“It makes me so angry when I hear academics, theologians or medics arguing about cloning. For me, it is like hearing any hopes we may have of returning to normality being taken away. By mixing ethics with religion and politics, which is a lethal concoction, they are not thinking about the people who have the disease. I feel like saying, ‘Get off your high horse.’ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/parkinsons-the-breakthrough-799932.html

The link above reveals a fantastic development!  Truly, there is HOPE for us! Scientists have shown that using the therapeutic cloning of skin cells is effective in treating Parkinson’s Disease!!!  Do I care that this study was conducted on the brains of mice? Hell no!  As the quotation above states in the article from The Independent – GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE!

For all of you who have religious convictions against cloning human cells to transplant into the brains of people like me, all I can tell you is that I hope you have to live with Parkinson’s Disease, or Alzeheimer’s Disease or any other brain disorder in your body.  That’s not a mean-spirited hope, it’s the reality of life for me.  Of course, by blocking, prohibiting any research and study that may help me, I wish the same situation for you.  Why not share the misery?  Then you will discover the pain of your self-righteous absurdity.

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, a day of rejoicing for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ.  As my wise pastor, Dr. Roger Paynter expressed in his sermon, resurrection comes in many different forms for different people.  The true resurrection displayed the glory and magnificence of God the Father as he bestowed that opportunity on His Son, Jesus.  That escape from the bondage of sin and death was pivotal in the eternal plan of our Heavenly Father.  Dr. Paynter told of a man who was hopeless and had a personal resurrection when his life was turned around.

I believe that God has that kind of personal resurrection developing for all of us who suffer with this terrible Parkinson’s Disease!  Miracles through our scientific research are happening now.  Instead of a personal resurrection of the spirit, I do not doubt God’s ability to reveal medical miracles that will be my own personal resurrection.

This body is fading.  The stiffness in my legs and my hips actually increase daily.  I shuffle when I walk and my balance is so tenative.  I travel a lot in my profession.  Last night I arrived in Norfolk, VA at 12:30 p.m.  Trying to stand up in the plane was difficult after sitting for so long.  I stumbled off of the steps (since there wasn’t a jetway). 

Do you self-righteous, religious protestors of stem cell research know how hard it is to climb off of a plane when your legs are so stiff that your knees cannot bend?  Do you know the pain of trying to walk when your hips burn like they are on fire? Do you know the terrible pain that wakes you in your sleep preventing you from getting any sleep?  No, you don’t. 

That’s why I wish this disease for you.  So you can learn about the disease on a personal level – not a care-taker level, not an academic level, not from being a relative of a Parkie or supposing your opinion of God’s will precludes me from a personal resurrection.  I wish Parkinson’s Disease for you so you can understand the desperation that we face everyday.

Thank God there are scientists with determination, funding (through private groups) and the vision to continue in their quest to conquer this disease!  Thanks be to God for Dr. Viviane Tabar, a stem cell scientist at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and her team of scientists!  May God bless you and pour grace upon you as you continue in your work.  I am praying for you daily so you will discover the miracle cure that unlocks this terror from my brain!