To complete this assignment review the amyotrophic lateral sclerosi (ALS) association website to get some background information about this spontaneous or familial condition. Then watch the 8 part documentary called Jim Said No about a person with ALS.
ALS Association: What is ALS? http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ Jim Said No, part 1 (click on part 2-8 as you complete the previous clip) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N9QdjreXY Discussion Question 1: Throughout the filming of the documentary we are able to see Jim's decline but a constant is his positive outlook. How might his outlook help him deal with his disease? How does his outlook differ from his wife's? Why might their perspective be different? Provide a thoughtful response and respond to two of your classmates.
17 Comments
Rachel McCusker
4/22/2016 05:39:36 pm
It would take too many words to describe what I think about this documentary. It was sad and devastating as well as beautiful and inspiring. Jim's outlook was so amazingly positive. I think his outlook could only help to cope with all of the challenges ahead. In the beginning of his diagnosis he started with a positive outlook and chose to not dwell on what he could not change. He seemed determined to live his life as healthy as possible in both body and mind. I think positive thinking can help to keep you going every day. Jim and Lisa are a great example of trying to cope with hardship and fear the best way that they could. By doing research, eating clean, taking vitamins and participating in walks and lobbying for the ALS cause. All of those things help to empower you. I think the struggles Lisa faced were just as difficult as Jim's. Maybe more so in some ways. She had to be his strength and I it must have been so difficult to stay positive through Jim's inevitable decline. Watching someone you love with ALS slowly declining without any hope of a cure must be devastating. Knowing that their son would not likely remember his father was also so very sad. Especially when she talks of how Jim could not hold his son. Watching your son grow while your husband declines is unimaginable. I hope that the film helps to inspire others who are dealing with ALS and encourages others to support more research that is badly needed to help people with this terrible disease.
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Margo Martin
4/26/2016 12:23:06 pm
Hello Sam, you included many really good points in your post. As I was reading one of the things I was thinking about and then you added was the aspect of empowerment. I wonder if the fact that Jim and Lisa did research and changed their diet and participated in and began ALS walks contributed to their positive outlook. Maybe it helped Jim to feel like he still had purpose, especially as he began to decline and couldn't work ar help as much with maintaining the house and raising their son and Lisa needed to do more to take care of him. A sense of purpose can be incredibly powerful.
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Margo Martin
4/26/2016 12:24:37 pm
Sorry about my earlier post. I wrote Sam when I should have Rachel. Sorry Rachel.
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Rachel McCusker
4/29/2016 02:56:46 pm
That's ok. I could not decide who had it harder. Jim or Lisa. I think it is equal but in different ways. I hope I never have to challenge my own inner strength in that way. It was an amazing look into an amazing person and what dealing with ALS is and some of its challenges.
Sam Greenough
4/28/2016 01:37:48 pm
The parts where they mentioned his son were hardest for me, I can't even imagine how awful it must be for all three of them... I agree that positive thinking can keep you going everyday, it shows as Jim continues to push on. Many people automatically have a negative outlook when something bad happens, but it only makes things worse.
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Margo Martin
4/28/2016 09:20:58 pm
I agree that it will be difficult for the son as he gets older and has an understanding of what is happening, either because he has a sick parent or because he has lost him. I thin making the documentary might be one of the best gifts Jim could leave his son because it provides a glimpse of who he is that his some can watch later and feel like he knows who his father was.
Rachel McCusker
4/29/2016 03:00:09 pm
It was so sad when Lisa pointed out that all that Jack had learned how to do was most of what Jim could no longer do. The irony in that was pretty rough. Also that Jack would not remember his Dad scooping him up in his arms. So heart wrenching.
sean
5/2/2016 04:26:12 pm
Yeah I bet it kills him as well to not be able to pick up his son or even talk to him with his own voice.
Sean
5/2/2016 04:25:36 pm
Yeah I feel like they could definitely do more research towards the disease.
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Samantha Greenough
4/28/2016 01:01:07 pm
It was very hard to watch these videos, especially the last 3 when Jim’s condition was deteriorating. It’s devastating to see what he and his family has to go through, and it’s scary to think ALS can happen to anyone. However, I’m very inspired by the outlook Jim had throughout the videos. I believe that by keeping a positive outlook he helped himself keep fighting and pushing on without giving up and letting the disease take complete control of him; even though he knew there was no changing what was going to happen. Jim tries not to dwell on his condition and continues to try and keep everyone up rather than bringing them down, he knows that being depressed will not make it better and it would just hurt the people around him more.
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Margo Martin
4/28/2016 09:24:37 pm
Good point, Sam. The suffering in the video were both physical and emotional. It is hard to watch but I think many people are unfamiliar of what ALS is or what the Ice Bucket Challenge is really for.
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Samantha Greenough
4/29/2016 09:07:36 pm
I honestly don't know if I could be as strong as she is; however, if my husband had ALS and he had the same perspective as Jim, I could probably manage a lot better. It would be very hard to keep a positive outlook on the situation regardless, but I'm sure if I had to go through it to support someone I love I would be able to find a way to do what Lisa did. It's scary to think about honestly.
Rachel McCusker
4/29/2016 03:03:05 pm
I had not really know much either Sam about ALS. When the ice bucket challenge started I had no knowledge. It is frightening to know it can happen to anyone and the progression seems pretty fast. I hope that I could keep as positive as Jim if faced with the same diagnosis.
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Margo Martin
5/3/2016 07:21:29 am
I have a friend whose father developed MS. It was very aggressive an less than 10 years after diagnosis he is in a wheelchair with very limited mobility. He can talk, move his head side to side and move one arm (minimally). When his wife married him he was an active man. They hiked all the time. When he was diagnosed he was very angry and was not able to accept it well. His wife struggled to support him and dealt with her feelings in unhealthy ways. Eventually she left him and has since remarried.
Sean
5/2/2016 04:23:23 pm
Watching the videos was pretty rough. it was scary to see jim slowly losing his arms at first and then eventually having to have that optical controlled wheelchair speech device. I think jims positive outlook really helped the way he coped with the whole situation. HIs wifes outlook is probably much different because she is the one having to work and provide for him and his son which must be very difficult as well due to the expenses.
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Rachel
5/2/2016 06:54:42 pm
I think it would be hard for me to be able to do all the things that my husband cannot do. i would feel guilty eating once he had difficulty eating. Some things I would try to do not in his presence. I cannot imagine watching someone you love deteriorate in such an extreme manner.
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Margo Martin
5/3/2016 07:23:13 am
Rachel, you bring up an interesting point, how do you continue to enjoy your life when your loved one can not do the things they used to. How do you deal with the survivor's guilt? Leave a Reply. |
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AuthorMargo Martin is a biology teacher with Dover High School and Dover Adult Learning Center. Archives
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