from a "lurker list owner"

[Barbara Patterson <bpatterson58@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

What a GREAT message.  You have expressed my feelings more clearly than
anything I have read (or written)  Thank You.  Barb


> > From: _nina@xxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:nina@xxxxxxxxxxx)
> >
> > When I was diagnosed twenty one years ago my neurologist said with
> > all the research being done and the new drugs, that if I had to have
> > a neurological disease, Parkinson?s was the one to have.  Am I  lucky
> > or what?  I?ve bought raffle tickets, played bingo, entered  all kinds
> > of contests and have never won anything; but for some  unknown reason
> > my ticket to join the Parkinson Parade was  picked.  And it changed my
> > life!
> > For some reason, when I am  asked ?How Parkinson?s has affected my
> > life, I seem to have a problem  coming up with a quick answer.  I
> > tried to figure out why that  should be such a hard question for
> > someone who has lived with  Parkinson?s and worked for the Parkinson?s
> > community for 21  years.
> > Over the years my symptoms have multiplied and worsened.   Because
> > there is not a day that goes by that allows me to forget I  have
> > Parkinson?s, I often reflect on a story that makes me smile  and
> > reminds me of the difference in being a pessimist or an  optimist.
> > A young boy, placed in a room filled full with toys, sat in  the
> > middle of the room without touching one of them.  There were  so many
> > he couldn?t decide which to play with.  A second little  boy was
> > placed in a room full of horse manure.  He dove in and  tossed it one
> > way, then another.  After about an hour, as he was  dragged from the
> > room, he was heard crying, ?Wait?with all that horse  manure, there
> > must be a pony in there somewhere!?  My way of  living with a body
> > that reminds me every three hours to take  medications is to keep
> > looking for the pony.
> > Because Parkinson?s is  usually described as ?progressive,?
> > ?debilitating? and ?incurable? I  know the problems I face today will
> > seem inconsequential tomorrow, but  I refuse to feel ?debilitated.?  I
> > prefer not to dwell upon the  negatives that make my life difficult,
> > but rather upon the positives  that make my life full.
> > ·    While taking medication  every two hours may force me to live
> > by the clock, I?m grateful I live  in a time when there are
> > medications available.  Without the  chemical camouflage from the
> > cocktail of medications I take, I  wouldn?t be able to walk at all.
> > ·    Although my symptoms first  forced me to give up tennis and
> > skiing and then later, give up my  walker for a scooter when the
> > medications don?t work, I am,  nonetheless grateful to have the  mobility.
> > ·    Although I hate  seeing a photo or video of myself with my body
> > contorted or moving  abnormally, at least it opens an opportunity to
> > educate someone about  Parkinson?s.
> > ·    Although I?m afraid I?ll lose my balance and fall  when I lean
> > over for a hug, I love that someone wants to give me a  hug.
> > I could go on, but you get the idea.  I guess you could say  that
> > Parkinson?s has brought facets to my life that I never could  have
> > foreseen? while it has done a lot to me, it?s done a lot for  me.
> > There is no doubt that Parkinson?s has changed my  life.  It would be
> > foolish of me to say I?m lucky that I have an  incurable, progressive,
> > degenerative disease, but?
> > ·Without  Parkinson?s, I wouldn?t write HAPS monthly newsletter for
> > 2300, which  has given me a personal way to reach out and touch
> > thousands and in  return, so many have reached back and touched me.
> > Without Parkinson?s, I  would have missed the opportunity of meeting
> > some of the most  courageous, inspiring, amazing people I know.
> > Without Parkinson?s, I would  never have had the PASSION or
> > opportunity to fight for and represent  the Parkinson community with
> > legislators in Austin and Washington, or  help co-found two
> > organizations involved with medical research that  give the hope of
> > removing the word ?incurable? from the description of  Parkinson?s.
> > And with Parkinson?s, the love and devotion that Joe, my husband  of
> > forty-four years, and I have shared has become even greater  because
> > of our commitment to fight the fight and work toward that  common  goal.
> > Life is similar to a game of cards.  We have no control  over the hand
> > dealt us.  However, we do have control over the way  we play the
> > hand.  There's no point in blaming the dealer for a  bad hand.  The
> > trick is to play it out with all the skill and  determination we
> > possess.  I?m not smart enough to find a cure  for this disease, but I
> > am determined to do my best to make it  possible for some researcher
> > somewhere to find a cure.
> > In short, I  decided that if I have to ride in the Parade, I?d prefer
> > to do it on a  pony!
> >
> >
> >
> >
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