So Here's Where We Are -

Activism is very important to me, especially when it comes to PD. And quite frankly, even with all the celebrity buzz surrounding Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali, there just isn't enough out there. Most of the information I've gathered over the past few years is the same stuff written over and over again. And what about the kids of the YO patients? There is less for them. Yeah, there are a few books (Ali's daughter, Rasheda Ali, actually has a wonderful book for kids titled I'll Hold Your Hand So You Won't Fall) but not enough. Most of them deal with grandparents, not mom and dad. And forget it if your kid has and aunt or uncle with YOPD! So that has been one of my many projects I've been working on this year. I've been writing a series of children's books dealing with the issue. There is one for each - mommy, daddy, aunt and uncle. I have not been able to work on it everyday because I've been sooooo busy with everything else, but I should have the entire series finished by the end of the year. WooHoo!!!!



Another project I've thrown myself into full throttle is planning and organizing a formal charity Christmas ball for 2009. It's just in the very beginning stages right now, and by that I mean I am currently getting all my ducks in a row and networking, getting together all the people who are willing to help pull this off and tell me just exactly what in the hell I'm doing!!!! A very nice lady named Melissa, who runs the new YOPD group Keith recently started attending, has experience with this sort of thing, so she will actually be my partner is this new venture, and together we will throw a party of the likes this town has never seen! Okay, so maybe it won't be quite that big, but it does look promising. Black tie, catered, lots of press coverage, all proceeds donated to the APDA. It will be a ton of work, but the result will be well worth it!

This Sunday we are all going to the annual "Young At Heart" Parkinson's Support Group Picnic. Keith and I will wear our matching Shaky/I'm With Shaky shirts, and because we are trying to generate as much buzz as possible about the Store, I've invited the local news to come and do a story. We'll see if they actually show up. Wish us luck on that!

I recently had one of the producers of a popular PD documentary show some interest in filming our family. Let's face it - we've got a lot going on! And with Project Baby (thanks for that term, Michelle!!) underway, we are looking forward to lots of exciting changes. It will be very fascinating to see how all of this will affect Keith and the disease, and in turn, it will be just as fascinating to see how Parkinson's affects us and what we have planned. But, I have not heard back from her in weeks, so I guess she wasn't all that interested. I'm thinking about doing it myself. There are some small production companies in the area that could do all the editing and whatnots, but I think Keith and I could do all the filming. Heck, our video camera stays loaded and ready to go anyway. So that will be a learning experience in its own right!

Well, gotta run - you know - in the name of Project Baby . . . . (wink!)