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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 7, 2002, at 15:05:50
I started it two days ago and can barely put it down!! Its sooo interesting - quite amazing really!
But thank god for the glossary!! *l* I was getting abit lost with all the terms used before I found it :o)
Nikki x
Posted by Ritch on November 7, 2002, at 23:18:35
In reply to Anyone reading Awakenings yet??, posted by NikkiT2 on November 7, 2002, at 15:05:50
> I started it two days ago and can barely put it down!! Its sooo interesting - quite amazing really!
>
> But thank god for the glossary!! *l* I was getting abit lost with all the terms used before I found it :o)
>
> Nikki xYes, I am reading it. I had to skim a lot of the prefacing stuff with all of the footnotes! But, now I am in the middle of the personal stories (with much fewer footnotes), and it is pretty decent.--Mitch
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 8, 2002, at 11:18:32
In reply to Re: Anyone reading Awakenings yet?? » NikkiT2, posted by Ritch on November 7, 2002, at 23:18:35
One thing I have got to say.. he seems to be upping the dosage VERY quickly int he first instance of use... thats scary!!
Nikki
Posted by Ritch on November 8, 2002, at 22:33:46
In reply to Re: Anyone reading Awakenings yet?? » Ritch, posted by NikkiT2 on November 8, 2002, at 11:18:32
> One thing I have got to say.. he seems to be upping the dosage VERY quickly int he first instance of use... thats scary!!
>
> NikkiYes, I really liked the movie a lot, and they were experimenting with very high doses. I really feel badly for the patients who had to suffer through all of this, it also gives a new
meaning to the term "poop-out"--Mitch
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 11, 2002, at 15:13:36
In reply to Re: Anyone reading Awakenings yet?? » NikkiT2, posted by Ritch on November 8, 2002, at 22:33:46
I've just finished the case studies, and actually feel a little scared by all I have read.. I was expecting by this point to be thinking what a wonderful man Dr Sachs is, instead I'm thinking what an impatient dangerous man!!
I feel these patients could ahve been a damned site more succesful in their trials of L-DOPA if more caution and more time had been taken.Nikki
Posted by Ritch on November 11, 2002, at 21:07:52
In reply to Re: Anyone reading Awakenings yet?? » Ritch, posted by NikkiT2 on November 11, 2002, at 15:13:36
> I've just finished the case studies, and actually feel a little scared by all I have read.. I was expecting by this point to be thinking what a wonderful man Dr Sachs is, instead I'm thinking what an impatient dangerous man!!
> I feel these patients could ahve been a damned site more succesful in their trials of L-DOPA if more caution and more time had been taken.
>
> NikkiI tend to marathon read to catch up every few days. I just finished the first case study. It was a big experiment, and the patients were chronically ill people that were pretty much *sentenced* to die in an institution. It is sad to see their spirits lift so much and then have the medication poop-out and cause such horrible side effects. Dr. Sachs' role is primarily one of a sympathetic scientist willing to experiment with patients that have no other hope-unfortunately real life is far from Hollywood.--Mitch
Posted by Dinah on November 21, 2002, at 22:32:02
In reply to Re: Anyone reading Awakenings yet?? » NikkiT2, posted by Ritch on November 11, 2002, at 21:07:52
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 22, 2002, at 2:18:14
In reply to Re: The #$%* footnotes are driving me crazy!! (nm), posted by Dinah on November 21, 2002, at 22:32:02
*lol* They are a bit maddening aren';t they - especially when they're longr than naything else on the page!!!
But i did get used to them!!
Nikki xx
Posted by susan C on November 22, 2002, at 16:52:37
In reply to Re: The #$%* footnotes are driving me crazy!! » Dinah, posted by NikkiT2 on November 22, 2002, at 2:18:14
which is interesting considering my dad did research with L-dopa in the late 60's early 70's. I remember going to visit his office on my way home from college one vacation...I commented to dad that the patient in the reception room, looked familiar, but he had really changed . He said, yes, he is one of the parkinson L-dopa research patients...go out and introduce yourself and ask him about his experience...he will be happy to talk to you about it. So, I did. The gentleman explained how he was more than happy to put up with drinking gallons of fruit juice in order to take handfuls of horse pills every day, just to finally, finally, not jerk and shake and be able to simply walk down the hall.
mouse
Posted by Ritch on November 22, 2002, at 22:50:08
In reply to Re: The #$%* footnotes are driving me crazy!! (nm), posted by Dinah on November 21, 2002, at 22:32:02
Those footnotes got on my nerves only at the beginning of the book before he went into the case histories. Once I got into the case histories I didn't mind them at all. Last weekend I spent hours marathon reading and found it hard to put down. I am now about 2/3 done and will try to finish by the 24th. Oh, BTW, your reply about the unconditional love concept in 'Hunter' got me to thinking about that even further (If the "receiver" doesn't "receive" the message, then what does the intent accomplish?)...
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 24, 2002, at 13:18:57
In reply to Anyone reading Awakenings yet??, posted by NikkiT2 on November 7, 2002, at 15:05:50
Posted by Ritch on November 25, 2002, at 10:13:25
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings? (nm), posted by Dr. Bob on November 24, 2002, at 13:18:57
I am fixing to start the Appendices at the end of the book. Hopefully done by tomorrow.
