"We'll have a cure or better medication in 5 - 10 years".
Ok, so where is this cure or better medication? It's been 10 years.

"How you feeling? Great! I always shook, shuffeled my feet, and moved slowly.

"But you look good". I can't help it, I was the good looking one of the litter.

'Can I help you over to a chair"? No, where were you yesterday when I was froze in the middle of the street?

" But there isn't any pain with Parkinson's". Who says so? If not I'll just let you have this for a few days.

GregD

but i've gotta believe that it is just their inablility to cope with their own reaction to seeing someone who was "normal" just a year ago, develop symptoms of pd. it slams them face to face with their own mortality and not many are prepared to think that if it could happen to you-it could just as easily happen to them. what hurt me the most, was when a girlfriend saw me out w/ my kids who were at that time about 10 and 8. she came up and spoke directly to my kids, as if i weren't even there. she asked the kids how their mom was, what had i been up to, and sent her love all without meeting my eyes. years later, emboldened by several cocktails, i confronted her (kindly) about this and she admitted that it was to her a life-altering moment; that she was shaken up so deeply in her soul that she couldn't look at me without crying. i told her that it was ok to cry but it was never ok to pretend that i wasn't there. we are friends again and she is learning how to deal with my disease. another thing that i use as a teaching opportunity is when little kids stare at me and poke their parents and ask "what's wrong with that lady?" as the parents try to scurry the child away, i talk to the kid and tell them that i have a disease and it's called parkinson's. i tell them that they can't catch it but it makes me like the tin man in the wizard of oz. he couldn't move without his oilcan and i can't move without my medicine. that is usually all it takes and i have a young friend who is know on the road to becoming pd aware.

The one I always seem to get (and really hate) is:

"didn't they just find a cure for that?"

Firstly - who are "they"
Secondly - How come no one tod me!!

Chris

Because I'm doing a podcast and it's a topic of conversation.

As you may be able to infer from the reaction, it's something a lot of us deal with.

Why did you respond to a post that you don't care about?

What do YOU say when well meaning people ask dumb questions?

i taught phycially impaired (as they were classified in FL) for the last ten years of my job. I had a volunteer come in to help several days a week - an adult with Cerebral Palsy but as those cases go, a mild one. It was enough to "handicap" her in every way that counts if you want to try to work. She had drive, but was completely sarcastic and angry about always having to point things out about her CP.

We had best be careful we don't become like that to a sour degree. Her favorite bust was when a teacher would actually park in a handicapped spot - she'd go after them on her scooter with eyes blazing.

But I can see she was part of my preparation, as were so many of the students.

To me these are more like: ~~ Things That People Repeatedly Say that Eventually Become Stupid To Us - Get Past This Stage People and You Will Be Showing Early Signs of Becoming Someday Able to Communicate With Disabled Person~~

It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. I like the new funny answers.

paula

Bill, No idea where you got the idea I don't care about the post. I do care about the post and know you just made a little assumption but I do not care about the comments or dumb questions.

I just hope that we do not become known as a "bunch of stupid Parkies" based on our responses to stupid comments or questions.

None of us is immune to giving or receiving stupidy

People that make stupid comments or stupid questions will not care how well thought out or witty our responses are.

It is not just the person with Parkinsons that gets thoughtless comments their partners get ones that are often even worse if that is possible.I am not going to write them here as they are just so painful. I have been so stunned by some that I have been left speechless.

Jaye, I love your reply A! I'll have to remember that.

People say "And how are you DOING?" And I always say "Oh, I'm great" . Since I hate talking about PD, I follow that up by my new treadmill, or how far we're planning to hike this summer, especially to people who couldn't do what I do because they're so out of shape. Gives me a moment's satisfaction! Long may it last.

I really hate telling friends we haven't seen for awhile who don't know because they're always so shocked and do say stupid things and then feel they have to apologize afterwards. I think now that I should have just told everyone I know as soon as I was diagnosed, but at the time I just couldn't do it.

So, your answer is what then? Give me somethin' here, Ken? People SAY these things to us. Maybe they haven't to you, since you've been dx'd 4 years and one month and aren't on meds yet (and good for you, I hope that trend continues for years).

But to a lot of US who are on and off and looking good one minute and shitty the next, we get ASKED these questions. Therefore it's an appropriate topic for a forum and a podcast aimed at PWPs.

If you don't like the question, I suggest you move on. There's nothing to see here. But if you have anything to add to the discussion, I'd love to see it.

Jeesh Bill, you titled your message "Stupid Things People Say"

They are just making conversation/greeting and the response depends on both the stupidee and the stupider along with the general circumstances, surroundings, and others in the group.

If it is a stupid comment/question either get stupid back or ignore it but dont bring PD into a situation where nothing is going to be helped. "Everything is not about PD" is not simply a rumor.

The only time I use PD in other than a more serious detailed conversation(involves multiple give/take) is to respond to a "how are you" with

"Still stiff and shakey in all the wrong places" and that only with friends