---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sat, 16 Nov 1996 04:27:41 -0500 From: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Subject: back again, browsing the list Hello again. It's been a while since I've addressed the list. This time, I freely admit, was due to all the repeated messages/repeated messages/repeated/messages that accompany new postings. I am back because I realize that all I have to do is to skip over these parts. This is MY problem. I have to deal with my feelings about these extra bytes. I have a few questions and a few comments: to Barbara Zimmer: I have to deal with children quite often, sometimes with their parents. My young nephew, now six and 1/2, always wanted to know why I always shook so bad. I tried being honest with him, explaining the disease to him. Almost every time I was around him he would ask me again. He can't understand what I had been telling him. Tell the kids what they can understand. I learned. with my nephew, that the best way for me to deal with the kids is to tell them the truth in a way they can easily understand. I simply tell them that my brain is sick. That line has satisfied most of the curious kids. (My nephew does tell me now that he would like for my brain not to be sick so I can play video games with him.) re: depression: Parkinsons is an incurable, progressive and debilitating disease. It causes major life-style changes in the patient and his/her family and friends. When first diagnosed I used drugs and alcohol to deal with my feelings. If I hadn't done that I woujld probably have killed myself. Eight years after being diagnosed I was forced to begin a new life without alcohol. That was six years ago. I had to accept the fact that I had Parkinsons before I could accept the fact that I was alcoholic. I know now that there is nothing I can do to change the fact that I have the disease. But with my friends in recovery I know that I am not alone. Some of them have worse problems than I do, and others don't. Most believe that I am "so brave" to be dealing with my problems the way I am. What I've learned is that I need to deal with my Parkinsons problems as they come up, the same way that I deal with all of my other problems. I have found support in strange places. The latest being a young lady who is a checker at a grocery store nearby. She simply began talking about her father-in-law who has PD. She never asked me if I had it. When I overexert and go to the store she usually calls me on it. About a year ago I had to quit driving at night. I had trouble seeing around all the headlights. I also suffered a moment of confusion when I forgot where I was, wat I was doing and where I was going. The confusion only lasted a few seconds but I ended up on the wrong side of the road. Fortunately there was no on-coming traffic and no accident occured. About two months ago I was involved in an acident. I was not at fault and no one in either car was hurt. I took the opportunity to look back at my driving over the previous few months and came to the conclusion that I can no longer drive safely. My truck was totaled and I got a good settlement for it A portion of the settlement went to upgrade my computer so I can fully take advantage of the services offered on line. Depression that I can no longer drive is not a factor. I made the decision, not the police or the Dept of Motor Vehicles. I still get around Las Vegas nearly as much asa I used to thanks to friends who are willing and eager to help me out if I need a ride. I am also blessed by the fact that Las Vegas has an excellent bus system. My mobility is somewhat restricted but I am still mobile. My question is simple: Is anyone, anywhere still doing the fetal tissue implants? I am happy for anyone who has had any of the other surgeries but I cannot put myself throough those procedures. I would appreciate any information that you can send.