COUPLE JOINS FIGHT AGAINST PARKINSON'S DISEASE.Byline: BETTIE RENCORET PALMDALE - Charlie and Joanie Osborn celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary Saturday and both agreed they have had a pretty good life. There is just one drawback. Charlie, who will be 73 later this month, is now afflicted with Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonism, degenerative brain disorder first described by the English surgeon James Parkinson in 1817. When there is no known cause, the disease usually appears after age 40 and is referred to as Parkinson's disease. , the malady malady /mal·a·dy/ (-ah-de) disease. mal·a·dy n. A disease, disorder, or ailment. malady a disease or illness. that has laid low former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. It is defined as ``a chronic, progressive disorder caused by the loss of brain cells that manufacture dopamine dopamine (dōp`əmēn), one of the intermediate substances in the biosynthesis of epinephrine and norepinephrine. See catecholamine. dopamine One of the catecholamines, widely distributed in the central nervous system. , the chemical that governs movement, posture and balance.'' Joanie and Charlie didn't take his diagnosis lying down. They set about to fight the debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction enemy together. ``We are determined to spend as much time and effort as it takes to find out why it happens to people,'' Joanie said. To that end they are actively campaigning for passage of the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research Act. ``This is the bill,'' said Joanie, ``that an estimated one million Americans with Parkinson's are pinning their hopes on. It provides the necessary funding to continue a search for the disease's cause and ultimate cure. The quality of life for so many people like us depends on it.'' She went on to state that while the disease can strike any age group, people over age 50 are the ones most frequently attacked. It is unknown, she said, why this is so but it is speculated that there might be different causes. Included is the suspicion that genetics has something to do with it. There have also been several incidents of people coming down with it after exposure to toxins or carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Definition Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide gas is inhaled. CO is a colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas that is produced by incomplete combustion. . Charlie and Joanie have made a study of the disease and are involved together in the Antelope Valley Parkinson's Support Group. Approximately 40 local victims and care-givers meet every fourth Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Antelope Valley Senior Center, 777 W. Jackman St., Lancaster. Joanie is currently president of the group and wants it known that everyone interested is welcome. ``We would really like to get more people out,'' she said. ``We'd love it if we could get a group going in Palmdale, too. In fact, every area of the valley needs a support group like ours. We really help each other.'' Transplanted New Yorkers, Charlie and Joanie are now confirmed desert rats. They were both born in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , Charlie on June 27, 1924, and Joanie, March 23, 1928. He received his early education on Long Island and she in Brooklyn. Charlie served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946. He saw duty in the South Pacific for part of that time as an aviation torpedoman second class. Joanie was graduated from Flower Fifth Avenue School of Nursing in 1948 and went to work as a civilian nurse for the military at Halloran General Hospital, Staten Island, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . When Charlie came home from the Navy he went back to school. He was graduated in 1950 from Adelphi University in New York with a bachelor's degree in business administration. They were married in Floral Park on Long Island on June 7, 1952, and subsequently had one son, Charles Jr., now of Portland, Ore. In 1958 they came to the Antelope Valley to make their home in the almond orchard area of Quartz Hill. Charlie went to work for the Fire Department at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. and retired in 1975 as fire chief. Never satisfied that they knew enough, both enrolled in college once more. This time they went to Mount San Antonio Mount San Antonio, better known to most in Los Angeles as Old Baldy or Mount Baldy, is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, USA and the highest point in Los Angeles County. Mount San Antonio has two summits. College in Walnut and were awarded early childhood teaching certificates in 1982. The schools where they taught for a total of about five years included Children's World in Cucamonga. Before the onset of Charlie's Parkinson's, they participated in several other community activities. Joanie was one of the original members of the Models Auxiliary to the Assistance League of Antelope Valley. Her entries in the table settings division of the Antelope Valley Fair netted her several first-place ribbons and trophies. Charlie and Joanie are conversant CONVERSANT. One who is in the habit of being in a particular place, is said to be conversant there. Barnes, 162. in dactylology dactylology /dac·ty·lol·o·gy/ (dak?ti-lol´ah-je) signing. dac·ty·lol·o·gy n. The use of the fingers and hands to communicate and convey ideas, as in the manual alphabet used by (sign language) and they once took a class in Mandarin Chinese. Charlie on occasion shares some of his prowess in the language with his Chinese doctor. Joanie also knows Braille and served in her early days here as president of the Braille Transcribers group. She became associated with the group through friendship with former resident Elaine Corwin who owned a local bookstore. She still belongs to Catholic Daughters of America. Both she and Charlie have done their fair share of volunteering. They have worked at the senior center, and, in years past, as docents at the Los Angeles County Zoo. LANCASTER - Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and Pearblossom have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk. Monday: Chicken patty, mashed potatoes, veggie medley, peach slices, ice cream. Tuesday: Hamburger on bun, macaroni salad, green beans, orange sections. Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff, sweet peas, carrot-raisin salad, muffin, pineapple tidbits TidBITS is an award-winning electronic newsletter and web site dealing primarily with Apple Computer and Macintosh-related topics. Internet publication TidBITS has been published weekly since April 16, 1990, which makes it one of the longest running Internet publications. . Thursday: Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, tossed salad, cake. Friday: Pork chop Pork Chop An arrangement on the floor of the NYSE whereby clerks cover the booth of a floor broker and accept orders, phone calls, and associated tasks. Notes: The clerks in charge of maintaining the booths are directly compensated by the floor brokers who own them. , au gratin potatoes, spinach, coleslaw cole·slaw also cole slaw n. A salad of finely shredded raw cabbage and sometimes shredded carrots, dressed with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette. , applesauce. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Joanie and Charlie Osborne enjoy their 45th wedding anniversary. Bettie Rencoret/Special to the Daily News |
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