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I joined the list because a close friend has Parkinson's; he is computer unfriendly and I try to help him by copying letters of interest. My friend, like myself, is a retired academic, from the University of Toronto. I am moved to write because his sypmptoms seem to be progressing rapidly of late, as several of his friends and relatives have noticed. He is 70, has had PD for about 5 years, and takes sinemet and two other drugs. His main difficulty is a severe memory problem, combined with a sometime confusion of ideas, whereby he is unable to continue a train of thought. I have two specific questions which I hope someone out there may be able to help me with. The first regards my friend's nuerologist. It is my strong impression that my friend has an unsatisfactory relationship with his doctor. There is little communication, and the trust one should have in one's doctor is missing. Is there somewhere my friend could go to discuss this and to try to find a more satisfactory physician? Any suggestions? My second question concerns the pallidotomy operation I have been reading about here. My friend says that if he could sign up this afternoon he would, but that is said only on the basis of reading some of the letters from this correspondence, and is also doubtless an expression of desperation. I am trying to go through and copy all the relevant letters, but if anyone has anything more to add, either of their own experiences or sources of information, I would appreciate it. Thanks! Jack Canfield. [log in to unmask]