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Marling McReynolds wrote: Welcome to the group. You have a lot of company, It appears, too, that we have a few things in common: 1. I was also diagnosed with PD pretty early in life--I was 47 in 1987. 2. It would be difficult to find a place more remote than Montana. 3. I also remain employed full-time. I'm the executive director of the State Bar of Montana, a g group of attorneys. My mission is to keep 3,500 lawyers in a continuous state of contentment. Just kidding. Actually the job requires that I wear both a white hat (provide services such as continuing education) and black hat (regulatory functons). I haven't seriously entertained quitting and going on disability. As long as I can contribute, I intend to keep working. I may be warped, but I'm inclined to think that remaining employed helps slow the progression of the disease--at least for me. You didn't ask for observations, but I'm going to provide them just the same: a. PD is a highly personalized disease. For some of us, the primary symptom is a tremor, for others it's slowness of movement and so on. In fact, I sometimes wonder if it's A disease or rather a multitude of neurological maladies lumped together and conveniently called "Parkinson's disease." My point is that the disease(s) doesn't lend itself to a cookie-cutter treatment. For this reason, it's important to understand YOUR disease and how best to deal with it. b. There WILL BE a cure. I remember the neurologist who initially diagnosed me saying in 1987 that he figured there would be a cure in five years. I realize now that he was just demonstrating good bedside manners and trying to provide me with some hope. Well, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 have come and gone, there are only five days left in 1996, and we're still waiting. The truth is no one, except God, knows when it will happen. Still, I firmly believe there will be a cure besause there are too many bright and caring people working on the problem for it to prevail (call it faith in humankind). Again, I may be kidding myself, but the fact of the matter is that one can opt to believe in either a positive or a nagative outcome and the positive approach is easier and more rewarding. Again, welcome to the group. George L. Bousliman Helena, Montana (56; diagnosed 1987)