Saturday, February 09, 2008

Motor neurone disease

If you're still reading after the title you have my utmost respect. Not many people want to think about motor neurone disease, on account of it representing the opitome of one of our fundamental fears, uncontrolled deterioration so that we have no function left and are completely aware without any control over our life.

I met a woman this week with motor neurone disease. 60 or so, with fluffy grey/brown hair. She laughed quite a lot, I'm told that was emotional lability due to suprabulbar palsy. She was a lovely lady, not at all frustrated about having to talk to a bunch of attractive/healthy/going-to-fix-the-world/can-do-anything-they-want-to medical students, and having to do it using a hand-held keyboard. I wanted to do something to fix it so badly. I wish I was better at this, certainly as good as the reputation would suggest, but more than that. One of the other's said they couldn't do neurology because it is too depressing. What's the point? Really, what are you in it for?

Oh, and I truly believed Stephen Hawkins was American, silly computer programmers.


Also, this man poked me, who are you? you cant do that!

2 comments:

Johnny Holmes PI said...

City legend (and later con-man money grabbing bastard) Don Revie had motor neurone disease.

Thats two famous people you can list at the pub quiz.

The Non Stop Shoebox said...

Surely, the "depressing" nature of the condition makes it all the more important to get involved to do something positive about it?

Meanwhile, I'd avoid the moustache guy if I was you (and I shouldn't judge, but that brush-over is fooling no-one).