The following letter was sent to Ms. Reno on December 14, 1995. I am sorry to
report we never received the courtesy of a response. A true loss to the LIST.
Maybe this year we should write to the Pope.................?
Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
10th & Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear Attorney General Reno:
As members of the legal profession, and proud of it, we take this opportunity
to extend AMERICA'S "1st Lawyer", a hale and hearty best holiday wish. For
your continued service to the people and the profession and by your courage
and honesty in recently announcing that you share our Parkinson challenge you
have honored us , "sister" Janet. We. in turn, would like to honor you by
dedicating this "We, Shaky Three, Christmas Tome" to you and again extend you
our warmest invitation to participate in our PARKINSON LISTSERVE.
With the advent of the computer and the resulting Internet came the valuable
Listserve. Growing out of this developed the Parkinson Listserve which is
maintained at University of Toronto in Canada. Presently there are over 1000
people on the LISTSERVE who are interested in Parkinson disease through out
the world. As a subscriber to this network and as a fellow lawyer I welcome
you. I was diagnosed in 1992 and through the help of fellow "parkies" I
have been able to keep abreast of new developments as well as acquire a
better understanding of the disease.
As I became more familiar with this Listserve I was introduced to two other
fellow lawyers who share our common disease. The Honorable Arthur T.
Hanscum, District Judge of Laramie, Wyoming and John E. Stanfield also of
Laramie. Two fine gentlemen who you would be proud to know. For levity we
have named ourselves The Shaky Three
Once we learned of your diagnosis of Parkinson, we collectively thought it
would be nice to let you know you are not alone and accordingly extend to you
our hand (shaky or not) and welcome you and extend you our warmest invitation
to participate in our PARKINSON LISTSERVE.
Warm Regards,
James D. Ryan
Attorney At Law
***********************************************************************
"We Shaky's Three Christmas Tome"
'Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the land
the parkies were sleeping, no jigglin their hand.
Their bodies were resting, all tucked and serene
nary affected at all by their lost dopamine.
Gifted by quietude, the twitching reprieved,
drifting deeper to REM than one could conceive,
they appeared like the rest or so it would seem,
a slumber most welcome, then a Sinemet dream.
The dream more than vivid, the color and sights,
were slide show presented mid big city lights.
Gold glitters and flitters cours'd thru neurotransmitters,
creating a light show for park gazing sitters.
Yet, even considered, sweet sleep did reign king,
without any notice, myoclonus did bring
electrical charges coursing throughout every cell,
prepared to awake under parkinson's spell.
Some begin with a twitch, others jerk or ice freeze,
now conscious, ON! OFF!, our condition, disease.
Be it onset as older or early as teen,
We leva, we dopa acetyl choline.
Cerebellum engaging as best as it could
anticipates gaiting as well as it should.
Eyes come on open, dry drug mouth or no,
bite into one yellow and go with the flow!
A pre-walking ritual not always the same
is often companioned by a brief waiting game;
the spirit all willing, the hope a sweet tune,
'tis calendared mystery on descent of the moon.
Now, full awake! the limbs, every muscle
would try to alight from the bed without tussle,
then cope with the hustle and bustle anew
and savor life's magic from fresh point of view.
With the attitude bold, some young & some old,
we accept the progession which morn has foretold.
Now ON! then comes OFF! the shuffle, the gait,
the pursuit of life's joys cannot risk to wait.
"ON, legs!" though they trudge and some they do freeze;
"Swing, arm!", "Shoulder, freed!" from the 'happy disease';
Not mere 'inconvenience', nor 'happy' it be,
all goodwill is meant by this tome, shaky three.
L'Chaim! Toward life! Kia ora tu! you;
to live in a day where Gone! is the quivver. Rid! the molasses,
the festine stand shuffle, slow typin morasses;
bid Hello! to friend shoestring, the button and brush,
even dropping cab dollars in Big Apple rush.
Surveying our body from the head to the toe,
trusting chemical system to give us green Go!
Meanwhile, we three, touched by parkinson's plan,
do bid you peace, yuletide as life only can!
Merry Christmas, all!!!!...We, 3 shakeys, members of the legal profession,
and proud of it! take this opportunity to extend AMERICA'S "1st Lawyer",
Attorney General Janet Reno, a hale and hearty best holiday wish. For your
continued service to the people and the profession and by your courage and
honesty in recently announcing that you share our common Parkinson challenge
-you have honored us, "sister" Janet. We,in turn, would like to honor you
by dedicating this "We, Shakey's 3, Christmas Tome" to you and herewith
cordially extend you our warmest invitation to participate in our PARKINSON
LISTSERVE
