DocJohn, thanks for how you expressed that. I am a caregiver/advocate for my dearest pal who has some kind of Parkinsonism. She is one whose Parkinson's diagnosis came reluctantly from neurologists 13 years ago; it's still not uncommon for a physical therapist, doctor or other expert to comment how atypical is her presentation -- yet this is the path that is the closest fit. Yes, she does get benefit from l-dopa but that alone doesn't convincingly confirm a diagnosis of Parkinson's, in our humble opinion. The brain is a mystery.

Because her condition is acute and complex, we have sought and continue to pursue the widest range of allopathic and traditional medicine to support betterment.

What is recovery? What is healing? It looks, from here, to be something that one must define for themselves. Sometimes the spirit heals whilst the body goes its own way. That is healing, to some. If the body doesn't degenerate as fast as it would have without "experimental," "unproven" or culturally different method, is this not some kind of recovery? Recovery of otherwise lost life?

Anyhow, I'm writing here to thank you for your posting. I found GREAT help and solace four years ago from this group when we had to take up self-help and advocacy to prevent Jan's death. She's much better today because of what I learned here, yet I stay away for months at a time because of plainly hostile responses on this listserv I can expect to receive when I post questions, information sharing and express interest in non-pharmaceutical possibilities.

On this group, I've been repeatedly accused (by one person) of being a shill for a manufacturer, of selling product, of having financial interest in the remedies we were researching or giving a trial. It was heartbreaking to have this directed my way.

We do not need to insult one another when our points of view or life choices differ.

I do want to know when someone personally knows of reasons for caution. I do hope that insistence of PROOF that something is formally established as a solution for Parkinson's can be dropped from our conversations here. If that cannot become an agreement among us, then make that a requirement for posting. I would oppose limitations on our speech, of course, but if you read through many threads the same challenge appears repeatedly: how dare you say anything if you cannot cite medical evidence from mainstream U.S. approved channels?

I hope this issue can be resolved here, so that people like Jan can get the solace, help, inspiration and advocacy needed to keep up the struggle against giving in to this disease.

Warm wishes to all,
Trisha