Between You andMe By Ruth Chambersj . About U.H.G.O., M.S. and Sue Sue Harkness, Ruth and Christine Livingstone Today we meet Sue Harkness, a lovely looking young woman of twenty six. Her face and hands are so very expressive and she has beautiful eyes. Laughter comes easily to Sue; she has a good sense' of humour. Sue is handicapped, a victim of multiple sclerosis. When she was thirteen she felt all was not well. She was diagnosed as having hysterical blindness or that her problems were a figment of lier imagination. After some time she was glad they ruled out mental retardation. At eighteen she was toldshe had M.S. M.S. is a disease of the brain and spinal cord caused by an unknown agent that attacks the covering sheath of nerve fibers. This causes a temporary interruption of -nervous impulses particularly in pathways concerned with vision, sensation and the use of limbs. The first observed case of M.S. was of Col. Sir Augustus D'Estre born in 1794, illigetimate grandson of George III and of Lady August a Murray. He kept a diary of his symptons until his death in 1848, aged fifty four: Diagnosis is hampered by the varying nature and dur'ation of early symptons. This disease isworldwide but-fo.und mostly in the northern hemisphere. Sue says when there is.life'therre is hope and even though she is a little bit tired whe won't give up. Six years ago she formed an M.S. group after being' told it couldn't -be done by others who had tried but failed. She succeeded because shehas great determination and spirit. She wants people to be aware and realize that handicapped adults need help to help themselves. At the present time Sue is in Ajax Pickering Hospital. This is a well run, pleasant place to be if one has to be in a hospital. I think the patio off the first floor just outside of the nursery is something every hospital should have. Sue is able to go out there in her wheelchair by herself and visit with other patients and friends. I was especially interested in here reaction to all the babies in the nursery but when·she hears a baby dry it reminds her of all the elderly people in he chronic care ward she was in for eight months. They too often cried I would think in sheer desperation of having to live. She tells more of living with death. Because this has been her home for sometime not just an interval of a few days of weeks she knows'all the patients and sometimes watches her friends die, not literally of course, but still they are close by. This disease varies; there are ups and downs. These people need a happy relaxed atmosphere where they can go at their own speed. They. do't realize·their capabilities or their full potential in a hospital.Ther certainly is little they can do for themselvesin a.ward with three other people. If Sue had a room of her own she might be able to make her own bed even if it took all day. As she says "the hospital doesn't turn me on to life." One loses confidence in themselves whei living in this environment. There is no incentive and after a while living witt constant sickness and death makes her feel depressed and shc CONID ON PAGE 12 TOWN OF WHITBY MUNICIPAL OFFICE CLOSED MONDAY, UGUST 6TH, 1979 >CIVIC DAY Garbage which would normally' be picked up on Monday, August 6th, 1979 will be collected on TUESDAY, AUGUST 7TH, 1979.