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Hi all: (I swore I wasn't going to do this but this is another subject that's near & dear to my heart!) As you may know, I used to be a damn good bartender & restaurant manager in a previous life (before motherhood mellowed me & PD disabled me!). I was also proud of my beautiful handwriting. Now, I can hardly read my own grocery list! This has happened over the last 5 years of my disease. Over the last year, my voice has gone to hell. I thought that it would be spared as I need it to holler at my kids! Now , it wavers from nearly impossible to understand to slow, tired & monotonous sounding. I think that God must have a great sense of humour: teaching me humility & stopping me from gossiping with one disease! Honest, I can laugh about it most of the time! The thing that really bothers me the most, & I've never admitted this to anyone is the way my brain works: I used to (had to) be a juggler-I could juggle 20 thoughts and not drop one! Now, it seems that since I can only perform one function at a time-& it requires all of my concentration; that I can only think of one thing at a time. Some would call this the gift of being focused (but I only thought that was for actors who had the time to focus), but it really bugs me. I can't remember something unless it's written down & I've already told you the problems with my writing. Today, it really hit home when my 5th grade daughter asked me to check her homework on a problem requiring logical thinking or a 4 step process to get the answer. I couldn't do it! Now, I'm afraid that I've gone & frightened the gentleman who asked for info on the list, but I thought that it was only me; brain- dead from the 70's and too much Mr. Roger's Neighborhood when the kids were little. Anyway, the only way to handle it is to deal with it, right? I try to uncomplicate my life which is hard because I still insist on doing family finances & to do each task with my full focused attention. The more plates that I try to balance, the more I drop. Also, I try to not to worry. Worry is a wasted emotional drain. Take your cue from your disease & try to go just beyond what you see as your limit. I believe its better to burn out than rust out. I wish you well as your new life with PD unfolds. It is a challenge not to become overwhelmed at this early stage when you think you have to plan for every eventuality. Prayers for all. Joan Snyder (47/8) "Do or do not. There is no try."-Yoda [log in to unmask] http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/snyder/page1.htm