Sorry. But at the risk of offending everyone again with my buttinski opinion I want to say that I think posts such as this one, while very moving, belong somewhere else.

We saw something in a similar vein that was equally depressing last week.

This website is called "Daily
Strength". I don't think these kinds of postings give anyone strength. At least not in this Community. Perhaps the Community dealing with grief or loss is better suited for this post. I thought this was supposed to be a spot for hope and uplifting of the soul? This falls extremely short of the mark. It makes me very sad (as did the one last week) and I was already sad when I came here hoping to find strength.

I say this from the viewpoint of a primary caregiver and I have to believe that feeling is magnified infinitesimally for those afflicted with PD who frequent these pages.

While I don't expect this to be a Pollyanna sugar-coated forum and realize many come here looking for consolation from others in the same boat, this doesn't cut the mustard IMO.

The reason why I thought it may shed some prospective, is because my father has PD, and it gave a better prospective of possible outcomes.

In a website called "Daily Strength"...that also includes the strength to face a potential reality and to learn how to cope with it. Not to just assume that everything in your journey with your loved one w/PD is going to be squeaky clean...

Only talking about hope and "uplifting" the soul, and forgetting the "other side" is absolute denile.

For me, I want to know what my dad may have to go through. I want to mentally prepare myself, and I'll take the good with the bad.

I too found the article depressing, BUT also a reality check. I am a full time caregiver for a wife with advanced PD. Not only is she wheelchair bound, but also incontinent, leans toward the left while sitting, makes a mess when eating, and shows obvious signs of dementia. Over the past few years, I have researched this disease extensively, and the one conclusion I've come to is that this disease affects everyone differently.
The description in the aforementioned article is extreme, but obviously a possible outcome. However, for most people with PD, they will probably not experience all of those final symptoms, but obviously some.
I see "Daily Strength" as a source of information from those that are experiencing like "problems" as well as a beneficial support group through the friends we've met that we can talk to for specific support and understanding.
I stumbled across this site nearly a year ago, and find it extremely imformative and for me, beneficial. I would like to think that I have helped others, but know that I have received much more than I have been able to give.
In my opinion, though depressing, articles such as the one discussed here are appropriate because of the information provided. We may not like (even hate) the information because it makes us uncomfortable, but it's pertinent information non-the-less.

I guess where I was coming from is that as a caregiver I've always felt this Community belongs to the patients more than it does to me -- that I'm their guest here and should always be mindful of respecting their feelings and fears. I don't expect others to come here for the same reasons I do but I come here to learn from those who have PD and to soak up all they will share with me. IMO they don't need me to explain PD to them.

While I think it's great having patients and caregivers share a forum (I know it's been wonderful for me) I think that mix should change the equation somewhat as to the content of our postings.

FS - I know you're still quite young with much different life experiences and perspectives on stuff than some of the older folks here. And I was sorry last night after I reacted to your post as I know you didn't do it with malice. And I know that you're having a very hard time with this and are only trying to help yourself struggle through it. And so I want to tell you I'm sorry if I made you feel bad.

As Caring1 pointed out - many or most won't suffer all of or even the worst of these symptoms. That's why I don't like to focus on them. I think most of us are pretty well aware of what may come to pass, and if not, that's probably because those folks have decided they are either not ready or don't want to know.

Being prepared for possible outcomes and poking someone in the eye with reality are two separate things. One can be prepared without being frightened or demoralized and depressed.

Whether it comes to pass or not, worrying will not change anything. It is what it is. What will be will be.

We can spend all our time fretting over the future and step outside the door today and be struck dead by lightening or a thousand other things. It does the mind no good to worry over something that may never happen.

For over twenty years my aunt cared for my uncle who had PD and it was he who wound up sitting by the side of her coffin after she died of cancer. How many times over those years might she have fretted about his final days and, yet, in the end it was she who had the shortest time on earth and the shortest amount of time (6 months) to stop and make peace with her world once her dx was made. He had at least 20 years to do so.

Bottom line - any of us could have a fate awaiting us that would make PD seem a blessing by comparison. Even when my husband got his PD dx we were thankful it was that and not ALS or MS.

This forum will ultimately be what people want it to be and what they choose to make it. Yes, we can come here for a reality check but a Google search will produce hundreds of thousands of reality checks. That's why I don't think it needs to be done here. JMHO.

I think if someone does not want to read the contents of a post, then just stop reading and move on.

I read the comments, and conciously chose to not read your article, having parkinsons is hard enough, why would you choose to publish a negative!!!! We need the positives

If this article was negative at all, keep it to yourself , none of us need to feel depressed

FallingStar, I read this article and could see myself mirrored in it. As a daughter,we have our own unique experiences with this illness. Very different than the survivor and vastly different from the spouse. It helps to know that others can relate to what we experience or have been through. No, it's not "pretty" nor is it positive. There is though, a sensitivity in the perspective and a respectful reality to it that was poignant for me. Thank you very much

Thanks for sharing. I needed to read this.