When to tell==to John Levin

[will johnston <johnston@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

She asks tough questions.

I personally think she should let her close friends know about her
Parkinson's Disease  BEFORE  her symptoms become obvious.

Her friends can see how well she is doing now. Her friends will be able to
understand her illness later when "people would wonder if she's lost it."
PD is about the best of the worst diseases.


The small town gossip fear she has sounds good.  She apparently is well
known -people don't gossip much about unknown people. She will still fit in
the community. People today generally understand that PD isn't contagious,
and, if they don't, ought to learn.

The problem comes with employment for many. Does she work? Has she a
husband? A significant other?

Will Johnnston
A.P.D.A. DelMarVA Chapter Pres.
4049 Oakland School Road
Salisbury MD 21804 USA 410-543-0110


----------
From: John Levin <johnl@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: When to tell
Date: Sunday, December 20, 1998 3:52 AM

I have a patient who has come to me for advice and I am not sure what to
tell her. I would be grateful if I could get some suggestions from the
list.
She is a 63 year old grandmother diagnosed 5 years ago.She has asked me
when
she should tell some of her close friends. She has some dyskinesia which is
probably noticeable to some untrained eyes.
She is concerned about people making a fuss or being pitied. Also she is
concerned about gossip in a small community.

John Levin MD