Posted by Sienna on November 28, 2002, at 21:50:03
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings? (nm), posted by Dr. Bob on November 24, 2002, at 13:18:57
Im trying to get through the end but its taking
me forever as my meds are kicking my butt every nite when i want to read. Im trying though and hopefully be done soon.Sienna
Posted by Dinah on November 30, 2002, at 0:02:18
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings?, posted by Sienna on November 28, 2002, at 21:50:03
I've finished reading it, but I'm not sure quite what to say. I haven't decided whether it's uplifting or depressing. I think I've figured out a bit what dopamine does to the brain. But I still have lots of questions, especially about the relationship between life circumstances and the symptoms the patients showed. Obviously it was a neurological condition, so I found it amazing that the patients could predict whether or not they were going to experience this side effect or that, or their ability to postpone it. It was intriguing to me. The book left me with as many questions as answers.
The most moving story, to me, was the woman who became delusional on the medication, and when the medication was removed accused the doctor of taking away the only thing she had left, the delusions, and without those delusions found she had nothing left to live for. It actually reminded me a bit of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.
The number of deaths at each upheaval at the hospital was not something I was aware of, and I found that rather disturbing.
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 30, 2002, at 10:00:54
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings?, posted by Dinah on November 30, 2002, at 0:02:18
I found it very strange, that while the side effects could easily have been described as Psycho somatic, they quite obviously came across that they weren't...
I've decided, while I found it an amazing read, and am awaiting another book by Sachs to arrive, it didn't uplift me at all. It made me sad, not just for the poeple involved, but for all of us stuck in a mental health system that is, at best, based on guess work.
Nikki x
Posted by Ritch on December 1, 2002, at 10:48:57
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings?, posted by Dinah on November 30, 2002, at 0:02:18
> I've finished reading it, but I'm not sure quite what to say. I haven't decided whether it's uplifting or depressing. I think I've figured out a bit what dopamine does to the brain. But I still have lots of questions, especially about the relationship between life circumstances and the symptoms the patients showed. Obviously it was a neurological condition, so I found it amazing that the patients could predict whether or not they were going to experience this side effect or that, or their ability to postpone it. It was intriguing to me. The book left me with as many questions as answers.
The connection between "movement", "flow", "time", etc.,-the "kinematic" experiences of the patients who freeze and their sense of time passing versus our usual sense of it passing was completely fascinating. I could identify with some of their feelings from experiencing EPS. The *mental* state that accompanies that (intense inner restlessness, feelings of being trapped, needing to move *faster*-like your mind is *running* but your muscles are blocked) was so right on the money. Also, the amazing variety of behavioral tics was mind boggling. I found a few tics in there I have recently experienced and remembered experiencing when I was much younger like sipping water, echolalia (when I was 10-12 years). I also find myself unconsciously assuming postures that people around me have at times.
>
> The most moving story, to me, was the woman who became delusional on the medication, and when the medication was removed accused the doctor of taking away the only thing she had left, the delusions, and without those delusions found she had nothing left to live for. It actually reminded me a bit of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.I especially liked the story about the woman who had the bearded men who came and visited every day at the same time!
>
> The number of deaths at each upheaval at the hospital was not something I was aware of, and I found that rather disturbing.
It is amazing how "tuned-in" they were to their surroundings, but seemingly appeared totally out of touch with reality.
Posted by Dinah on December 1, 2002, at 22:49:37
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings? » Dinah, posted by Ritch on December 1, 2002, at 10:48:57
I think that was part of my problem, Ritch. I couldn't get a clear sense of the experiences he was describing, the time, the flow, etc. Nor was I really able to appreciate the richness of the way he seemed to experience the patients pre L-Dopa. Either it's my lack of exposure to severely disabled people, or a difference in communication styles that I couldn't quite get past. I found the same problem with his book on migraines, which I've been struggling through.
Which brings me to a hard won bit of advice on book buying. Don't buy several books at one time by an author you've never read before, even if the subject matter sounds interesting. The writing style just might not be compatible with your reading style.
Posted by Ritch on December 2, 2002, at 10:28:10
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings? » Ritch, posted by Dinah on December 1, 2002, at 22:49:37
> I think that was part of my problem, Ritch. I couldn't get a clear sense of the experiences he was describing, the time, the flow, etc. Nor was I really able to appreciate the richness of the way he seemed to experience the patients pre L-Dopa. Either it's my lack of exposure to severely disabled people, or a difference in communication styles that I couldn't quite get past. I found the same problem with his book on migraines, which I've been struggling through.
>
> Which brings me to a hard won bit of advice on book buying. Don't buy several books at one time by an author you've never read before, even if the subject matter sounds interesting. The writing style just might not be compatible with your reading style.
LOL, :) I have made that mistake with music purchases a couple of times in the past. I now truly understood the meaning of "post-purchase dissonance" (a therapist's term I heard once).
Posted by Dinah on December 2, 2002, at 11:00:41
In reply to Re: Anyone read Awakenings? » Dinah, posted by Ritch on December 2, 2002, at 10:28:10
This is the end of the thread.
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