Friends & Neighbors: Meet Ann Mayne

The biggest change in Ann Mayne’s life began in her ring finger.

Before she retired as children’s librarian from the Dalton-Whitfield Library in 2005, Mayne’s movements had begun to get slower and she became fatigued more easily. Months passed. Then she saw it.

A tremor.

The shaking slowly spread to all of Mayne’s fingers on her left hand, and by the next year her whole arm ached. Mayne’s maternal grandfather had suffered from Parkinson’s disease, and she thought she may be next. By the time her suspicions were confirmed in October 2007, Mayne couldn’t use a hair dryer.

“I probably had it two to three years before my diagnosis,” she said.

Up to that point Mayne enjoyed a comfortable existence. A native of Calhoun, her lifelong interest in books led her to pursue a career as a media specialist. After completing a bachelor’s degree in history at Shorter College and a master’s degree in library science at Florida State University, Mayne moved to Boca Raton, Fla., where she stayed until Northwest Georgia beckoned in 1981.

Mayne spent the next 20 years working as the media specialist at Dalton Junior High followed by her five-year stint at the library. Although she’s been out of the field for four years, the walls of Mayne’s Dalton condo resemble a library filled with books. Many are about Parkinson’s, but some still hold a special place in her heart.

“Recently I had a friend from Calhoun to visit and I showed her a book she had given me as a child 60 years ago,” said Mayne. “She couldn’t believe I still had it. It’s ‘A Girl’s Treasury of Things to Do’ by Caroline Horowitz. I kept it for sentimental reasons, and it has ideas for crafts and activities that can still be used.”

One book that resonates with her today is Michael J. Fox’s biography, “Lucky Man,” in which he details his struggles with the disease. Mayne is impressed with Fox’s finesse in dealing with his illness.

“He handles himself wonderfully because he’s had it 18 years,” she said. “Since he’s young, he’s able to get out in the public eye and increase awareness. I admire how he and his family have stayed together. He seems to really be devoted to his family. My chief praise for him is the Michael J. Fox Foundation. He’s raised millions for research.”

Mayne’s response to her own diagnosis was mixed — a combination of expectation and regret. Yet she doesn’t feel sorry for herself.

“I believe we aren’t promised a rose garden so who am I to complain?” she said. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘Let Parkinson’s make you better, not bitter’ by Glenna Atwood. That stayed with me and I try to do that.”

Mayne’s first thought was a desire to find a support group for area Parkinson’s patients that she could share her problems and concerns with. She quickly learned there wasn’t one in Dalton. She formulated a plan to start her own group and searched surrounding cities on the Internet.

“I called James Trussel who is over the Northwest Georgia Parkinson’s Disease Association in Rome and visited their support group,” said Mayne. “I also visited one in Blairsville. I wanted to see how they were conducted.”

She found a friend and partner in Mae Johnson, a local nurse practitioner who offered to help her start the group. Together they sent out fliers, appeared on television, placed information in The Daily Citizen and visited the Dalton-Whitfield Senior Center. Their efforts paid off on April 8, 2008, when 25 people showed up at the first meeting.

Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the senior center. Mayne and other members find the camaraderie very beneficial.

Dalton Support Group:
2nd Tuesday of each month
6:00pm -- ???
Dalton/Whitfield Senior Center
Capps Road
Dalton, GA  30720

“Many people remain closet patients and tell no one about their illness, but I find that it takes the power away from the disease if I can talk about it to others,” said Carolyn Woody, who serves as secretary and librarian.

This month group members are busy celebrating Parkinson’s Awareness Month, conducting a sock sale and supporting the Walk for Hope for Parkinson’s, which will be April 18 at 10 a.m. in Cedartown.

Mayne deals with her slowly deteriorating abilities as best she can.

“I can’t stand and take a shower because I fall,” she said. “I go and get my hair done rather than do it myself. I don’t really cook much anymore. My friends and family buy my groceries and I have someone clean my condo.”

One thing Mayne can still manage is driving, but only for short distances. She also does laundry using her power chair.

“Having a disease like Parkinson’s causes most people to rethink their priorities,” she said. “Mine were already centered on faith, family and friends, and that has grown to include the Parkinson’s support group as a central focus for my time and energy.”



––––––––––



Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders, which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The four primary symptoms are tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability, or impaired balance and coordination. As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking or completing other simple tasks. Parkinson’s usually affects people over the age of 50.

Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke