Jack K....
Y'know, Jack... I have a gut feeling - and have felt this for long time -
that there's tons more Parkies "out there" than are being acknowledged and/or
diagnosed by 1. the medical community, 2. the Parkies themselves, due to
denial, 3. the Parkies recognize that SOMETHING is wrong, but cannot get an
accurate diagnosis and go for 5 or 6 years being told "You don't LOOK sick,"
by their doctors, 4. the completely "unaware that they have PD" Parkie,
i.e., might just have one slightly stiff arm only, for several years,
etc......
I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was actually more individuals who have
PD and aren't, for whatever reason, aware or acknowledging it than there are
who KNOW they have it and who DO stand up to be counted.
Betcha if there was a close-to-accurate count of individuals with PD, there'd
be number upwards of 2,000,000 to 2,500,000 persons.
I'd sure like to know I'd over-counted!
(And you're NOT just another number, Jack!)
Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]
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From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Jack Kramer
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 1997 12:20 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
Subject: Re: Numbers - Oddity noted
Barb,
Numbers concern me also. Because if others think we are pushing numbers
using 1,000,000. then it only tends to destroy our integrity. On the other
hand verey feew agencies estimate as low as 500,00. I am sure insurance
companies, have the figures per any base population from their own records.
In the mean time, I am using 1,000,000 which for me makes sense, because when
I look around my city and county it seems about one in 250 of the population
are PWP That works out to 1,000,000 nation wide. But I would consult
various health insurance companies around the U.S.A. and see if they would
not share some figurs. Good Luck!
I remain your humble servant, more than just a number,
Jack Kramer 53/2
