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Ray, Where there is a will, there is a way.... I play bridge once a week and the others don't mind shuffling the cards for me when the game is not at my house (I have a card shuffler) and they make this neat little round card holders that you can stick the cards into. Luckily I play with some ladies that are very compassionate and don't mind helping me...just find those who will be helpful and have some fun! Life is short... nina On Jan 30, 2007, at 10:27 AM, rayilynlee wrote: > Nina > I like the analogy of life being a card game. I was a good bridge > player, > but in the beginning of PD I shook more if I got a good hand. Now > I can't > hold the cards, shuffle or deal. I quit playing several years > ago, so I > don't know if my tremors would break through the neurostimulators > or not. > But it is true, having PD is being dealt a hand with very few high > cards. > But there are worse diseases. > Ray > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Nina P. Brown" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 11:43 PM > Subject: Re: Question from a "lurker" > > > When I was diagnosed twenty one years ago my neurologist said with > all the research being done and the new drugs, that if I had to have > a neurological disease, Parkinson’s was the one to have. Am I lucky > or what? I’ve bought raffle tickets, played bingo, entered all kinds > of contests and have never won anything; but for some unknown reason > my ticket to join the Parkinson Parade was picked. And it changed my > life! > For some reason, when I am asked “How Parkinson’s has affected my > life, I seem to have a problem coming up with a quick answer. I > tried to figure out why that should be such a hard question for > someone who has lived with Parkinson’s and worked for the Parkinson’s > community for 21 years. > Over the years my symptoms have multiplied and worsened. Because > there is not a day that goes by that allows me to forget I have > Parkinson’s, I often reflect on a story that makes me smile and > reminds me of the difference in being a pessimist or an optimist. > A young boy, placed in a room filled full with toys, sat in the > middle of the room without touching one of them. There were so many > he couldn’t decide which to play with. A second little boy was > placed in a room full of horse manure. He dove in and tossed it one > way, then another. After about an hour, as he was dragged from the > room, he was heard crying, “Wait…with all that horse manure, there > must be a pony in there somewhere!” My way of living with a body > that reminds me every three hours to take medications is to keep > looking for the pony. > Because Parkinson’s is usually described as “progressive,” > “debilitating” and “incurable” I know the problems I face today will > seem inconsequential tomorrow, but I refuse to feel “debilitated.” I > prefer not to dwell upon the negatives that make my life difficult, > but rather upon the positives that make my life full. > · While taking medication every two hours may force me to live > by the clock, I’m grateful I live in a time when there are > medications available. Without the chemical camouflage from the > cocktail of medications I take, I wouldn’t be able to walk at all. > · Although my symptoms first forced me to give up tennis and > skiing and then later, give up my walker for a scooter when the > medications don’t work, I am, nonetheless grateful to have the > mobility. > · Although I hate seeing a photo or video of myself with my body > contorted or moving abnormally, at least it opens an opportunity to > educate someone about Parkinson’s. > · Although I’m afraid I’ll lose my balance and fall when I lean > over for a hug, I love that someone wants to give me a hug. > I could go on, but you get the idea. I guess you could say that > Parkinson’s has brought facets to my life that I never could have > foreseen– while it has done a lot to me, it’s done a lot for me. > There is no doubt that Parkinson’s has changed my life. It would be > foolish of me to say I’m lucky that I have an incurable, progressive, > degenerative disease, but… > ·Without Parkinson’s, I wouldn’t write HAPS monthly newsletter for > 2300, which has given me a personal way to reach out and touch > thousands and in return, so many have reached back and touched me. > Without Parkinson’s, I would have missed the opportunity of meeting > some of the most courageous, inspiring, amazing people I know. > Without Parkinson’s, I would never have had the PASSION or > opportunity to fight for and represent the Parkinson community with > legislators in Austin and Washington, or help co-found two > organizations involved with medical research that give the hope of > removing the word “incurable” from the description of Parkinson’s. > And with Parkinson’s, the love and devotion that Joe, my husband of > forty-four years, and I have shared has become even greater because > of our commitment to fight the fight and work toward that common goal. > Life is similar to a game of cards. We have no control over the hand > dealt us. However, we do have control over the way we play the > hand. There's no point in blaming the dealer for a bad hand. The > trick is to play it out with all the skill and determination we > possess. I’m not smart enough to find a cure for this disease, but I > am determined to do my best to make it possible for some researcher > somewhere to find a cure. > In short, I decided that if I have to ride in the Parade, I’d prefer > to do it on a pony! > > > > On Jan 8, 2007, at 10:26 AM, Dick Beaumont wrote: > >> You said "Parkinson's Disease Is a Curse and a Blessing by Kate >> Kelsall" >> in your message that was posted on January 06, 2007 and presented on >> this list by rayilynlee (sorry, I don't know your last name) on Sat >> 06/01/2007. >> >> I mentioned that I am a "lurker" since I do not normally respond >> to any >> messages, I just read them. My knowledge of this disease has been >> attained by internet research and this list. I was diagnosed as >> having >> PD in February of 2005, just about two years ago. Fortunately, my >> PD is >> slowly progressing and my depression seems to be corrected. I live in >> Keswick Ontario and work as a technical writer in Richmond Hill. >> At 67 >> years young, married to a wonderful woman (Helene) and employed doing >> the work I love, I did not know what my sentence meant to me and my >> future (and still not sure). >> >> Question - What is the URL (address) of your Blog. I was moved by >> your >> observations and wish to read more. >> >> Dick Beaumont >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> - >> 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 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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