I will have to assume you read my post Title and not the entire post. The only part of my post you chose to comment on was the stem cell issue. I also started my first post with discussion of suggestions the author could do to learn more about her illness and how she might be able to help the entire Parkinson's community.

I suggested in the next paragraph what most studies have stated about those with the genetic portion of PD and what is considered the most effective treatment today. I did not tell her she should do any of my suggestions, but only attempted to share some of the studies I have read.

I do not agree with the majority of Parkinson's patients that the one of the most important political issues is finding the cure for Parkinson's disease. I wouldn't even consider it one of the top ten. I watch the news at night and see the conditions that the cultures in Africa and the Middle East live in, hear stories of how many Americans are without healthcare, and the poor scores of our American students and how the American education system is suffering in comparison to the education received in other countries. I do not spend my time complaining about my Parkinson's disease and the quality of life I lead. I have educated myself to understand the nature of my disease and accept what today's scientific community is able to offer.

If you think Parkinson's Disease is the most important political issue, I would suggest you spend some time in the inner city schools of some of America's largest cities, where the majority of the students are immigrants who have come to America to escape a life of sub-human conditions. I am fighting a case of pinworm, from spending time at such a school, volunteering to help students learn music, an international language.

I do this on my good days which are getting farther and farther apart. But as long as I can contribute to society I will. And on the days I can't I will be grateful for those who return to me what I have tried to give to others.

Since many of you like poetry on this site, let me remind you of a poem you probably heard in elementary school. It has had a big impact on my life.

Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920.

1. The Road Not Taken


TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Love,
Vicky

Vicky,

Why don't you write to Phyllis Richman and feel her out about how much she knows about genetics. She said it was because of patient involvement that she is "coming out."

Who better than you?

paula

Dear Paula,

As you said in your post, "plus she mentioned us," so I assume she will read the post, and no doubt, since she admits to reading them in the past, would be hard put to have missed the subject in the past.

Who better than me? Just about anyone on this forum. I am known and disregarded on this forum, because of my prolife beliefs. As one poster wrote, "If the "devil" is at work here, it's my opinion that "work" involves convincing otherwise well-meaning people that it's a "sin" to use the knowledge we've been given to pursue scientific solutions to the problems that face mankind." Radioguy. Therefore I must be considered a kook, and everything I am should be disregarded. I know you mean well, Paula, but I tend to be cursed by emotional potshots by persons like above.

How many of the people who posted on this site ever participated in a Parkinson's walkathon, even those with relatives who have Parkinson's disease (discluding caregivers, obviously they are involved because of their carepatient) before their diagnosis? The author admits to waiting 7 years to come out. Now that she is having difficulty working it has become a priority for her. Same for Michael J. Fox, God love him, who abused his subscription drugs, in an effort to keep his illness a secret. It has left him suffering now more than need be. I understand Parkinson's disease will eventually kill me. But I won't let it change me, including my spiritual beliefs.

When I work with the children, and they see me shaking, I explain why. They tend to assume I am afraid and I need to reassure them that I am not to get their full attention. I have the support of the teachers throughout the schools I volunteer at as well as the principals.

Were more of us to allow ourselves to be seen in public places, as volunteers, instead of attending congressional conferences and seeking power, like so many other lobbyists, the American people may be more aware and sympathatic to our problems.

Love,
Vicky

I had to think awhile before writing this and I'm still not sure what I will say. Your pain is so great that there is little I can do from here other than to care about you. It's not much and I wish I could do more. But it is sincere. Perhaps it will help. =Rick

Vicky...

You said... "Radioguy. Therefore I must be considered a kook, and everything I am should be disregarded."

One more time -- point to anything I wrote that indicates that.

I'll say it one more time. I think that people who want to enforce THEIR religious beliefs on ME are standing in the way of research for a cure.

Are you one of those people? If you are, then you have to justify that in your OWN mind. If you think that the embryos left over from in vitro fertilization are BETTER scraped into the garbage than being used for research, I'd love to hear your rationale for that.

Your pain is no greater than anyone else on this forum. I'm merely stating my opinion. And, as you will see if you go back through my posts, my comments were not, were not, were NOT directed at you personally. When I posted my original comment on the subject, I had no idea what your stance on stem cells was. I do now, however, and I think you are wrong. And I think that because people who believe the same as you have the ear of the President, this important research is years behind where it SHOULD be. I get to think that. It's my opinion. This is America.

Be well, be happy. I know you've been abused as a child. I know you have issues. I know everything I know from reading your posts. Having been raised by loving parents, I can not begin to imagine your pain. But I also know this is a bastard of a disease and I am willing to do anything -- ANYTHING -- to help find a cure or at least better treatments. You have a right to believe whatever you want to believe. But when your beliefs get in the way of curing MY disease, I get a little cranky.

I'm sure you are a lovely person, and I hope you will accept my comments in the spirit of commonality in which they are offered.

