October ....

Hello! I hope the photos of me in the September issue of Virtuality didn't mislead you . . . I'm really a level-headed, straightlaced person! Right!

As Carol's new Co-Editor of Virtuality, I must fill you in on a little about myself. My name is Peggy C. Willocks, married at age 17 and still reside with the same fellow, Darrell (Big D for short!) We are the proud parents of three grown children, Renee - 31; Bill - 28, and Amy - 25. All three children were birthed by the time I was age 25! (The 1970's was quite busy for us!) Each child is working in the medical field: Renee - Nurse Anesthetist, Bill - trained as a Physical Therapist but now in Pharmaceutical Sales, and Amy - an ICU Registered Nurse presently in grad school at UT Chattanooga.

I was also a former medical secretary and executive secretary/administrative assistant with the Veterans's Administration prior to returning to school at the age of 31 to be a teacher. My last position was as an elementary principal, prior to disability retirement in 1998. I have had Parkinson's symptoms since age 39 or 40, but was officially diagnosed in 1994.

The transition from a busy elementary principal to a disabled citizen threw me for quite a loop! Thanks to the internet and PLWP, I am now an advocate for PD awareness and research funding. And I have made some wonderful life-long
friendships! Likewise, I have rediscovered many of my tabled talents since disability. I love to draw and paint, do creative writing, and cook! I journal online for PLWP and get so busy nowadays that I am only doing so sporadically!

Additionally, I am active in my church, First Christian Church in Johnson City, TN; and often do drama and curriculum writing for them and for a national Christian publishing company. I thought those of you with kids and grandchildren might enjoy a little seasonal story I recently wrote for our Children's Ministries program.

Enjoy the story "The Little Pumpkin" and remember this: WE ARE PRODUCTIVE, WORTHY PEOPLE . . . WE JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE PARKINSON'S DISEASE! May God bless each of you!

Peggy aka pegleg aka TNpeg