And I just followed Tena's link above (thank you, Tena) and found some really beautiful people over there. I remembered how bad things seemed for me before my major depression was treated (it appeared before my PD dx) and how glad I am to be living as I am now, albeit with PD and a stabilized mood disorder.

I'm barely awake. Sorry if this makes no sense.

J.

..somewhere around the mid-20th century. Before then it was a profession and art. The chemical companies saw a chance to ride the antibiotic miracle to establish chemical based medicine. As a business it attracted people who were in it for the money and patients became products on an assembly line. "Doctors" made huge incomes with no tie to their results. Live or die, your bill was the same.

The money drew vermin and the "Doctor's" little paradise began to crumble as the insurance companies and HMOs showed them how it was done. They still had their egos, though. And a piece of law that said they were the only ones who were allowed to attempt to heal your body. You just thought it was yours.

Hey, ol cs, let's go get a drink. :-)


They are still doing it through the FDA. Ron Paul's going to mess it up for them though.

How are you Rosebud? Did you lose my email? I did yours. Leave me a private message so we can chat. I loved yoour top 10 questions on the mind of every healthy female - laughed for 10 minutes. And Jaye, you probably do have the dream team (I mean - it's John Hopkins!), but I bet I have the worldd's best neurologist!

My doctor KNOWS that my PD and behaviors - mood - symptoms, etc are interrelated. He doesn't do this for all his patients, but my kids (who worked in the hospital at the time) worked with him, so that sort of gave me an edge. Then my son sold neurological drugs for a while, so I had that advantage.

Anyway, he doesn't come in and start the neurological exam (in fact, he seldom does any of that stuff - he observes me and talks to me - yes, TALKS). I start feeling like I may be taking away from other patients when he spends 45 min. to an hour! I figure most of his patients are elderly and maybe I'm one that is more his age. His mother was a teacher, too, so we have that in common. But he does have psychiatric board certification, also.

I wish everyone had a doctor as wonderful as he is - he doesn't mind to say "I don't know," or "I'd like to refer you to ???" One time I said that I could just see him about my pain in my neck (cervical herniations). He said, "Why would you ride in a Ford when you can ride in a Cadallic?"

Whatta guy!


Peggy

Talking about your personal life with your doctor can be a bad thing!

I was in a very stressful situation with my supervisor at work. I tried to talk about it with my doctor because I knew the stress was impacting my health. This was before anyone mentioned PD. However, that conversation about my boss became grounds for my long-term disability (LTD) insurance company to deny my claim. The policy is supposed to replace lost income and pay into my retirement fund. Well, the insurance company said I was just trying to get away from my boss and denied the claim.

Now, I have a diagnosis of PD and my doctors limit my work to no more than four hours per day (and even that is a challenge). However, even with the medically mandated work restrictions and a diagnosis, I still don't have the insurance. What I do have is the stress of having to fight for the benefits I paid for through many years of premiums. (I am supposed to qualify for benefits if my income is less than 80 percent of my predisability earnings.)

So, from my experience, my advice is to be careful what you say to your doctor. It goes into records that the insurance company will read and use to keep from paying benefits. It is, after all, in their best interest to not pay us.

Karl

It's nice to reconnect with some of you that I haven't touched bases with for a long time, and see a few new names too. It seems we have a full spectrum of care out there, but those of you who are the happiest are near the large centers. Like Jaye near John Hopkins (Maryland ?) and Carey in Seattle etc. I live fairly close to the Pacific Parkinson's Research center, but it's hell to get to and you have to wait minimum 6 months to get in. I've not been particularly impressed with them anyway. Getting on this forum and posting a good rant is one of the best therapies I've found to date... a tribute to what goes on here and the kind of encouragement and information that's exchanged has been one of the greatest assets in my PD arsenal. Keep it going guys!

Rosebud - I'd give the Booth Gardner Center at Evergreen another try. Dr. Monique Giroux is back as Medical Director after a 3 year sojourn at the Cleveland Clinic - she just started seeing patients again this summer. And for the first time they now have 3 full time movement disorder specialists, so I can't imagine the wait would be that long. I have been a patient there since it opened in 2000, and have never had to wait more than two weeks to get an appointment. Don't know for sure what the lead time is for new patients, but 6 months sounds too long.

They are in the process of building a new neuroscience center at Evergreen that will be state of the art - and that includes on-site space for art therapy and yoga, etc.

Rosebud, the 41'st bus from Joyce Skytrain works great if you aren't in an outlying area.

I find them good when Im there and dont mind the long waits but I know they will accommodate emergencies. Me - I go as infrequently as possible to anything medical related.


,,,,, ken

both took an holistic view focussing on PD, work and home.

Given that stress is our killer, their focus is mainly on that angle, for example the decision to give up work was a joint one between myself and the Neuro based on input from all three perspectives.

I don't know how a Neuro can do his/her job effectively without getting patient background, (although I suppose some do).

Neil.

(just seen this is my 200th post, 125 on Spheramine and 62 on Rugby. I need to get out more).

Whoops! I thought you were talking about the Seattle area clinic!

You might think about coming down for an evaluation - they see many Canadians as well as people from several other countries.

Aftermathman - my neurologist also played a significant factor in persuading me to pursue disability based on the stress factor.