Posted on 10/25/2006 6:13:59 AM PDT by rightinthemiddle
Conservative talk show host accuses actor of faking Parkinson's disease
Updated: 42 minutes ago
Possibly worse than making fun of someone's disability is saying that it's imaginary. That is not to mock someone's body, but to challenge a person's guts, integrity, sanity.
To Rush Limbaugh on Monday, Michael J. Fox looked like a faker. The actor, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, has done a series of political ads supporting candidates who favor stem cell research, including Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, who is running against Republican Michael Steele for the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes.
"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told listeners. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
My father has had Parkinsons for ten years and I know a little about it also.
When Michael J. Fox does an episode for of the weekly series shows like Boston Legal, Law And Order, or any other that I have seen, he never demonstrates the symptomology that was evident in the political video he just did for the Demoncrats. Why not?? And why did he and his people offer what amounts to a non-denial of the specific charge....that he was off his meds or was acting?
Based on my having seen him do several TV shows without the extreme movement and ticks I would agree fully with Rush's observation. It may not have been smart for Rush to point it out because of the blatant dishonesty of the media and their craven distortions of facts, but just the same, Rush is right and Fox knows it.
PF
Got it from a Maxine cartoon. I love that lady. Reminds me of me! crotchety crotchety and not suffering fools gladly.
Regardless of what Fox's book says, Dyskenesia (spastic movements) happens because of OVER-MEDICATION. Parkinson's patients simply do not have those movements without being overly-medicated.
Not exactly.
Off medication ("off state") people with parkinson's disease will have a tremor which occurs predominantly at rest and is reduced with movement. While typically thought of occuring in the hands, it can also occur in the legs and in the voice. Bradykinesia (or akinesia) is also present and is characterized by diminished amplitude of movements (shuffling gait, softer voice). Finally rigidity (cogwheel) is present.
In an excess dopaminergic ("on") state people can get dyskinesias (excessive movement) which can make the people appear to be restless or figity. They can also get hallucinations and confusion.
Part of the problem with advanced parkinsons is that the therapeutic range appears to narrow, especially on sinemet but this can also occur with the dopamine agonist meds as well. It becomes increasingly difficult to control the symptoms of the "off" state while avoiding the "on" state symptoms. Having treated some folks with PD, some of them do find the "on" state symptoms to be disturbing and prefer to be in a partially treated "off" state instead.
In Fox's case remember he does have a DBS (possibly two bilaterally implanted)
Parkinson disease affects movement (motor symptoms). Typical other symptoms include disorders of mood, behavior, thinking, and sensation (non-motor symptoms). Individual patients' symptoms may be quite dissimilar; progression is also distinctly individual.
[edit] Motor symptoms
The cardinal symptoms are:
* tremor: normally 4-7Hz tremor, maximal when the limb is at rest, and decreased with voluntary movement. It is typically unilateral at onset. This is the most apparent and well-known symptom. However, an estimated 30% of patients have little perceptible tremor; these are classified as akinetic-rigid.
* rigidity: stiffness; increased muscle tone. In combination with a resting tremor, this produces a ratchety, "cogwheel" rigidity when the limb is passively moved.
* bradykinesia/akinesia: respectively, slowness or absence of movement. Rapid, repetitive movements produce a dysrhythmic and decremental loss of amplitude. Also "dysdiadokinesia", which is the loss of ability to perform rapid alternating movements
* postural instability: failure of postural reflexes, which leads to impaired balance and falls.
When one tells the truth about a Democrat, it's a smear. When one tells a lie about a Republican, it's a search for the truth.
"...And now the truly awful Ron Kuby is running around his radio station shrieking that Rush made horrible fun of Michael J. Fox. Lies, lies, damned lies. My blood pressure is soaring!"
The media is showing Ditto-Cam clips of Rush pretending to shake like Fox while he is accusing the movement of being exaggerated.
What hoot, 12 repsonses to my first post on this article.
"To Rush Limbaugh on Monday, Michael J. Fox looked like a faker."
Rush said this or else the media is lying here, which is it?
Be it true, then bad form and poor choice. If Charleton Heston did an Alzhiemer ad to support a conservative candidate and the left accused him of "faking" I'm sure everyone here would rush(no pun) to his defense. There are decent and indecent things in politics, acusing Fox of "faking" is indecent.
Attack the validity of stem cell research, not the messengers with disabilities.
Have "Hope." Here's the new generation (links to contributions):
Jim Caviezel
Kevin Sorbo
Julie Bowen
Drew Carey
Jeff Foxworthy
Sara Evans
Shannen Doherty
Toby Keith
Amy Grant
Rick Schroder
correct.
Those would be the "off" state symptoms, not all of which will be present in mild PD but all of which should be present to varying degrees in more advanced PD.
"On" state symptoms, that is when the person is on meds can include dyskinesias, confusion and hallucinations. These are not a problem early in the course of the disease but become more problematic later in the course. Sinemet has the worst reputation for causing these, but the dopamine agonists can also cause them- particularly the latter two.
Don't use a disease as a political weapon and you won't have the problem.
Lieing with impunity to people with this disease will not be excused. Micheal J. Fox may have Parkinson's, but he has lied in a political ad.
MOCKS? What an outright lie. How can the media get away with this crap?? IS everyone writing those @$$holes???
What makes you think Rush mocked him? You believe PMSNBC? Did you listen to Rush to hear what he actually said..or do you just want to post crap?
The only way to find the truth is to read the transcript.
Quote: "It's bad form to mock one's disability. Poor choice on Rush's part."
First off, I did not think Rush was mocking anything. Secondly, its even worse form to exploit one's disability for political purposes, especially when it is to promote an outright untruth an outright smear. Poor choice on Michael J. Fox's part.
As to the untruth, the Republicans are not against stem cell research. As a matter of fact they favor all forms of the research except embryonic stem cell research. But in the church of liberalism, anything to involves killing babies or using the by product from killing babies must be supported no matter what tactic must be employed.
democrat + embryonic stem cell research = pro abortion agenda. The equation is that simple.
"If you experience sudden INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS on the drug, you may need a lower dose."
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/brain/parkinsons/park.treat.drugs.dopreplace.htm
How does accusing Fox of "faking" help the cause of exposing false stem cell research myths?
It's an attack on Fox, just as Terry McCauliff would have done that Rush himself has pointed out and condemmed countless times over the years. It does no good and serves no purpose in educating the general public but it does feed right into the Media's attack on Rush. Rush could have easily have condemmed the ad without insinuating an insult to Fox.
Again, bad form and poor choice.
He admitted in a People article that sometimes he overmedicated, as well as not medicating at all if he had to make an appearance re: Parkinson's research. I wonder if he's on a combo.
He's had several thad surgeries for the misfires starting early on as well.
At the end of the day, it's horrible when he knows there are treatments out there well on their way to reversing, not just stalling Parkinson's. He's been to the same Symposiums and conferences I have, he hasn't really thought about what he's doing to everyone else.
He knows for a fact (you can quote me), that ESC research is a no go; He knows the tumors caused and the resulting deaths from the studies... they can't control the growth.
...hoping someone will create that bumper sticker one day
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