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Joy Graham: AMEN! Recently the pharmacist (who is also a fairly close friend and worked with my husband for at least 20 years) asked me how I was feeling, and I burst into tears and couldn't speak. Miriam L. Denham cg for Dale, 74, dx 1988 [log in to unmask] On Thu, 9 Jan 1997, Bob & Joy Graham wrote: > Hi Ellen: > > > I may as well come clean and tell you: these sudden brimmings over the top > of the eyes not only happen to PWP, but to Carers too. > Once when I was filling my husband's first prescription of levodopa > (Madopar) I burst into tears in front of the pharmacist I had known for > ages. The panicky me thought, "oh dear what a fool". The "sensible" me > thought "Oh dear, what will I do." I decided to turn it into a learning > experience for my pharmacist and said "You see, Parkinson's greatly affects > the Carer too, you know," and handed him a stock of our literature about > our Association to give to people with PD. > To explain: Filling this prescription was symbolic of the disease > progression which we, in our way of coping, had sort of believed wouldn't > happen. We were in the early stages -- making do with Deprenyl, Artane - > and pergolide before having to start the "total control" of levodopa. > In retrospect I should have cried in front of the neurologist - but there - > oh, one must be brave, practical, resourceful and above all the perfect > Carer. WE can't time the shakes for the appointment, But I wonder if it > would help in our relationships with the doctors if we turned on the tears > once in a while? > As a carer, I find dealing with the disease progression is very hard to > cope with. It is a constant grieving process to me. What about other > carers? > Fortunately, I am much too busy mostly to let it get me down. ,,, I > remember to pop some Ginseng I am okay! > That's all > Joy Graham >