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Dear All, Just wanted to share our support group meeting last night with you. One of our members met this couple in the waiting room of a neurosurgeon; the man had recently undergone DBS and the transformation was so pronounced that said member invited him to speak at our meeting. After much arranging we ended up having not only the couple but also the Exec. Dir. of the Neurological Institute at OUHSC and the Research Ph.D. who works with the patient to program and design the setting of the device. .The evening was a total success--over 60 people (we're a small suburban s.g. but I put an article in the papers) heard Tom talk about how his symptoms developed rapidly, both essential tremor and PD, until he was confined to a wheel chair and had to be fed by his wife. He talked about the operation and demonstrated how the magnet turns off the device and the wild waving tremor returns; another swipe and, like magic, the tremor ceases. The surgery was done August 28 and he shared with us his golf score of last week--a 74! A short video clip of the surgery from a local broadcast was shown and then the technician took over and explained the device and surgery in terms we could all understand (a truly gifted speaker). The questions flew fast and furious and each was answered thoroughly and adequately. Tom's wife was persuaded to tell her experiences as caregiver and the E.D. gave an overview of the Institute's growing capabilities and explained items like insurance coverage. We're a new group, less than two years old, and have had excellent luck getting people to speak to us, but this hat trick is the best yet. Just had to brag a bit. Best, Kathy Kunz, (63/4/6)