I'm sitting here in my wee office simply buried under mounds of "Cyberwork," (my job is online, ergo much of what I do is also online), plus I've had major email delivery and receipt problems over the past two weeks (AAAAAARGH!), but felt compelled to respond to this message (and pray it'll make it thru MSN's email problem and onto the PD List) For some reason, I found this message and IT'S message to be strangely and intensely moving to me. It was almost a bland message in a way, yet the very fact that one of the 50 states in the nation that I live in FINALLY has dedicated itself to publicly acknowledging the disease I live with day-in, -day-out touched me. In the USA there are states which dedicate days, weeks, months to every sort of occasion imaginable. You wouldn't in your wildest dreams begin to imagine some of the bizarre things that have received state or national recognition! Why we even have "Groundhog's Day!" <grin> But as far as I know there's been no "official" public notice by one of our states of Parkinson's Disease. Mind you, there may be several states recognizing PD but I've never heard of 'em. I've often wondered just WHY Parkinson's is so 'invisible" a disease. And frankly, I've come to the conclusion that most of us having PD are just too damn TIRED all the time to take physical action - excepting Dale Severance - <smiling> (GO GET 'EM, DALE!). That tiredness ends up being apathy, and I can understand it, because I'm no different than the "average tired Parkie." I can understand it... but I don't LIKE it. What I CAN'T understand is why a gigantic bunch of our family members, our nearest and dearest after all, aren't out there beating down the doors of the governmental offices, the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the NIH (National Institutes of Health), and every other sort of agency or institution which funds medical research. Why aren't our friends writing to the media about Parkinson's? Why isn't Oprah, Rosie, Maury... and the host of other TV talk show hosts inviting Parkies and their families on their shows to show the world what this miserable disease does to the lives of millions of people throughout the world? Why isn't there hundreds...thousands... of "squeaky wheels" out there in the public eye DEMANDING the recognition of Parkinson's Disease as a major threat to not only the lives of it's sufferers, but to the quality of life of those PD victims and their families? And why isn't it recognized that the paltry sums devoted by the government of the United States (and I DO recognize there is a larger world out there inhabited by others having PD, but since I live in the USA, I refer only to it in this instance) to Parkinson's research is but a mere pittance when compared to the vast amounts of money that it spends on Social Security Disability, and other expenditures that are made to help support and provide medical care for the PD sufferer throughout the years of their lives as the disease grinds slowly away at them? Are we THAT invisible to the majority of well people? Don't they SEE us? I've been with a small group of Parkies at local restaurants after our support group meetings, and HAVE seen other diners get up in the middle of their meal and move to another table where they don't have to see the wild gyrations of one or another of our group. I can even understand why someone wouldn't want to look at others flailing around, especially when the onlooker is dining, but what about the rest of the time? ARE we invisible to most people? Is OUR suffering causing discomfort in the WELL population to the point where they refuse to see us? As I reread this message, (while thanking God for spell-checkers!), I can't help but wonder if it's not US that the world needs to see, or even famous movie stars and other luminaries advocating for the eradication of Parkinson's disease. I wonder if we don't need to hire a upscale, Madison Avenue-type advertising agency, and have a media news-blitz? (picturing a chorus line of tuxedo-wearing tap dancers, complete with top hats and canes dancing in perfect unison while the guy in the middle fumbles with then drops his top hat, stumbles on his cane, and begins to teeter as he dances....) <all to the rock and roll beat of a groups singing "Parkinson's ain't a fun disease....> I guess what I've been trying to say is that all along we've gone the conventional route in seeing funding (short of holding up banks and convenience stores), AND public recognition, and mostly that hasn't worked. To the majority, we're STILL invisible. How cna we go about making Parkinson's known without turning of the general public completely? Jeeeeeez! I gotta get back to work... Seems that I just have QUESTIONS when I'd like to have ANSWERS. Barb Mallut "Lil_Honey" on the PD Chat [log in to unmask] ---------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of will johnston Sent: Friday, February 07, 1997 7:33 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION - VIRGINIA ____________________________________________________________________________ CERTIFICATE of RECOGNITION By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution in thhe Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized: PARKINSON'S DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH WHEREAS, Parkinson's Disease is a brain disorder that usually affects adults over 40, although it can appear in younger patients; and WHEREAS, more individuals suffer from Parkinson's Disease than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gerhig's Disease combined; and WHEREAS, according to the American Parkinson's Disease Association of Virginia, today there are over 13,000 Virginians affected by Parkinson's Disease; and WHEREAS, in 1995, there were over 4,000 individual cases of Parkinson's Disease reported at Virginia hospitals, and there were 270 Parkinson's Disease fatalities; and WHEREAS, the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease -- stiiness, tremor, slowness and poor movement, and difficulty with balance and speaking -- are often mistaken as a normal part of the aging process; and WHEREAS, although the cause of this disease is unknown, Levodopa and other antiparkinson drugs can effectively control Parkinson's Disease symptoms; and WHEREAS, increased education and research are expected to help find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson's Disease and will provide more effective support programs and services to Parkinson's Disease patients, their caregivers and families; NOW, THEREFORE, I, George Allen, Governor, do hereby proclaim April 1997 as PARKINSON'S DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our concerned citizens. G I R N I I V A /S/ George Allen Governor SIC <SEAL> TYRANNIS SEMPER /S/ Betsy Davis Beamer Secretary of the Commonwealth ____________________________________________________________________________ _____ And here's to long "ons" and short "offs" WILL JOHNSTON 4049 OAKLAND SCHOOL ROAD SALISBURY, MD 21804-2716 410-543-0110 Pres A.P.D.A. DelMarVa Chapter