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Joao Paulo... and "All" WARNING! This didn't start to be a long message, but it's taken on a life of it's own and now IS. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! (grin) You said: "Say, that is the good figther we know," Here on the PD list we often use the terms "fight," and "fighter" almost exclusively for referencing one particular adversary. You all know who.. or rather WHAT that adversary is... the disease itself. Like most Parkies, I see the disease as my own personal enemy. When it first reared it's ugly head in my life, I struggled and fought against it alone, with virtually no family or friends realizing how much I needed their support. This was as much my fault - then - as it was theirs 'cause I didn't TELL 'em how I was feeling and THEY didn't ask. I knew no other individual at that time who had PD. It was a tough, lonely war and the truces were few and far between. When I finally logged onto (actually, I BLEW in!) <blush> the YPDA bulletin board in late 1993, I was an angry person. I had a lot of PD-related questions and no answers, and a lot of inner PD-related pain, and no emotional support to act as a balm to soothe it. It was Parkinson's vs. Barb and guess who was winning.... right (deep sigh). With the sudden, violent upheaval of the earth on January 17, 1994, I not only suffered serious material and emotional damage, but also got a personal "Parkinson's wake-up call." From the day of our Northridge Quake, the PD seemed to take on new energy and new life, and I started losing the war mighty fast. I had read about pallidotomies and famed neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Iacono on the YPDA board, and in utter dispair one day in August 1994, I called the Loma Linda University Medical Center where Dr. Iacono was on staff. I got lucky 'cause he had a cancellation the next day which enabled me to see him immediately. (I'll spare you the story of Miss Parkie-eyes (grin) at the wheel of her car for the two and a half hour drive to Loma Linda from her home and the five hour drive back in bumper-to-bumper traffic) <groan> In meeting Dr. Iacono's staff, I got got the first inkling of what true PD support and understanding could be like from their unique and caring Tony Schoonenberg, himself a PD sufferer. I cannot express my feelings of relief to be able to say something about how I was feeling and to have the other individual say "I know..." and MEAN it 'cause they did indeed KNOW. To make an already long story shorter, I had a unilateral parllidotomy on October 24, 1994. The surgery was successful with a near 100% return of normal motion to the right side of my body which has been stable since that day, with no more "on/offs." (look of complete bliss on face) HOWEVER... I'm left-handed and there IS some PD on that side now. . In addition, I live with profound fatigue, sleeplessness, and a few other general PD-related symptoms (%#@&$^#!!!) Which brings me to today. I've learned the meaning of the word "support" since joining this group and found that we're all in this war together. WE... as individuals AND as a group have a COMMON enemy. And we care about and support each other - INCLUDING assorted precious caregivers and family members - sharing the COMMUNUAL energy of the group in order to bolster the limited energy of each individual member. More then that, tho, there's a lot of love shared which may have originated in our battles against a mutual opponent, but hasn't been limited to only that. You are very generous in letting your love flow 'round here. Because I greatly value that support and love, I absolutely refuse to become embroiled in anyone else's own personal vendetta and email flame war. I WON'T let someone else's negative feelings get me down. This is accomplished by judicious use of the DELETE key. I'm really NOT a fighter, ya know, 'cause that doesn't make me feel good. It's also important to me that I don't contribute to another Parkie's pain by INTENTIONALLY bringing ill-will to the list. The ONLY thing I'M gonna fight 'round here is Parkinson's! Barb Mallut "Lil_Honey" on the PD Chat [log in to unmask] -------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of Joao Paulo Carvalho Sent: Monday, January 13, 1997 4:38 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Re: Barb's response to David Boots Say,that is the good figther we know, Barbara Mallut wrote: > > John M., and "All...." > > Don't worry, John... I'm still the same ol "me," and have no plans to stop > posting or to change my own personal writing style. > > Many thanks to those of you who thought of me with warmth and caring in the > veritable flood of supportive email and posts here on the List today. I > cannot tell you how much all that TLC meant to me. > > Sending love back atcha all... > > Barb Mallut > "Lil_Honey" on the PD Chat > [log in to unmask] > > ---------- > From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf > of John Morey > Sent: Sunday, January 12, 1997 5:26 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN > Subject: Barb's responce to David Boots > > Barb, you wrote to Mr. Boots........ > > >As for as the rest of your uncalled for personal attack, I have no comment. > > Barb, don't change your messages! I really like your letters. I don't feel > that anyone has the right to censor or censure other list members' > communications. Some people, like Mr. Boots, mount their soap box and, in > righteous indignation, feel that they have the self appointed and self > important duty to pass judgement on all others. > > Barb, keep the messages coming, and Mr. Boots, grow up and stop being a jerk! Be assured that your way of being will make the majority in this list happier. Unfortunatly some people can't bear the lust for life,or "joie of vivre"(Am I right with this french Bernard ? :-)) that they may perceive in someone else.Let us not allow that they spoil this great good human feeling. Carry on Barb, :-) +----| Joao Paulo de Carvalho |------ + | [log in to unmask] | +--------| Salvador-Bahia-Brazil |------+