Re: doubting Thomas

[Judy George <judy_george@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

alf
perhaps those who love you dearly cant yet admit that pd is happening to you
all
its a bit like marriage you dont marry a person you marry a family
pd has that all invasive family and friends effect and reading this list
gives one a wholistic perspective on the far reaching effects of pd
diagnosis for family ,friends and others
denial is a subtle and often not too subtle thing and is as individual as
anything else that besets us
it is difficult to become grounded when symptoms are often nebulous,
sometimes mimic arthritis, sometimes look like the aging process, sometimes
one wonders if one is sure that a symptom was there yesterday, is it there
today?
these early days are difficult for everyone and we all hope like hell that
the neurologist was wrong
i find i have to insist that my near and dear talk about it with me
they hate the idea that i may have pd, they would rather it were something
different, they dont know what to expect, they are as confused as i am
perhaps time grounds us in the reality of the diagnosis and things settle
keep posting here because you get such support and assistance and love from
others who have been through it
judy


> From: Alf Cousins <alfc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network
> <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: doubting Thomas
> Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 16:21:26 +0930
>
> I know caregivers must have a difficult time, finding their lives turned
> upside down, especially after years of effort, but how do I deal with my
> wife (I'm not modern enough to call her a 'significant other') who responds
> to every report of my condition with a "that's probably just because of
> your
> age". I'm 50, I've had the symptoms for nearly two years, got a firm
> diagnosis from a Neurologist about two months ago. OK, so it's early days
> and I don't need meds, and the tremor etc doesn't get in the way of doing
> things. But I notice changes which I also read about in forums like this
> one, like vivid dreams, blurred vision, loss of smell, and so on. I have to
> say, I'm acutely aware of becoming a hypochondriac (-you know, the best way
> to make your family ill? Buy them a medical book for Xmas!) So, I kinda
> note
> the new symptoms with the same interest as, I imagine, a pregnant woman
> notes the subtle changes in her body. One day the bump is going to be
> obvious to everyone. But for now, when I report some new observation I'd
> like the conversation to be about the possibility that it may be related to
> PD, not have it dismissed as "Look you're getting older, you might have
> expected this to happen anyway..." Am I being unfair, am I missing
> something.... any caregivers out there who want to fire an opinion my way.
> Alf
> 50/<1/2

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