"Scotty" has alzheimers

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » July 7, 2004, 10:43 am

Or however you spell it. I saw it today on CNN that James Doohan has been diagnosed with Alzheimers.

Akaran_D · Post by **Akaran_D** » July 7, 2004, 10:48 am

Oh man.

Deward · Post by **Deward** » July 7, 2004, 10:55 am

This is one of those diseases that you don't wish on anyone. My mother-in-law has it and my wife and I have had to watch her turn from a confident woman into an invalid in the space of two years. All I can hope is that more high profile cases will influence more spending to fight this disease.

Kaldaur · Post by **Kaldaur** » July 7, 2004, 12:01 pm

No...

The one thing about having heroes such as those from Star Trek is that you have to watch them age. After DeForest Kelley died, I realized that the original series cast was getting up there in years. It's one thing to see them age over the course of movies, but you can still rationalize they're just becoming more wise. He passed away, and now James Doohan has Alzheimers. Leonard Nimoy is approaching his 70s, and the others aren't far behind. Not to mention Patrick Stewart approaching his 60s or already there (not too sure). It just makes me sad to see some of the only heroes I have approach this point in their life. I know many might think they are just actors doing a job, but I like to think they represent something good about ourselves in the characters they portrayed. It hurts to see reality set in with all these great actors and actresses.

Anyway, sorry about the detour. May we find a cure for Alzheimers in the next few years so we can save people like Doohan, and the millions others out there with this terrible disease.

Karae · Post by **Karae** » July 7, 2004, 4:01 pm

That's what he gets for coming out of the transporter buffer...

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 7, 2004, 5:28 pm

Deward wrote:This is one of those diseases that you don't wish on anyone. My mother-in-law has it and my wife and I have had to watch her turn from a confident woman into an invalid in the space of two years. All I can hope is that more high profile cases will influence more spending to fight this disease.

It doesn't get any worse than losing your mind. I'd rather be a paraplegic. Once your mind goes, there's no reason to live.

I'll have to read up on the latest research on finding a cure.

Karae · Post by **Karae** » July 7, 2004, 5:39 pm

I dunno, if you're paraplegic you're fully aware...I don't get the impression Alzheimer patients realize what's happening - at least not after the early stages. I think that, given the choice, I'd rather be oblivious.

It's much harder for the family though.

Vote for Stem Cell research, vote for John Kerry.

Sabek · Post by **Sabek** » July 7, 2004, 5:48 pm

My grandfather had Alzheimers and it is a horrible disease to watch unfold.

He actually introduced himself to me at my wedding, because he couldn't recognize me.

A lot of the "confusion" that is attributed to it is due to the fact that short term memory is almost non-exsistant. Long term memory seems to be retained more. He would want to leave the house he lived in with my grandmother because he wanted to go home. But the home he wanted to go home to was the one he grew up in as a child. Eventually my grandmother had to put him in a home that specialized in alzheimers patients because she could no longer control him. He would also get violent when the confusion got really bad, because he didnt recognize people.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 7, 2004, 7:31 pm

Karae wrote:I dunno, if you're paraplegic you're fully aware...I don't get the impression Alzheimer patients realize what's happening - at least not after the early stages. I think that, given the choice, I'd rather be oblivious.

It's much harder for the family though.

Vote for Stem Cell research, vote for John Kerry.

What I'm getting at is that as long as you have the ability to imagine and are capable of cognitive thought you can find reasons to exist. While someone with alzheimers doesn't realize they're gone, they are basically just a vegetable.

I'd rather give up my body than my mind anyday.

While my grandmother was deteriorating I would ask if she was still able to read books and see if she could carry on a conversation. Up until she died from physical complications, she was totally aware. She was able to tell the doctor to basically "pull the plug" when she decided to go.

On the other hand, my fathers friend was on life support for over a year unable to talk before the plug was pulled after breaking his neck. I think if he could have spoke, he would have said "kill me".

Knibble · Post by **Knibble** » July 8, 2004, 7:56 am

Winnow wrote:
It doesn't get any worse than losing your mind. I'd rather be a paraplegic. Once your mind goes, there's no reason to live.

I'll have to read up on the latest research on finding a cure.

I have to disagree with you.My nephew has been paralyzed from the neck down since he has been 4 and he is now 15 and it's aweful,He cries everyday for something to move.Losing your mind is aweful also but to say you would rather be a paraplegic is just wrong.
Now that he is older he wishes he were dead instead of being the way he is,he always tells us that he will be able to move in Heaven.

