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What a wonderful newsgroup! So informative, and a generally optimistic tone. I am 57 years old. I was diagnosed tentatively 12 years ago, after a severe motor car accident. There was some confusion concerning treatment and symptoms, due in part to the labyrinthine and Machiavellian machinations of our motor accident claims courts and insurance companies. That out of the way, I was summarily discharged from government service (Attorney General's Department) on the results of a "medical board" (our quaint term for "we don't want the responsibility anymore.) with a small pension. After I moped around for a year feeling sorry for myself, my wife had had enough, and suggested I apply for a part-time position as a teacher at the local technical college. Oh! Blessed above all women! It was the making of me. I had previously taken several training courses in computer hardware and software, in preparation for the computerisation of the Court systems, so was able to convince the college to employ me at a low level. One thing led to another, and here I am, a teacher at Diploma of Information Technology level. What a wife, huh?! As well as getting me out of the doldrums, and into something I loved, it meant that I was approached to take part in local research into the effectiveness of computer usage, including game play, in the rehabilitation of CVA (stroke) sufferers. At present, partly as a result of the previous study, and partly as a result of the fact that the leader of the previous team *also* has PD, and is the driving force behind this new study, I am currently engaged in an epidemiological study into the possible causes of PD, the symptomology of sufferers, and the welfare needs of both sufferers and carers (the too-often forgotten part of the equation), In October, our team is going to Beijing at the invitation of Professor Tong Zhi Fu, Director of the Dept. of Epidemiology, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics. Professor Tong is interested in comparing our results with a Chinese study of the incidence of PD in a sample of *3 million people* (!). There was a low incidence in the Chinese study, which would seem to equate with the data of the Udall Bill, as it relates to US citizens of Chinese background. Professor Tong is also interested in doing a comparative study of Chinese people living in Sydney, NSW, Australia, to compare lifestyles, diet, etc. This would involve Dr Daniel Chan, who is already undertaking his own study into possible genetic indicators of PD, and also the effects of adrenaline and related antagonists, as they affect PD. (I dont't know about you, but excitement of *any* kind ain't good for *my* "twitches"!) I am the computer/data-processing/statistical analysis "boffin" of the team. Any good outcomes from the research won't make *my* life any easier, but may improve my outlook at the end. This was turning into a novel! Time to sign off, and wish all correspondents as much luck and good health as you can stand, and a big "Thank you!" to all carers. James F. Slattery, J.P., MACS [Jim, to you. :-) ]