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Ken B.... Ken, m'dear, I've kinda reached the conclusion that individuals who live with a chronic disease and their loved ones cannot make others be sensitive and HUMAN to the chronically ill if those people don't acknowledge our existence unless or until we're shoved in their respective and collective faces. And even then, you can see their eyes glaze over and they suddenly are unable to comprehend the language you both mutually speak no matter HOW carefully you explain a disease-related issue to them. I'm blessed with being both articulate and gutsy about speaking up in public (I know you find THAT hard to believe, huh?) <giggle> when it comes to educating the ignorant (lotsa physicians in that group!) about PD in general and what those of us who have it go thru day-by-day. When I feel REALLY pushed enough, I DO open up and "educate" someone whom seems to need that enlightenment (honest - I don't do this to everyone!) <honest!!> (grin) And even tho I'm able to say exactly what I mean when speaking to 'em, they just don't GET it! Sooo many people do NOT have a clue what the words "chronic," and "degenerative" mean, EVEN when followed by the word "disease!" So Ken, please excuse me if I'm more than a little skeptic about our ability to enlighten and make sensitive the "masses." I suspect that IF a HUGE number .... hundreds of thousands... of those living with a chronic disease or disorder AND their caregivers AND their loved ones AND their friends marched on Washington - in their multitudes - in their wheelchairs and on their crutches on a set day at a set time, AND we made ourselves heard around the world by OTHER like individuals marching upon THEIR nation's capitols at the same time on the same day..... well THAT might just make the world sit up and take notice!!! Wanna march? Hey... I'M game if YOU are!!! Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of KEn Becker Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 1997 11:03 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Re: FW: drug problems/Response To JH, Barb M, et al: Someone has to do what the newscaster in Network did, and say "I'm MAD AS HELL And I'm NOT going to TAKE it anymore! " We need to give sensitivity training to anyone who thinks they are too important to act like a human being. Too many people are so greedy and selfish, they think only of themselves. What happened to the ability to see someone less fortunate, and realize "that poor soul could be ME!" We are all like little teabags, suspended from a string, and whenever life decides to drop us into boiling water, we are cooked! If the rest of the world would act like the folks on this list, the problems would be solved. It just takes some human kindness, respect for the feelings of others, a willingness to really listen, maybe giving up other activities to focus on what is really important.........PEOPLE! If you want to know what is really important in life, read the obituaries in the newspaper. Notice how little importance is given to material things, and what a person meant to other PEOPLE defines the true meaning of a successful life. Ken B