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Dear NPF Parkinson's Report readers, I last blasted the NPF for neglecting to have any doctor available after I had spent $2200.00 to get aCertified Nurse's Aide and me to a confirmed appointment in Miami, in May, 1995. That still uncompensated disaster to me and my family has never been forgotten by many of us on the Parkinson's List.........and remember, I am struggling on only $8200 of US Social Secuirty/year. Now I am angry at the NPF again. It is NOT taking care of all of us! Whether young-onset (as Rosemary Russell wrote-see below), gay men who are also parents of 2 beautiful children, people of color.........we are omitted or forgotten by the mainstream PD media. Look at the Summer, 1998 issue--with Hillary Clinton on the cover. Open to the featured article by Dr. Abraham Lieberman, "Impotence in Parkinson's Disease" on page 4 (vol. XIX, Issue 3). It is about male sexual dysfunction in heterosexual couples. It forgets to mention masturbation, never mentions female sexual response to the dysfunctional male, and never uses the wellness model that includes more than the traditional Western approach (drugs are the only answer).. Couple dynamics are never mentioned. Counsellors, beware! But, as one of the gay people with Parkinson's, I am extremely offended at the NPF because, at the top of p. 4, a purple male symbol looms over a mousy gray female symbol. Ho-hum. Sexist as usual. And heterosexist(ignores gay people totally). There are no gay couples honored ANYWHERE in the PD-media. Add this to your list of changes to be made. We are invisible and forgotten. In sum, while full of helpful information (although I question the wisdom of suggesting that Parlodel (Bromocriptine) be tried for impotence), the art and even the content of the Lieberman article is discriminatory. It is heterosexist. It shows a male and female symbol, which is UNRELATED to the topic (impotence). You might not realize it, Dr. Lieberman, but that's how it comes across, dear sir. Get with it, NPF!! Or how about paying me $2200 plus interest, AND publishing this post as a column in the next issue of the Parkinson Report? And by the way, I know 101 ways to have fun and be functional in the bedroom-despite PD!! Disgusted and Offended, Ivan Suzman, official gadfly of the List ^^^^^^WARM GREETINGS FROM^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ivan Suzman 48/12/9.5 [log in to unmask] Portland, Maine Land of lighthouses 44 deg. F ******************************************************************** On Fri, 16 Oct 1998 00:38:29 EDT Rosemary Russell <[log in to unmask]> writes: >I think Keith Chancey raised a very good point in re to the "age of >onset" >factor. I was diagnosed at 46 (had symptoms years earlier) by a PD >specialist. He told me that "young-onset" PD was, in fact, increasing >-- >mainly due to exposure to toxins and chemicals. I later found >reference to >what he had told me in a journal article which concluded that yopd had >increased at "an alarming rate within the last 2 decades." > >Because of this, and not because I place less importance on elderly >Parkinson's, I think the public mainly needs to be reeducated about >Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately for us, both the public and the >media pay >a great deal more attention to "official" information, i.e., the >APDA, NPF, >or any such group with a title. If they can get the educational >information >to the public I think it will be the beginning of a change. > >Rosemary Russell 50, 5yrs. >Little Rock, Arkansas >([log in to unmask]) >