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Lynda.. I'm sorry to have offended you, however, what I posted was meant as a continuation of the TOPIC, and was MEANT to be directed to the List group as a whole, as well as to the press, and medical field (I thought I indicated that in somewhere in the body of my message). I can see where you might possibly have thought I referred to you, because I started my message out with your name, but I QUOTED Reuters - the giant news reporting agency, and made no reference to you or anything you said anywhere in the body of my post. In no way have I ever attempted to put anyone down for having brain surgery for PD, especially since I've had it myself in the form of a unilateral pallidotomy. Like you, I've had PD since my early 30s (which wasn't quite in the Dark Ages, but close, since I'm 56 now). Finally, any anger I express towards the news industry and/or the Parkinson's organizations, and the medical profession has been made with my eyes open. I'm certainly not a neophyte in dealing with the great many frustrating nuances... be they the ever-changing symptoms, drug side effects, the pain, PD-ignorant physicians, or life-changes, expectations, and dreams I've been forced to change, modify, or give up due to this disease. Like YOU, and other List members, I'm entitled to my own opinions, thoughts, and feelings about living with Parkinson's, I'm also entitled to have thoughts and feelings about the unexpected twists, the turns, and rocky roads that PD has attempted to cripple my life with. SO... with all due respect, Lynda, I plan on continuing to express that which i feel to be appropriate to this forum (including the occasional joke or contributing to the little non-PD side-trips that pop up once in a while, such as the very fun and interesting thread we had going here about music and songs). I hope this issue is now resolved, since it has been explained that my message was not at all actually intentionally directed TO you. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: (Redleef, Lynda). <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]> Date: Saturday, November 28, 1998 2:43 PM Subject: passing judgment Barbara Mallut – In response to your scathing retort to Linda regarding: late mild stage’ PD and brain surgery - Kindly consider getting off your soapbox and the highhorse you rode in on and speak of what you know or otherwise spare us your opinion! Yes people have brain surgery, in my case a thalomotomy, even in early mild stage PD. I feel no need to share with you or the list my reasons and risk an ignorant, spurious attack. I know I made the right decision for me as does my family, my 2 neurologists and the neurosurgeon. As a person in my mid-thirties with PD it’s hard enough trying to raise a family, build a career, and just keep doing what I can to keep a positive outlook and maybe even make the world a better place. In my opinion, the PD list would be a better place if the whining, complaining, bitter people started a separate listserv for feeling sorry for yourselves and for criticizing others. The rest of us could then concentrate on information sharing and working constructively to beat the menace PD, not PWP or others we choose to pass judgment on. It’s hard to believe this started with MJF being judged and criticized by the very people who should have a pretty good idea what he is going through. So please keep your opinions to yourself. Didn’t you mother ever teach you, if don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all? With apologies for my own soapbox, Lynda ------------------ Barb wrote on 11/28/98: Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 02:19:57 -0800 From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Michael J. Fox articles "Linda, you quoted Reuters as saying: "said Fox is in the 'late mild' stage of Parkinson's and that he is hopeful..." Hmmmm.... (thinking) Does ANYONE have *VOLUNTARY* BRAIN SURGERY when they're in the "late MILD" stage of a disease?" Technically, that MAY be what the medical profession calls feeling so- rotten-that-ANYTHING-including-voluntary-brain-surgery-is-preferable- to-life-as-it-is. But REALISTICALLY (and speaking as a Parkie who had a very successful unilateral pallidotomy 4 years ago...), when ya finally hit the stage where voluntary brain surgery looks like the ONLY OPTION, well, THAT'S *NOT* a "late MILD stage of ANY disease! When your back's against the wall, and you have little or no quality of life, when you begin to think that ANY form of treatment, including voluntary experimental brain surgery has GOT to be better than life as it is... hanging onto your sanity (and not always succeeding) by a thread. in MY book, that's definitely not "late MILD" stage. Medical professionals, and news media moguls, THINK about what you're saying, huh? Step outside the conventional box and THINK! Sheeeesh! The guy has a terrible, chronic, degenerative disease, is young, has a great job, devoted wife and 3 little kids, plus a huge following, and his condition is SO bad that he opts for voluntary brain surgery as a last resort, and THAT'S called, "late MILD?" GET REAL! WE know the difference between "late MILD," and feeling like sh*t - why can't YOU put together two and two and come up with four?!? Barb Mallut (spending the weekend perched on soapbox) b<grin> [log in to unmask],com