Hello !!! This is my first submission to this list. Let me tell you abo= ut myself. I teach elementary general music, grades 1 - 6; I also teach = private guitar and piano lessons (presently 15 students); I also teach = evening college classes in Psychology and Music Appreciation (one or two = classes a week depending on whether I'm teaching both courses in the same= semester); I have also taught graduate-level counselor education courses= at Emporia State University in Kansas ("Individual and Group Appraisal" = and "Management of Counseling Programs") as an interim instructor; I was = once a school counselor (and have always hoped to return to that someday)= ; I have done some private counseling with children and families; I am = going to lead a parenting class for a tri-county mental health center in = the fall; in other words, I've maintained a very busy life. I also used = to direct a church bell choir and play guitar in a country/rock band on = weekends. My wife and I have six children, four of which will be in coll= ege this next fall - we will just have one left at home and he'll be a = junior in HS. I love Irish and Celtic music and I love to play my guitar= and sing. My wife is a wonderful hammered-dulcimer player and we occasi= onally perform for churches, social groups, private gatherings, etc., and= we enjoy going to music workshops. We even spent two weeks in Ireland = in 1996, just driving around, visiting the pubs and enjoying the music. About six weeks ago I was diagnosed with PD. It was no surprise to me, = I have been having tremors in my right foot for about three years and the= tremor in my hand started last summer. My doctor and I at first attribu= ted it to being a side effect of my asthma medication (serevent), but = it was only on one side of my body. He finally refered me to the KU Med = center in Kansas City and I was diagnosed. I am now involved in a 5-year= study on Tasmar and am taking Sinemet. My biggest concern is my future as a musician. I am noticing considerabl= e impairment in playing the piano - but the Sinemet does help some. My = students at school have noticed my tremor for about the last three months= - I've explained it away to them as the asthma medication scenario, and = they seem satisfied. I would really like to hear from other educators and musicians. What did= you do to adjust? Teaching music is very stressful at times, and that's = when the tremor seems to amplify. Thanks- Randall Ford ([log in to unmask])