Terrible news

[solknight]

Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's.He was talking about having had a stroke the last time I went to see him, and it was worrying, but he said that he didn't seem to have any lasting effects. He's a really laid-back guy and seemed to take a lot of it in stride. It's just a terrible thing to happen though

Comments

[solknight]

Terry Pratchett actually affected my outlook on life greatly. While he vehemently denies his books are "literature," there is a philosophy permeating his work, a sort of cynically positive outlook on human nature and life's difficulties that I've found really comforting. I think that if anyone can face this kind of terrible outcome and push past it, it would be him.

[sionnan]

Brendan, you know what can save him, the power of love.

[solknight]

Huey Lewis is a font of curative energy, I agree. If they can somehow tap his power for the cause of good, we will all be better off.

[evarees]

That is terrible. Alzheimer's is incredibly sad and destructive.

There are avenues to get help though. There is a TREMENDOUS amount of research going on as to the cure, and many companies have pretty much gotten there. I know of several in deep stages of clinical trials. Pursuing and getting access to these clinical trials is an extremely good idea.

[evarees]

By getting access to trials, the person may be able to get drugs that will never even make it to the market, but are very very effective. Sometimes something as silly as legal issues, for instance regarding who gets credited for what, stop drugs which could make a huge different to someone's life.

[solknight]

Yeah, my friend Elizabeth has been working with doctors to get on a lot of trials for cancer treatments. She's doing quite well for herself considering how serious her diagnosis is. I think a lot of it is her positive outlook, too, which Terry has in spades. I know you can't defeat serious diseases just by looking on the bright side, but it really does seem to help. I'm hopeful because of that.

[evarees]

& you're not the only one that thinks that. I've come across many articles in the past few years that discuss the positive power of mental attitude. It's pretty amazing what a little positive thinking can do to augment healing. The medical community seems to slowly be realizing it too.