Re: introduction and question

[Joe Ryan <jryan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Kristin,

I hope you get as much out of PIEN as I have over the past year and a half
or so, I have found that it's been a great resource both for information and
encouragement.

Your question about sharing information about your struggle with your staff
and your clients is an important one. From my own experience I know that
there have been people with whom I wish I had not shared this information as
soon as I did. Not only did they have their own preconceptions about
Parkinson's Disease, but I didn't know enough about my own functioning with
Parkinson's to be able to give them accurate information about how it was
affecting me. I think it may be wise to go slowly, which is not to say it
should be treated as some dark secret.

In regards to your veterinarian practice, would being diagnosed with
Parkinson's Disease effect your malpractice insurance? If you provide your
staff with health-insurance, will this affect your rates to the point that
you can't afford the premiums? I'm sure there are other questions that would
come up. Maybe it would be helpful for you to contact a lawyer or advocate
who deals with disabilities. Maybe we even have someone like that lurking on
our list. Perhaps the list ought to turn its attention to sharing what
strategies have worked for them. At any rate, thanks for asking the
question.

Joe


---- Original Message -----
From: "Kristin Woestehoff" <kgwoestehoff@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 9:22 AM
Subject: introduction and question


> Hi,
>  my name is Kristin and I am new to the list and to the PD community.  I
> am 49, married with two kids and own my on veterinary practice in
> Colorado.  I heard about PIEN when I read the book, When Parkinsons
> Strikes Early.  That was a great book to start my education and get me
> connected to a very supportive PD community.  I had some trouble signing
> up for PIEN at first, so I joined the yahoo PD list (plwp2) and found out
> what a great group of people this disease brings together!  It is nice not
> to have to go through this alone...
>
>  Right now I am newly diagnosed and very mild, so I am able to function
> OK, I just have the usual worries about the future.  I have left sided
> tremors and a bit of loss of strength and coordination on that side, but
> not so much that it affects what I do.  I will ask a question that I asked
> the PLWP2 list, as I want to hear what others think.  I am struggling with
> how much to tell people.  It is in my nature to 'let it all hang out' so I
> will probably be quite open about it, but I do wonder how people will
> react.  Friends and family I am not too concerned about.  I am mostly
> concerned about what my staff at work and my clients (the pet owners) will
> think.  Will they think I am not capable?  I think right now I can, for
> instance, do surgery OK.  The tremor is in my nondominant hand, and I do
> not really notice it much during surgery.  I am sure that will change
> overtime and I will have to give up that aspect of my practice.
>
>  I am not currently being treated for PD.  I do take propranolol which
> seems to diminish the trremors, probably by dimishing any anxiety I might
> have that aggravates the tremors.
>
>  Looking forward to learning from you all!
>  Kristin
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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