Thank you for your kind words regarding the "open letter". I will be sure
to pass them on to Terry Ogden. I have been reading this piece for almost 3
years now, to support groups around the country. I have,yet, to read it all
the way through without crying. I'm sure that each of us can find something
meaningful in this wonderful piece!.
I met Terry about 3 years ago. We found that our lives had a few too
many similarities to mark it up to coincidence. We choose to call it one of
those "meant to be's". We are the same age, (42), developed PD symptoms the
same year,. (1982), symptoms were identical, on the same side of our body
(right), married the same year, have children the same age, divorced the same
year, for the same reason,both had Pallidotomies at Emory within a few
months of each other. (Just to name a few)
A few differences - Terry is male and I'm female and he's happily
remarried to a wonderful lady - and I'm not. He lives in Texas and I live in
Georgia. Terry, in his life before PD, was a very gifted actor and stuntman
with an incredible voice. Currently, he teaches speech and drama at a
community college outside of Houston, where he also directs the college
theatre group. Cruelly, PD has now completely robbed Terry of the ability to
communicate effectively through the spoken word. He and I feel very
strongly that PD, the enemy, as we call it, strikes us at the very core of
who we are. It robs us of those talents and skills that are most precious to
us.
Terry used to travel with me to speak to support groups around the
country on hope and optimism. Now, he continues to express himself through
his writing. I continue to travel, speaking for him and about him, sharing
his "letter" whenever I can He is my hero!.
Terrie Whitling 42/15