I don't believe for one moment Vicky has not influenced my thoghts on stem cell research. It is one thing to have a belief in them and another to hear what the belief of the other side is. All of us have to decide what we feel is best for us and insure we make that decision known.

Disease is not a gift from a god it is a curse of man.

We need her to keep our morale up while I don't share her views on stem cell research I share many of her other views.

Respect her and we respect ourselves for the fight to regain control of our lives is out there somewhere for us to find.

Dear Rick,

Please do not think I am in pain over past issues. My use of the childhood abuse example was to make a point, not to invite sympathy. That was a pain I dealt with years ago, and have put behind me. Just as I have also come to terms with living with Parkinson's disease and accept what current science has to offer rather than request the American people fund a cure for my disease.

The American people are already pounded by TV ads requesting funding for Lupus, MS, Breast Cancer, other cancers, Heart Disease, diabetes, cystic fybrosis and too many other diseases to mention. Americans have been so saturated by ads meant to pull at their sympathetic heartstrings, that they now turn off when the requests are made. They have families to feed, their own health crisis's to deal with, children to clothe and educate. They are not at fault anymore than I am.

I look at the disease as an opportunity to discover the strength of my beliefs. I believe if there was a way the American people could help people like ourselves they would do it at the drop of a hat.

Rick, your sensitivity is deeply appreciated as well as Thelma's, who seemed to be closer than any other response to my post; to understand my right to state my opinion as respectfully and thoughtfully as I am able. Thank you Thelma.

Radio Guy and Jean,

"I'm wondering where in my post you saw me suggesting that PD was the most important political issue" Please explain to me where in my post I addressed your remarks at all in my first responce. As I recall the article summarized by Paula, about which I was posting, mentioned the view of the author that the cure for Parkinson's disease lay in politics and that the private research industry does not have the money or desire to research for a cure.

If the "devil" is at work here, it's my opinion that "work" involves convincing otherwise well-meaning people that it's a "sin" to use the knowledge we've been given to pursue scientific solutions to the problems that face mankind."

Hitler, who considered himself a well meaning dictator, perceived the Jewish race as something to be exterminated for the good of the German people. He almost succeeded exterminating a race of people who have given great gifts to the world as a result of their culture. Hitler's justification is no different than that for using embryonic tissue. The Jewish people were treated like lab rats because the Hitler regime deemed that the Jewish people were not really human like the rest of white Europeon society. He did not succeed because the rest of the world saw the evil of Hitler's argument and chose not to accept it by conquering his regime. The knowledge learned from the research on Jewish victims of the holocaust was either destroyed or locked away and deemed not feasible to be used due to the methods that were used to get the scientific knowledge. One example was a research test which immersed Jewish holocaust victims in cold water and monitor them until death to discover how long Hitler submarine divers could survive in the cold waters. Even science can be expected to adhere to ethical standards, with or without Christianity intervention.

[B]"I'll say it one more time. I think that people who want to enforce THEIR religious beliefs on ME are standing in the way of research for a cure.

Are you one of those people? If you are, then you have to justify that in your OWN mind."[B]Are you telling me to keep my views to myself? " If you think that the embryos left over from in vitro fertilization are BETTER scraped into the garbage than being used for research, I'd love to hear your rationale for that. " Are you asking me to speak about my views?

Obviously, I cannot change your athiest beliefs, nor am I trying to. I am exercising my right of free speech to disagree with the majority of persons on this site. As Theresa stated, I am not trying to persuade anyone that my view is the right view, only that my view is different and equally has the right to be seen and discussed.

You tell me you never called me a kook, however, the dripping sarcastic tone in your post as quoted above is as disrespectful as if you had called me a kook. You are aware of the nastiness of your abusive post by trying to explain it away; "But when your beliefs get in the way of curing MY disease, I get a little cranky. Funny, I thought we all had the same"bastard of a disease". What isn't funny is that one Parkinson patient feels he has the right to belittle another Parkinson patient for having different beliefs. Not to mention another, supposedly more experienced patient, thanking him for his belittleing behaivior and encouraging it further.

Vicky

Hi, Vicky.

I did, in fact, read your entire post. I generally do not comment about things that I haven't read in their entirety.

I think Ms. Bachman is doing a WORLD of good by going public. By a public airing of her disease, perhaps someone reading the Post will recognize the symptoms in him or herself and get some care. Call it "lighting a candle" instead of "cursing the darkness." We all fight this thing in our own way. What's right for some may not be right for others.

I'm wondering where in my post you saw me suggesting that PD was the most important political issue.

I do think there's potential in stem cell research. And I also believe that people who want to impose their religious beliefs on others are responsible standing in the way of that potential. This is not directed at you, neither was my previous comment. It's my opinion. That's all it is.

Thank you for caring about the children, and good luck with the pinworm.

Bill