Michael J Fox

[K9karen]

My dad passed from Parkinson's. I was so distraught by Limbaugh's accusations, and subsequent "apology' I actually prayed for magic powers to fly through the TV and punch that SOB in the mouth.

What goes around, comes around. I won't belittle myself by saying any more .

[RICHARD]

Now,

How's about Fox making a tape showing himself off the med and then going to Congress and saying something like.


"This is me off the meds...I am here before you to show you what medication can do for me.....

Imagine what research and a cure could do for everyone with this disease...."

More powerful indeed?

Probably not.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

With a familial history of Parkinson’s, I had never seen anyone with such pronounced body movements.

Parkinson's comes in many forms - some have very pronounced physical effects like Michael J Fox while others it affects mentally. My Dad had both. I've seen people in his PD group who moved more than MJF and they weren't acting either. There is no typical "Parkie" which is why it is such an awful disease to try to control.

BTW it is classical that there are phases in which the meds work better than in others (I believe they talk about being "on" and "off").

The "on" and "off" is very accurate but its not just a case of skipping one lot of tablets and then reverting back the minute you take the next lot. Even getting the timing wrong by half an hour or less can upset the levels in the patient to such an extent that takes weeks to find a right level again

[Logan]

I always think it is good to hear both sides of every story. I actually posted here, yesterday, but removed my response, because I figured everyone would think I was doing the typical "conservative" response.

I immediately wished that Rush Limbaugh would have kept his mouth closed, but I did take time to go to his website, read the background information, and his thoughts on the situation, and I better understood where he was coming from with his comments.

I have had a family member suffer with Parkinson's disease. It took his life, after over 20 years. We all wished for something to come about that could help him be more comfortable, live a more normal life. I don't know what I think about the kind of stem cell research that MJF is advocating.

I just hope that everyone will take the time to pray or send good thoughts for people with Parkinson's and other horrible diseases, but also that they will see both sides of a very sad story.

[Edwina's Secretary]

When a person is not able or willing to rebut another person's position they resort to argumentum ad hominem that is...attacking the person instead of the position.

That is what Rush Limbaugh did in this case...he attacked the person instead of the position.

Some may remember when he subsitituted on Pat Sajak's talk show? He attacked and belittled people with AIDS. The audience became so offend and Rush so frightened...the audience was removed.

This is a standard tactic of a certain kind of person. It is sad and it is sad to see it here on PetTalk as well.

[Lady's Human]

Again, ES, if you read the whole transcript of the monday show about the ad, he DID discuss the position set forth in the ad, his comments about Fox were the only ones that made the media. (Again, 3 seconds out of a long monologue)

He discussed the advert in depth, not just Michael Fox's movement.

[Barbara]

Read about Parkinson therapy. The meds cannot cure the disease, they only hold the symptoms down. They have horrible side effects.

Parkinson patients are waiting for a cure. This is what the stem cell research would be for.

I think it is courageous of Fox to show what his illness really looks like.
And yes Richard you are right: they think Tourette is related.

[Lady's Human]

Stem cell research is going on as we speak in the US, with both embryonic and adult stem cells. More progress is being made with adult stem cells, there (so far) don't seem to be as many side effects with adult stem cells as there have been with embryonic stem cells.

The US Government IS funding some of this research, despite what the advertisements say. The federal budget is NOT a blank check.

[mugsy]

One of our secretaries at school is alive today thanks to stem cell research. She had a bone marrow transplant about 11 years ago and was told that she had a 10% chance of living 5 years...she's still with us. Her cancer is back, but, controlled. She still works full time and is a single mom. So please do not dispel stem cell research, whatever kind it may be...it saves lives. I think that was Michael's point...whether his method was right or wrong, the fact remains that stem cell research should continue.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Katie Couric is supposed to be interviewing M. J. Fox on her news show tonight and talk to him about the commerical. Just thought some of you might like to watch it. It's on CBS.

[Lady's Human]

Again, regardless of federal funding (and federal funding is STILL THERE), stem cell research has continued. If the evil entity known as "Big Pharma" thinks there's money to be made there, they will continue research.

[RICHARD]

I saw the Couric/Fox interview on the tube.

Holy Poop

I felt terrible watching.

This is going to sound terrible..

My GF had a son who was a terrible speed freak. He would fidget and I could only stand to be in the same room with him for minutes at a time.

I literally wanted to slap him because of his addiction and the way he would jerk around like a marionette.

---------------


God, It made me feel badly becuase if my wife or GF had a disease like that it would drive me crazy.

I had to literally stand up and watch what parts of the show I could bear.

[K9karen]

Parkinson's comes in many forms - some have very pronounced physical effects like Michael J Fox while others it affects mentally. My Dad had both. I've seen people in his PD group who moved more than MJF and they weren't acting either. There is no typical "Parkie" which is why it is such an awful disease to try to control.



The "on" and "off" is very accurate but its not just a case of skipping one lot of tablets and then reverting back the minute you take the next lot. Even getting the timing wrong by half an hour or less can upset the levels in the patient to such an extent that takes weeks to find a right level again

*CLAPS*
Thanks for putting it so perfectly. My dad's Parkinsons started with a shaking of his thumb. He never had much physical shaking: his PD affected his throat, stomach..internal organs. He had pneumonia 5x or more, ate pureed food and finally apirated. His facial muscles were affected, he became stiff and wheelchair bound. People in his PD group, as Brody said, had so many different levels of it.
Dad was too old for brain surgery. He was a guinea pig for any new med on the market. His doses were changed constantly. In the end, the meds caused hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and seizures.
Oddly, maybe not, our family knew of 4 men, all my dad's age who died from Parkinsons. All served in the military around the same time. Coincidence? Environmental?
I'll tell you what..whenever I get a "twitch", I freak out.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

I'm donating my brain and other bits to the UK Parkinson's Disease Society Tissue Bank when I go......

[todd]

wow that makes me