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copy to the Listmembers: from Jim Cordy: [excerpt, 3/31/99] "So my fellow list members, my brothers and sisters with Parkinson's, share with me your thoughts. Give me some feedback. Tell me what needs to be done in order to tap into that reservoir of energy that exists in shaking or immobile bodies throughout this country and world. " * * * * * * * Dear Jim. Thank you for the swift kick -- we needed that. Yet as you well know: " so much to do and so little time!" Staring at my list of urgent action items can immobilize me even more than PD can make me freeze. Thanks for your jump-start to help narrow our focus. When I think of the palpable suffering of people I love, and when I think of the risk that my bright shining son has of joining our ranks, there's no limit to what must be done until we find the cure. Next to the action items list is the list of excuses: working full time, "tweaking" PD medication in order to keep going, my woe-is-me attitude, poor team-building skills, springtime distractions. Those can be minimized maybe. The real impediment to getting a lot done is what I call the "airplane oxygen mask mandate": taking care of your health first before you start helping other people so that you can have the strength to truly help them. All of that takes so much precious time: exercising, sleep (sez I at 3am! whoops!). As we start this April season of Parkinson's awareness, I hope we can all have your zealous "fire in the belly" balanced by the reassurance that there are many hands helping. We can pull out all the stops: raise money for the cure, raise awareness, and raise our reputation as people who *do* cooperate in order to zero in on the cure and the cause of Parkinson's . People who attended Alan Bonander's funeral reported back a remark that Carol Walton (aka "Energizer Bunny") made in her speech: Now that he's gone, we each must pick up a part of what he did so that everything still is done somehow. Can't you feel that happening, not only on the List, but everywhere? Keep after us, but don't worry too much, "General" Jim. We're motivated. Our pace may be that of a herd of turtles, but we're moving. Hanging over us is the knowledge of what will happen if we don't. Mary Yost, 51, diagnosed 1990; viva mirapex! T'ai Chi & singing & remarkable friendships