The bitch than hit him with her car is not in jail and she never ever once had to pay a fine or any of his medical bills and she certainly doesn't have to live the way he has to now.Gee wonder if her mind is going with that guilt she has of running a 4yr old over.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » July 8, 2004, 12:44 pm

Knibble wrote:
Winnow wrote:
It doesn't get any worse than losing your mind. I'd rather be a paraplegic. Once your mind goes, there's no reason to live.

I'll have to read up on the latest research on finding a cure.
I have to disagree with you.My nephew has been paralyzed from the neck down since he has been 4 and he is now 15 and it's aweful,He cries everyday for something to move.Losing your mind is aweful also but to say you would rather be a paraplegic is just wrong.
Now that he is older he wishes he were dead instead of being the way he is,he always tells us that he will be able to move in Heaven.

The bitch than hit him with her car is not in jail and she never ever once had to pay a fine or any of his medical bills and she certainly doesn't have to live the way he has to now.Gee wonder if her mind is going with that guilt she has of running a 4yr old over.

Was it an accident though Knibble? I'm sure she feels terrible, but saying she should have went to jail or paid fines, is wrong if it was an accident. I do however, feel for your nephew. I couldn't imagine such a thing. I would also rather lose my mind than be stuck in a body that couldn't move. That would be pure hell to me.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 8, 2004, 1:33 pm

Knibble wrote:
Winnow wrote:
It doesn't get any worse than losing your mind. I'd rather be a paraplegic. Once your mind goes, there's no reason to live.

I'll have to read up on the latest research on finding a cure.
I have to disagree with you.My nephew has been paralyzed from the neck down since he has been 4 and he is now 15 and it's aweful,He cries everyday for something to move.Losing your mind is aweful also but to say you would rather be a paraplegic is just wrong.
Now that he is older he wishes he were dead instead of being the way he is,he always tells us that he will be able to move in Heaven.

The bitch than hit him with her car is not in jail and she never ever once had to pay a fine or any of his medical bills and she certainly doesn't have to live the way he has to now.Gee wonder if her mind is going with that guilt she has of running a 4yr old over.

That's so sad to hear Knibble : (

I by no means meant that being paralyzed was anything more than a slight step above being a vegetable. Both are horrible. Would it be better though if he was in a coma? I'd want to die as well if I was paralyzed and in constant pain. Some people with physical disabilities are able to accomplish amazing things (Stephen Hawking) but constant pain is a different story.

Sionistic · Post by **Sionistic** » July 8, 2004, 3:01 pm

You hit someone, accident or not, you have to pay at least the medical bills. How could you see that different mid?

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » July 8, 2004, 3:09 pm

Sionistic wrote:You hit someone, accident or not, you have to pay at least the medical bills. How could you see that different mid?

I would agree that it would be a nice gesture to pay medical bills. But, I'm not certain it should be mandatory. Unless, of course, it is covered under car insurance.

Both driving a car and having kids is a nerve racking experience everyday. I often worry about some kid running out into the road and about my own kids doing the same thing. It's so friggin scary. I feel for both the driver and the child in such cases were there was no neglegence on the drivers behalf. I would never want to be in either's shoes.

Knibble · Post by **Knibble** » July 8, 2004, 6:42 pm

She was drunk racing through the alley and came up on the sidewalk at the end of the block he was sitting there by his porch steps playing with his cars in the dirt. Now I know she never woke up that day and said hey I think I am gonna run over a kid but she was drinking and driving she KNEW she was drunk when she got behind that wheel.THAT itself makes her GUILTY!

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » July 8, 2004, 6:46 pm

so why didnt she go to jail or get stuck with the hospital bills

Knibble · Post by **Knibble** » July 8, 2004, 6:54 pm

You know we been trying to figure that out now for the last 10 years.Although now that I think about it I bet the mother of my nephew is back in jail.*dealer*.I don't speak to her anymore I call the rehab in New Jersey to check on Christopher and can talk to him.
I dunno I honestly can't answer that Kyou because I know if I had custody of him or he was my child I would have fought the whole thing.Hell an apology to Christopher himself would even be better.

Lynks · Post by **Lynks** » July 8, 2004, 6:58 pm

In Ontario, that would be 10 years or life for killing someone with unlimited fines.

Where exactly do you live?

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » July 8, 2004, 7:06 pm

Knibble wrote:She was drunk racing through the alley and came up on the sidewalk at the end of the block he was sitting there by his porch steps playing with his cars in the dirt. Now I know she never woke up that day and said hey I think I am gonna run over a kid but she was drinking and driving she KNEW she was drunk when she got behind that wheel.THAT itself makes her GUILTY!

She should be behind bars for a very long time and should have paid out her ass to your family.

Knibble · Post by **Knibble** » July 9, 2004, 7:41 am

In Pennsylvania here.
My step sister was killed in a car accident and the person driving was drunk and she only got a fine.I think our laws suck around here.