‘Parkinson’s makes you wish you were never born’, says Jeremy Paxman.

Michael J Fox has it and contributes a lot of money to funding research, possibly he might be an Ambassador for Parkinson's? I think scientists are getting closer to understanding it and how it starts and hopefully a cure.

Research makes treatment a possibility as in the case of Aids. Vaccines exist because of research. Not all research pays off immediately but can contribute in time. We must fund more research.

And we should give people the choice about assisted dying: effectively restricting it to those who can pay to visit foreign providers is a disgrace.

And more must be spent on palliative care. It's not an either/or issue.

(Deleted because I reported AldinWater’s shameless advertising and quoted them/it)

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My next door neighbour from 50 years ago has Parkinson's. He's 90 now and his main problem is falls. Some times one of his sons is available to help, but she often has to get an ambulance out to get him off the floor. They are both very religious so I suppose this helps them, but it must be terribly hard for his wife who is in her late eighties.

My friend's husband died of Huntington's, which is another horrific disease. He was ill for 15 years and by the end was completely unable to do anything physically or mentally. My husband was ill with cancer for 9 years, but however hard it got he was still him. My friend had lost her husband several years before he died.

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My Auntie died from Parkinson’s and it was so sad watching her go from a very intelligent independent woman to someone who was unable to feed herself. That was years ago and I think the medications available now can help to some extent. A man at our church has it. He,too, is very intelligent but now finds it difficult to walk and it affects his speech. He has managed, with the help of his lovely wife,to write a book based on the psalms.

As has been noted, every case of Parkinson’s is individual and different. My DH was brave and positive until he became aware that he couldn’t understand the world around him, couldn’t read and even stopped getting pleasure from the music which had been so much part of his life. He yearned to die and essentially “turned his face to the wall” as our GP put it. I quite understand Paxman’s anger and despair at what life has given him.

fancythat

Galaxy

The medical intervention with regard to HIV/Aids was successful fancythat.

True.

And many other illnesses too.

If not cured, then in remission.

Galaxy

The medical intervention with regard to HIV/Aids was successful fancythat.

True.

Like aggie my OH had PD. Did he die of it? Difficult to say - he fell and fractured his hip because of it during an episode of festination (tiny rapid steps with body leaning forwards - common in PD) and the after effects of the op brought about his death in the end - he never really recovered from it. They said he had post-op delirium, but I knew that some of this was present before.

Life with PD was a misery for him, and the side-effects of his meds made his behaviour almost impossible to live with and I did not feel safe or able to relax.

I have great sympathy with Paxman - but he has had a very good life and wishing he had never been born is a strong statement when he has so much good to look back on - what he really means is that he wishes he were not living the life he is now.

My brother now has it. Several people in the village have it. It is a veritable epidemic.

Paxman was promoting the Parky Charter - I hope people on here have signed it. It is asking for basic care - very sad that this is necessary.

The medical intervention with regard to HIV/Aids was successful fancythat.

That is so sad Louella.
Poor Jeremy. He must feel really terrible to wish he hadn't been born.

Grantanow

We need much more research into these awful diseases.

Unfortunately, I have become weary and wary of medical research.
I could be wrong, but so much seems to be funded by those who want to make money of it all, by prescribing yet more pills.

As I read somewhere fairly recently, what diseases have been cured in the last 50 years?

Louella12

crazyH

Parkinson’s is horrible, I’m sure . But the cruellest of all diseases I think, is Motor Neurone Disease. My brother had it for 6 years, before he passed away .

I agree.

My brother in law had MND. For 12 months we were praying for death for him. Which sounds dreadful, but it's true. It was an utter nightmare. His wife ended up being sectioned after watching him die a long, slow, agonising death.

How absolutely dreadful Louella.. your poor SIL and DB.. and you... that's why I fully support Esther Rantzen.. some dignity and compassion through assisted dying..

Louella12

crazyH

Parkinson’s is horrible, I’m sure . But the cruellest of all diseases I think, is Motor Neurone Disease. My brother had it for 6 years, before he passed away .

I agree.

My brother in law had MND. For 12 months we were praying for death for him. Which sounds dreadful, but it's true. It was an utter nightmare. His wife ended up being sectioned after watching him die a long, slow, agonising death.

Heartbreaking.

And the reason I support Dignity in Dying.

crazyH

Parkinson’s is horrible, I’m sure . But the cruellest of all diseases I think, is Motor Neurone Disease. My brother had it for 6 years, before he passed away .

I agree.

My brother in law had MND. For 12 months we were praying for death for him. Which sounds dreadful, but it's true. It was an utter nightmare. His wife ended up being sectioned after watching him die a long, slow, agonising death.

It is a horrible disease, I had an aunt who died of it (not with it).

Poor Jeremy, he must feel very frustrated and I can understand what he meant.

But, if he'd never have been born, we would not have had the delight of seeing him skewer politicians in his interviews.
Or get annoyed with contestants on University Challenge.

poor Jeremy

We need much more research into these awful diseases.

This picture of Paxo brought it home to me and really saddened me

My dfil died of it. He had it for seven years and it was just a gentle slide down. aggravated in the last year, by a stay in hospital. He was hospitalised with an infection, recovered and then was kept in because he was in general mental and physical decline.

My dmil and her brother, just turned up at the hospital one day and said they were taking him home, where upon, mind and body started to improve, but the some of the damage was permanent and he died six months later.

I would rather die today than go through the suffering I have witnessed.
That I might understand, but not to say, "I would rather never have been born."

Aldom

Casdon

I think it’s more cruel than dementia, because most people are fully aware of what’s happening to their bodies right to the end, but can do nothing to change it. I always think of Dylan Thomas’ words ‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light’ from the poem Do not go gentle into that good night. I think that’s what Paxman is doing, raging against the dying of the light.

Many forms of dementia leave the sufferer fully aware of their condition.
My late husband suffered from young onset dementia. I cannot begin to describe how traumatised he was. I met many others with various forms of dementia during the long ten years of my husband's illness. The suffering they endured was dreadful.
They included some with Parkinsons related dementia.
Unless you have witnessed the worst case of dementia, please don't make comparisons with other illnesses.
I would rather die today than go through the suffering I have witnessed.

I have unfortunately Aldom. I take your point though, any illness is terrible when someone close to you is suffering.

Casdon

I think it’s more cruel than dementia, because most people are fully aware of what’s happening to their bodies right to the end, but can do nothing to change it. I always think of Dylan Thomas’ words ‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light’ from the poem Do not go gentle into that good night. I think that’s what Paxman is doing, raging against the dying of the light.

Many forms of dementia leave the sufferer fully aware of their condition.
My late husband suffered from young onset dementia. I cannot begin to describe how traumatised he was. I met many others with various forms of dementia during the long ten years of my husband's illness. The suffering they endured was dreadful.
They included some with Parkinsons related dementia.
Unless you have witnessed the worst case of dementia, please don't make comparisons with other illnesses.
I would rather die today than go through the suffering I have witnessed.