^^^^^^WARM GREETINGS FROM^^^^^^^^^^
Ivan Suzman 48/11 [log in to unmask]
Portland, Maine land of lighthouses 36 deg. F springlike
***********************************************************
Dear Barb,
You've touched on something real deep. I guess, dear barb, I am
playing my life by the rule that it really is OK to "celebrate" a joyous,
very FIRST-ever gathering of all of Maine's support groups. Just the
feeling of looking around a room of bravery and courage-- the willingness
to be VISIBLE--overpowers and outpaints the sadder, more grey tones of
Parkinson's.
For me, my first April 11 is, I hope, a COMMUNITY day of hope and
reflection. This includes hope, sadness, acceptance, pride, courage and
maybe, wisdom; more importantly, I truly hope, EMPOWERMENT.. It's
suddenly eclipsed even my birthday in importance! or does THAT come with
the territory of being in my late 40's??
Anyway, dear california cybersis, I NEEDa celebration, sort of like
I DESERVE it, I EARNED it and I am gonna have a GREAT time, despite the
hardships, no matter what!
I might even eat an extra hot fudge sundae just for YOU!! Or a
maple-flavored whoopee pie!
Thank you for all you do for us.,,,
i<<<BARB>>>s
( Ivan gives Barb a cyberhug )
On Mon, 6 Apr 1998 22:12:35 UT Barbara Mallut <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>Ivan, m'dear...... I've gotta call ya on your use of the term
>"celebrate" in
>reference to "World Parkinson's Day." It makes me nauseous to see
>the word
>"celebrate" when we're talking about this horrific disease.
>
>I looked up "celebrate" in the thesaurus, and was astounded to find
>hundreds
>of ways to express that word - and virtually ALL used it to define
>some joyful
>event. JOYFUL event?
>
>YIKES!! THAT'S not how I feel about PD or the events of the day on
>April
>11!!!!!!
>
>I see April 11 as a day for reflection, a day to honor those who have
>so
>valiantly and publicly carried the Parkinson's banner for ALL to see,
>instead
>of remaining invisible. I see the day as a collective, public
>SCREEEEEEAM of
>frustration made by people who otherwise would NEVER exhibit
>themselves in
>such a manner - people who were brought up by both parents and society
>to not
>"air their dirty linen" where the whole world can see it.
>
>By "going public," about having a terrible disease and calling the
>"public
>conscience" on the carpet by reminding that self-same public that once
>out of
>the closet, we're not going BACK - we're visible and we're going to
>STAY
>visible till there no longer is a reason to do so IS "airing dirty
>linen" by
>many.
>
>So Ivan, dear friend, I suggest you grab your thesaurus and come up
>with a
>replacement word to describe World Parkinson's Day, and when we next
>have a
>REASON to "celebrate" vis a vis PD, let's pray we'll be celebrating
>the CURE!
>
>Go get 'em, tiger!
>
>With love....
>
>Barb Mallut
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>----------
>From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Ivan M Suzman
>Sent: Monday, April 06, 1998 3:50 AM
>To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
>Subject: House-Senate RESOLUTIONS-any other states?
>
>^^^^^^WARM GREETINGS FROM^^^^^^^^^^
>Ivan Suzman 48/11 [log in to unmask]
>Portland, Maine land of lighthouses 34 deg. F overccst
>***********************************************************
>MAINE House-Senate RESOLUTION (S. 868)
>******************************************************************************
>******
>Dear Listmembers,
>
>Karen Bardo and I will be on WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine at 12:30
>today.
>The RESOLUTION below will be mentioned, as will our APRIL 11
>celebration
>of World Parkinsons' Day.
>
>Have any other states adopted Parkinson's Awareness legislative
>resolutions?
>
>Ivan
>
>
>
>On 20 Mar 1998 16:52:13 -0500 "Delfranco, Judi"
><[log in to unmask]> writes:
>>JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING 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 persons; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease, or Paralysis Agitans, is a
>devastating,
>>
>>painful and incurable brain disorder of unknown origin that disrupts
>>and
>>can end the lives of those who suffer from it as well as overwhelming
>>the
>>lives of their families and friends; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, more individuals suffer from Parkinson's disease than
>>multiple
>>sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease combined; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease often takes an enormous emotional,
>>psychological and physical toll on the families surrounding their
>>suffering loved ones; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease appears eventually in approximately one
>>of
>>4 persons older than 80 years of age and in one of 10 persons older
>>than
>>60 years of age, thereby directly touching the lives of at least one
>>of
>>10 families in the State; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association
>>there
>>are approximately 1.5 million people in the United States diagnosed
>>with
>>Parkinson's disease, of which 7,000 or more are in the State of
>Maine;
>>
>>and
>>
>> WHEREAS, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease - stillness, tremors,
>>slowness, poor movement and difficulty with balance and speaking are
>>
>>often mistaken as a normal part of the aging process; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, the cause of the disease is unknown, and drugs can only
>>control
>>some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease for a short period of
>>time;
>>and
>>
>> WHEREAS, the historic and crucial Morris K. Udall Parkinson's
>Disease
>>
>>Research Act of 1997, which would provide up to $100,000,000 of
>>funding
>>specifically for Parkinson's disease, has recently been passed by the
>>
>>Congress after a courageous 4-year struggle by Parkinson's sufferers
>>
>>usually too sick to go to Washington; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, the entire congressional delegation from Maine was the
>first
>>
>>delegation from any state to join in cosponsoring the Udall
>>Parkinson's
>>legislation; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, April 11th has been proclaimed to be World Parkinson's Day,
>>a
>>day for all to recognize the need for more research and help in
>>dealing
>>with the devastating effects of Parkinson's disease; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, increased education and research are needed to help find
>>more
>>effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson's disease
>and
>>to
>>provide more effective support programs and services to Parkinson's
>>disease patients and their caregivers and families; and
>>
>> WHEREAS, the leading public officials of the State and leading
>>officials
>>in the State's medical community are now called upon to aid in
>>reversing
>>the invisibility and voicelessness of its citizens suffering from
>>Parkinson's disease; now, therefore, be it
>>
>> RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Eighteenth
>>Legislature, now assembled in the Second Regular Session, recognize
>>the
>>month of April as Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month throughout the
>>
>>State of Maine; and be it further
>>
>> RESOLVED: That a suitable copy of this resolution, duly
>>authenticated
>>by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the American Parkinson
>>Disease Association, Maine State Chapter.
>>
>
