I noticed this site back when it came online, but was dealing with some medical issues that required my full-time attention, and add to that the fact that my daughter is getting married tomorrow, needless to say my plate was quite full.

On top of all my PD problems, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October. Had a lumpectomy and radiation treatment (only 1 more session to go......whew). Thank God I don't need chemo as the cancer was stage 1, grade 1, but I will be forever worrying about recurrence.

So this is the calm before the storm, so to speak. Gonna take it easy tonite because will need to conserve my energy for tomorrow. Wish me luck guys!

Many of us here have more than one medical issue. This often leads to people who have , or know people who have PD, judging us as having a disease that is "really not as bad as they say it is". This irks me to no end. I have other medical issues , and my wife has said to me on numerous occasions "well i've seen x's dad , and he's had PD for 15 years and is not as bad as you". Well, dahhh, x's dad doesn't have heavy calcium deposits in his spine, and gouty arthritis like i do, along with other ailments concurrently with PD. People without parkinson's often miss these facts, and think that we are complaining about nothing. Cancer is a bigee, and can have serious psychological effects , increased anxiety and general side effects that have nothing to do with PD. They have to walk a mile in your shoes, prefferably in 6 inch stilleto pumps on a slippery rock surface , downhill. Get the idea .

I read you ol'cs. When it was only PD that I was battling, I would get "Well at least you don't have cancer". Now when I complain about anything I get, "Well at least you're not terminal". Don't even want to think where these kind of responses could lead to.........

I got news for them. I don't want PD and I don't want cancer, and I can complain all I want! Sheeeesh!!!!!

bluedahlia, Glad to hear you are on the mend...cancer-wize.

Best of luck for the wedding...the weather, the hair dos, the flowers, the food...the whole big to-do...tomorrow. Let us know how it went!

It is sad that so many people can't even begin to empathize with another person's life challenges. I have two sisters like that. You are so right about "walking a mile" in someone else's shoes.

Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance. -- Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine, February 2003


p.s. dancing is a matter of the mind, not necessarily of the feet

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How much more evidence do we need that the world is toxic? I'm sorry to hear about your cancer and so glad you have recovered. Most of us have had our own personal "9/11" as one author called it when he got his diagnosis of PD. Then there are all the other possible medical terror attacks that can strike us.

You are keeping your sense of humor; that's an excellent sign. Humor is medicine and Carolyn so is dancing.

Paula