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StepOver Wand Many PWP experience the "freezing" phenomenon, where the victim wishes to walk, often through a narrow passage such as a doorway, but is psychologically unable to move. Researchers (and pragmatic PWP) have found that addition of a visual cue, such as a stripe or pattern on the floor, or a small obstacle such as another person's toe, unfreezes the patient. IMHO, a hallmark of PD is loss of the autonomic posture and motor functions that are taken for granted or not even noticed by normal people. In PD the patient, consciously or otherwise, substitutes voluntary movement control, using a different set of neural pathways, to compensate for the loss. Therefore any visual guidance cue is helpful against "freezing". Now the determined and resourceful Lisa Greenstadt, an 18-year veteran of PD and frequent attendee at our local support groups, has applied for a patent on her gadget: An otherwise ordinary walking cane has at its foot a small hinged right-angle arm, which can be extended to either side or folded up out of the way. With this, whenever beset by "freezing", Lisa just steps over the arm and is on her way. It really works, and she has videos observed by her neurologist to prove it. She also is on her way with her small company formed to market the StepOver Wand, at (818) 789-9612. Lisa and her magic cane have appeared on local TV, and today they are the subject of a cover story in the Los Angeles Daily News. Congratulations Lisa! Joe