Hello - My name is Edward Huschka (ED H for short). I am
72 yrs young and was DX'd with Parkinson in 1985. Since
then I have gradually deteriorated physically to a point
where I have some difficulty manipulating utinsels like
knife and fork and tools like pliers and getting up from a
low sofa or taking initial steps or putting on a shirt and
buttoning it up. But I still manage to get around and
enjoy what life gives me. My medication is pretty standard
and has been the same since DX> It is 25/100 Sinamet taken
2 or 3 times a day and since it has been available 5 gms
Eldepryl twice daily. I reside in Miami Florida with my
wife, Eulalia (Lalli for short). We have a 33' sailboat
that I am still able to sail with the help of a good crew
and a 386SX PC to keep me occupied at home. Along
with being new to this list I am also new to Internet so I
expect I'll have plenty to keep me busy for a good while.
Now, enough of the "I" talk. Have you ever felt people
were uncomfortable around you and possibly avoiding your
company because of your PD. Well, here is a copy of an
open letter from another BB that is how one person has
dealt with the problem:
Dear Friend,
You haven't been by to see me in quite some time. I
wondered about what happened, if I said something that
offended you, so I started asking around. Word finally got
back that you were uncomfortable around me because of the
Parkinson's thing. That's why, instead of calling, I thought
I might write you a note. Maybe I can explain a
little better to you about the way I feel.
The last time you came over, I was having a lot of
physical problems. Parkinson's is like that; good for two
days, bad for three. Before you come, call. I'll tell you
honestly if I'm up or down. That way you know what to
expect. But don't avoid me. Inside, I am still the same
person I always was. I can still beat you at chess, still
out talk you over religion and politics. I can still laugh
at all your jokes, still feel sad when we talk about some
of our lost friends. I'm still me.
Don't be afraid to talk about the things you see. My
hands shake, my walk is unsteady. I know that. It isn't a
secret. I'll tell you about what I'm going through, about
the medications and stuff. You need to know so you will
feel comfortable when you see something happen. Parkinson's
isn't contagious, it isn't even life-threating. Chances are,
I'll live just as long as you, although I'm trying for one
day longer, just to prove the point.
Just because I've accepted having Parkinson's doesn't
mean that I've accepted defeat. I'm still fighting. But the
fighting would be so much easier if you were around. Why?
Because we used to talk about everything and I miss
that. We used to laugh at stupid stuff and I miss that. We
used to punch one another in the arm, work on our cars
together, tell lies, talk about kids - and I miss all of
that. We used to get sad together, remembering the things in
the past. We made a vow never to talk about those things
outside of our friendship and I need to talk about them
with you.
I'm still the same. Nothing inside has changed, only
the outside. That's why you don't need to feel
uncomfortable around me. We've traveled too many miles
together to let something like Parkinson's come between us.
So I'm asking you - call me. Come visit. Let's talk about
today, tomorrow, ten years from now, because the future
will be so much richer if you're around, and so much poorer
without you.
I might have Parkinson's, but you snore, so I'd say
we're about even. I've missed you. As always, I'll be here
for you, waiting for you to call.
*********************
Ed Huschka ([log in to unmask]
m
