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I think you are right in your theory that Parkinson's is not one, but a cluster of, diseases. There is relatively new research to suggest that Schizophrenia, which is, in a very simplistic fashion, the opposite of Parkinson's,is a cluster of disorders. The brain is a very mysterious thing, the last frontier of medicine. Carole H. --- William Harshaw <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Chris, > > I presume you wold agree with Lewis Thomas' > observation that these > surgical therapies, and indeed all the drug > therapies are based on halfway > technologies and will remain so until the causes are > discovered and cures > developed. > > I believe that PD will be found to be not one > disease, but a cluster of > similar but different conditions. > > By the way, both my mother and maternal > grandmother had PD. > > Cheers, > > Bill > -----Original Message----- > From: Chris van der Linden <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Thursday, August 05, 1999 4:07 AM > Subject: Re: Lazarus with pallidotomy? > > > >Dear Bill, > > > >A very nice poem, which I assume was written about > 5-6 years ago. I wonder > >whether you are still Lazarus at this time, because > on the long run, I > >believe the only surgery to really become Lazarus > is the bilateral > >subthalamic stimulation, which is available in some > countries in the world. > >But it does surprise me that electrical stimulation > of the subthalamic > >nucleus in Parkinson's disease is still not wide > spread available in the > US. > >As a neurologist living in Ghent, BELGIUM, I have > now experience with 50 > >Parkinson patients with this type of stimulation > and the results are really > >overwhelming; Much better than pallidotomy, which > should be stopped because > >of all the risks, side effects and poor results > (see the > >scientific literature). Pallidotomy on both sides > is even more riskier. > >Unfortunately too many patients in the US now > undergo pallidotomies, where > a > >little part of the brain is destroyed. So for > those who are lined up for > >pallidotomies in the US and other countries, where > STN stimulation is not > >available, think > >about it before you have it done. > > > >Or am I wrong, Bill? > > > > Chris van der Linden, M.D. > >St. Lucas Hospital Ghent > >Dept. of Neurology > >Groene Briel 1 > >9000 Gent > >BELGIUM > >> > >> > >> > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Carole Hercun <[log in to unmask]> > >To: <[log in to unmask]> > >Sent: Thursday, August 05, 1999 6:42 AM > >Subject: Re: Lazarus > > > > > >> Wonderful. Carole H. > >> > >> --- William Harshaw <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> > Here's the poem.. Sorry for the goof! > >> > > >> > LAZARUS > >> > > >> > Mornings were a dull routine > >> > Immobile > >> > Many hors would pass until my brain's command > >> > My anxious limbs its tortured message reached > >> > And permitted steps, first halting > >> > Like a child would take > >> > Then runstumble > >> > Strangers asked: > >> > "What troubles him? > >> > His legs like branches on a mishaped tree > >> > Do move in deformed harmony." > >> > > >> > I > >> > > >> > The day began normally for me. > >> > Up at five. Run. > >> > At seven leave. > >> > Drive there on the 401. > >> > Arive shaking from the tension > >> > Of driving. Or so I thought. > >> > Until the doctor said: > >> > "Parkinson's" Esther cried. > >> > The doctor said: > >> > "You will tie flies agan" > >> > The fool had no sense of what's important. > >> > > >> > Nor had I. > >> > I tried to hide the shaking hand > >> > The dragging foot. > >> > To no avail. One day I said: > >> > "No, not hangover. Parkinson's > >> > > >> > No pain > >> > No movement > >> > No work > >> > Pension at forty-five. > >> > > >> > A baker's dozen year now > >> > I raged like Samson > >> > I did not curse God > >> > I tried to understand > >> > Why me? > >> > There is no reason > >> > There never is > >> > So, why not me? > >> > > >> > It is perverse > >> > Some days I move at will > >> > Others cannot despite my will > >> > > >> > It moves in leaps as if to curb > >> > My pleasure. > >> > I am trapped inside my body. > >> > But not in prison. > >> > For I have much to do before I go > >> > I must complete the task, > >> > Fulfil the vision. > >> > > >> > II > >> > > >> > There are otherswho do not know > >> > Why they are different > >> > Or what makes them so > >> > They live in squalor and > >> > Fear > >> > Of what they do not know. > >> > > >> > Because we are indifferent > >> > Because we care more for the far away > >> > Than the near > >> > Bosnia, not Regent's Park > >> > New neighbourhoods to us > >> > Xenophobia is powerful > >> > We are afraid of what we do not know. > >> > > >> > The Good Samaratin shared not our fears > >> > He helped without reward > >> > We have neither > >> > Soul nor imagination > >> > We care what others think > >> > Emotion does not show > >> > It is unmanly > >> > To stop before satiety > >> > Or so we think. > >> > > >> > III > >> > > >> > He said: "The poor are always with us" > >> > Do not make Him a liar > >> > For He is perfect > >> > And cannot lie. > >> > > >> > We are or brother's keeper > >> > Providence keeps us. > >> > We defy it hedonically > >> > Always testing limits > >> > We are the hollow men > >> > And do not now it. > >> > We whimper at affronts to comfort > >> > And repeat old words > >> > That cleanse guilt > >> > Like silver polish > >> > No effort. > >> > > >> > We go about from day to day > >> > Seeing nothing but footsteps. > >> > Smelling only the ordinary and execrable, > >> > Feeling nothing but itchen textures and > >> > Bedroom emotions. > >> > > >> > What closes or eyes to wonder? > >> > Our touch to the exquisite? > >> > Our minds to the unknown? > === message truncated === _____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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