Sammamish Forum March 9
March 8, 2011
By Administrator
Essential tremor is a problem
The U.S. House of Representatives has designated March as National Essential Tremor Awareness Month. Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological condition that causes uncontrollable shaking of the head, hands, and voice. An example is Katherine Hepburn. An estimated 10 million people in the U.S. have ET. While not life threatening, ET is a serious and progressive condition that can significantly affect a person’s quality of life – socially, professionally, and emotionally.
People with ET often have difficulty with everyday activities such as getting dressed, eating, drinking, speaking, or writing. There is very little awareness of this disorder, even among those in the medical profession. It is often genetic and is frequently misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease.
It is important for people who exhibit symptoms to see a movement disorder specialist, because there are medical and surgical treatments available.
As a victim of ET, I am writing with the hope of raising awareness. A helpful resource for learning more about ET symptoms, treatment, specialists, current research, and support groups is the International Essential Tremor Foundation website, www.essentialtremor.org or call 888-387-3667.
Coleen George
Sammamish
Horray for the stumps
How exciting to see on the front page of today’s Sammamish Review the article socking it to the Starbucks stumps. I was elated to learn City Hall has received both positive and negative feedback on the first large scale outdoor art exhibit. Mission accomplished! People were inspired. The art was a catalyst in community dialog.
Personally, the tree stumps were blank canvases begging for adornment. Each time I drove past the tree trunks or sat in line of the drive through at Starbucks I pondered what I could do with them. Luckily, I met Suzanne Tidwell at the Sammamish Art Festival in October 2010. I fell in love with her work. Our common interest was in the utilization or beautification of the tree trunks. Suzanne worked on the trees and I the landscape.
I still see the potential in the tall tree trunks. Beyond socks if that is what our city wants. The U.S. economy remains sluggish at best, so that rules out using city funds. As the saying goes “necessity is the mother of invention.” Instead of relying on the city to take care of the trees, maybe the community should. This is my vision for these gorgeous tree trunks.
My family and I have lived here since 1993. I have constantly been amazed at the dramatic results our community produces when it steps in and steps up as the need arises. Fund raising, taking care of local families who are suffering, collecting soccer balls for those in need, collecting loose change just to name a few. Sammamish is an educated, vibrant and involved populace. It is thrilling to think of how local artists, children and civic groups might exercise creativity and begin a tradition of an evolving outdoor art exhibit. There is an abundance of talent, intelligence, innovation and spirit in Sammamish. Interesting materials abound crying out to be reused.
Anyone can cut the trunks down, grind out the stumps and plant new trees. Who knows, perhaps that will ultimately be their fate. For now however, what would you do? What are you willing to do?
Pam Pruneau
Sammamish
We need solutions, not whining
Bob Carpenter, judging by your letter in the March 2 Sammamish Review, you are part of the problem. There is a clear need for additional classroom space in the Lake Washington School District. The district’s levy was the only workable solution on the table. I voted for it even though I no longer have children in school.
However, rather than offering an intelligent opinion on how we should resolve the space issue, it seems that you prefer ranting about President Obama and blaming him for the current recession.
Did you know that 12 schools in Lake Washington School District will be honored with the 2010 Washington Achievement Awards, with seven of them earning Overall Excellence? In other words, the district is actually doing something right. Cramming more students into a classroom isn’t going to help us maintain these high standards.
It is likely that you have more intellectual depth than you portrayed in your letter so here is an opportunity for redemption. American 15-year-old students rank 14th internationally in literacy, 17th in science, and 25th in math.
What do you suggest we do to keep our next generation from becoming low paid service workers to the shrinking percentage of well-educated people in our country? If we don’t elevate our students’ performance to compete effectively with the rest of the world, this recession will look like the good old times 50 years from now. I am eager to hear your considered answer.
Michael J. O’Connell
Sammamish
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I would like to ask the PTSA members at Inglewood Junior High to be moderate about asking the parents to contrubute with the montly basis celebrations. They have the misconception that all the families in Sammamish are wealthy and often take advantage of they generosity. Why do we have to sponsor 10 staff appreciations during the school year? shouldn’t be one or two enough? What about the appreciation to us the parents who have to sacrifice, work hard, take care of our children, volunteer at school and help the teacher do their work, deal with the stress that we have to keep the job in the midle of an economic depression? Are the PTSA members parents?