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Dear List,

This note is to hopefully encourage some of you and to pay tribute to my
brother, a fighter.

Last night my brother John (62 years old) who had been diagnosed with
Parkinson's since age 37, died of
a massive heart attack.  His wife of 44 years (yes, they were both 18 when
they got married) who is an RN was with him at the time. They had been out
enjoying the day together.  When they came home they both sat down to rest
for a minute.  John asked for a glass of water.  When my sister-in-law went
into the kitchen to get it for him, she heard a noise and looked back to
find my brother fallen over on the floor.  She was unable to locate his
pulse, started CPR, called 911.  He was pronounced dead by the paramedics
shortly thereafter.

John and Janice were devoted to each other.  She always took excellent care
of him and was his biggest encourager and fan. My brother was a fighter,
but so was my sister-in-law.  She wouldn't let him give up and let this
relentless disease have its way with him.  He would mow the lawn on his
hands and knees to keep active.  He always said that his claim to fame was
that he had fallen in some of the best places in this country.  He didn't
let PD stop him from travel and joked about his obvious infirmities to make
others more comfortable with watching  his struggles.

When I was diagnosed at 42, he was devastated.  But since then has always
been the encourager and the last time I spoke with him a couple of weeks
ago (we live in different ends of the country) the last thing he said
before we hung up was NEVER GIVE UP.  I would say to you PWP and their
caregivers the same thing.  And caregivers you CAN and DO make a huge
difference in the lives of those of us with this disease.

I will miss John  terribly, but am thankful that he did not have to linger
as some PWP do totally incapacitated.  I believe that God is in control,
and there is a reason for everything that happens to us though at the time
we cannot see it or understand.

Thank you list for listening.  I hope you are encouraged by this example of
a FIGHTER.