cs, you have described PD without the mask. Yes, that's what happens and that's the way it feels.

Vicky, you have described what you have been able to do to live with dignity despite PD. Yes, that's what happens and that's the way it feels.

Ideally, I would give cs's wife a little more maturity from the outset, and I would applaud Vicky's recognition that her ability to bear up is something special. I know you both, and I know cs is up sometimes and sometimes Vicky is down.

Most of us live between the two situations we read about above, and we all try to follow the examples of Carolyn, Birte, Tena, and boomer (who had responded at the time I wrote this)in consoling and encouraging each other. But we don't know all there is to know about the situations.

What am I trying to say? Oh gosh, I guess it's that my heart goes out to all of us. I posted a thread with my story of how taking care of myself helps, to encourage others, because the measures I mentioned do indeed work if one finds it possible to follow them. But never, never should we blame ourselves for being sick. I've seen families that were supportive, and I've seen marriages break up at close hand because of PD. I've been pampered, and I've been blamed for things that were absolutely not within my power to change, and then scolded for trying to explain my limitations. I've been treated like I was crazy for asking or a ride to a night meeting due to my perceptual and reaction time problems. I've watched my crochet hook stop in mid-air and had to wait till later to work on the gift for a grandchild I haven't seen yet because of PD. I usually manage to stay fairly upbeat, but that doesn't mean I don't know how you feel or haven't sat with someone who has been through the same thing.

Yeah, I feel for all of us. cs's writing is quite supportive for us, I think. Oops, gotta set that timer. I have 45 minutes left on my pity party--for that's what this is--a limit set by a doc I know. Maybe your limit is different and you have a good long one coming, I don't know, but we're here for each other whenever.

Jaye