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Dear Prof. Sherman, Don't be so nervous! PD generally does not advance so rapidly that you become a drooling basket case overnight. I was diagnosed at age 32, 11 years ago, and, with proper medication, was able to function pretty well for the first 10 yrs., i.e. drive, operate a substantial business, etc. This year, things became too heavy, so I had a succesful pallidotomy surgery, and now I feel (and look) surprisingly healthy. So losing hope & threatening your wife with suicide if you can't drive a car is not a logical response to your true situation. Think like the rational individual you must be - a computer scientist, no less - and deal with actual problems if and only if they come up. Stop scaring yourself half to death with a stereotype image of Parkinsonians, you can, and will, live with this. It won't be easy, but you have been tough enough till now to make it through lots of adversity others can barely imagine, such as war, difficult medical problems,etc. So, have faith and keep in touch with this list. P.S. Find a doctor you do trust. Don't ask others if you should trust him, you have to feel it in your gut that he is looking out for you. Regards, William Berman.