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It is interesting to notice that almost imperceptibly certain attitudes are becoming politically correct in our little community. Which is a pity because political correctness is a tool for social comfort not for truth. Take, for example the subject of end stage Parkinson's. Recent comments by Joan Samuelson, as reported in the NY Times, brought this frightening subject into discussion. And how did we respond - we denied the problem existed. We said as to those who expressed their fear at the prospect of Stage V PD that it would never happen. Have hope we said - look to the future, look to the cure. And it is right that we said so - because we must have hope and we must look to the future. We must also raise the money that will fund the research that will find the cure. But we should not, in the process, deny that Stage IV and V PD exists. It is not some bogey man existing only in imagination - it is real and for a great many of us it is not in the future - it is already the present. What's more it has not been put on hold because "the cure" is coming. Even if the cure is only 5 - 10 years away a great many of us now in the earlier stages will experience these later stages. If today we silence those people who are prepared to share with us the fullness of their experience, by accusing them of being pessimists and gloom and doom merchants merely for stating the way things are for them, this community will be doing itself a disservice, and one the current crop of Stage I II and III PWP will regret if the cure is delayed by even a few years. The thought of late stage PD is a frightening one - but the possibility of having to face it someday cannot be ignored. No doubt the argument will be made that for the newly diagnosed it is all to much to soon. This is possibly true, but I would suggest that the decision then rests with them to read or not read such postings - to remain or not remain on this list . If we, for reasons of political correctness join with PD in silencing the worst afflicted of our community, we betray them - and we betray ourselves. Dennis. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dennis Greene 49/dx 37/ onset 32 There's nothing wrong with me that a cure for PD won't fix! [log in to unmask] http://members.networx.net.au/~dennisg/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ So let us tell hope