoff xoxo ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn