Controversial post regarding Christopher Reeve...

[ca859093]

Chris didn't want to live in the beginning, he actually thought of suicide many times, but he thought of his family. He truely lived for his family, I thing as time went on, he accepted his situation.
It is a very sad day for his family, because this was unexpected for them.

 

[poohandwendy]

I sure hope to never be faced with this but, I probably initially would want to die...but I think (hope) that I would learn to get beyond that and have the grit it takes to fully love life with extreme physical limitations.

There is much more to my life than the physical experience, I would have to remind myself of that every day. I would really hate to be a burden though. That would be tough.

Christopher Reeves and his wife were a great example of extraordinary character and unconditional and enduring love.

 

[snoopy]

Originally posted by Tinkertude
The stuff heros are made of. God bless his soul and comfort his family.

I don't know that I would have wanted to live that way, but the fact that he did and made such an impact on so many lives, is definately what separated him from most. He was an amazing human being, a real life Superman.

 

[browneyes]

Yes, I'd want to live like he did.

 

[DawnCt1]

A milimeter can make such a difference. Christopher Reeves was for the most part respirator dependent. I used to work with a young man who became a "quad" due to a diving accident. On his 36 birthday, he commented to me that he had been in a wheel chair as long as he had walked. He was 18 when the accident happened. Prior to that he had been a ski racer. Since he was 18 he graduated high school, graduated college, got married, fathered two children and drove 45 minutes to work by himself in an equipped van. He was in investments, and mutual funds. He had some use of his right hand which was enough to operate his wheel chair, a mouse and the controls on his vehicle. I guess it all depends upon the level of the damage.

 

[bananiem]

I'd want to live if only to see my children grow up.
A former boyfriend of my sister's was paralyzed from the neck down in a swimming accident. He had just graduated from college and was going to be a teacher and football coach. (He played in college and was in great shape.) After the accident he became an assistant coach at my high school and stayed there for almost 20 years, until he died of cancer.
At his funeral there were dozens of former players and the procession to the cemetary was over a mile long. I think Pat taught those football players more about life and obstacles than he did about football. He coached while I was at the high school and it became his reason for living and his players loved him.

 

[Deb in IA]

I've heard Christopher Reeve talk about this topic in an interview with Barbara Walters.

He was saying that as the reality of his injury set in, he became depressed and wondered if his family would be better off if he just "checked out". It was at that point that his wife Dana said to him that "You are still you, and I love YOU" and told him that whatever he decided, she would honor his request, but that she was "in it for the long haul." He then realized how very lucky he was to have the incredible love of his wife and his family.

What an amazing man, and what an incredible family.

 

[Poohbear123]

was 10 years, he lived 9. I however know of other Quads that have lived longer, but, have been able to breathe on their won, Chis was never able to do this, this is why his case was so severe. But, he is walking again now, and is at a happier place...whether I would want to live... I have no idea and hope I never have to be in that much trauma. I commend his Wife and Family for seeing him thru till the end, may God Bless them all......Faith

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Yes. I think that I'm sure at first I'd be depressed and wish I was dead but as time went on, I would try to find a way to do something positive with my life.

I feel like if you are in an accident like that and you survive, something is saying it was simply not your time to go.

 

[JKanownik]

From a recent article on happiness from MSNBC:

But this raises another question. How important is happiness anyway? People with chronic illnesses describe themselves as happy, but they would still pay large sums for better health. And although healthy individuals are not much happier than quadriplegics, they would pay large sums of money to keep the use of their limbs. Some of life's most satisfying experiences don't bring happiness. For instance, having children actually makes people less happy over the short term — but that doesn't necessarily mean we should stop procreating.

"I think it's possible to way overestimate the importance of happiness," says Loewenstein. "Part of the meaning of life is to have highs and lows. A life that was constantly happy was not a good life."

-Josh

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Wow, this is such a deep question. I heard that he stopped others from committing suicide who were in similar situations. Look at all of the good things that he did after the accident. So yeah, I would want to keep on going.....

 

[totalia]

There are some things worse than death. I would categorize this among them.

 

[jerrysboy40]

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier. Let me give you a first hand answer to this question.

At age 18 I was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy (Limb-Girdle) I functioned the best I could. I worked for 20 years and lead a pretty normal life. Last May I was coming into my home and fell out the door backwards. I sprial fractured my left femur. I had surgery and now have a steel rod and screws in my leg. I was hospitilized for over a month. I was also non-weight-barring on my leg for 3 months. I went to Ohio State University (Dodd Hall) which is one of the top 10 rehab hospitals. I was there for 2 weeks. I went through extensive rehab, but was never able to walk outside the parallel bars. My legs were just to weak.

I was ready to end it all. I even had a plan. But it is funny how God can make something bad happen to you to show you how good it can be. You see, when I was walking I wasn't good at it. I fell a lot, mostly stayed home. Wasn't able to do anything with my wife and son. I am now in a motorized wheelchair. I have an accessible van (which I drive) My life is 100% better. I go everywhere, I do everything. My son is 8 years old. Last night was the first time he and I went somewhere by ourselves. We only went to Walmart and to eat Chineese, but in 8 years I wasn't able to take him anywhere unless someone was with us. I understand to some of you being in a wheelchair you would think it horrible, but it really isn't. Now being in Christopher Reeves position may be different. You never know what is going through someones head. I can say that in my position. My life has changed for the best.

Sorry so long of a post Pop Daddy

 

[browneyes]

Jerrysboy40, I'm glad you didn't go through with that plan. Do you and your son have any of that Chinese food left? I'm hungry.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

jerrysboy,
Thanks for writing that! Thats one of the best posts I have ever read!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Would I want to live as a vegetable? NO! If I was of sound mind, and just could not move from the neck down, and I had my kids, who would be devastated to lose me, then YES, I would want to live.

Chris Reeves was an amazing person. He said within the first few hours of waking up, yes, he thought about suicide. What stopped him? Seeing his kids standing next to his bed. He stayed alive for them, but him choosing to live 9 years ago has changed so many poeples lives today. He made the most of what was handed to him, and MORE. The guy even went back to acting and directing.

I don't know how you can look at Chris Reeves life and ask "would you want to continue to live like that" he chose to live, and LIVE he did.

 

[jerrysboy40]

No Chineese food left sorry Shannon.

I heard Christopher Reeves in an interview once say that he escaped his disability through his dreams. In his dreams is where he ran, still rode his horse's, and such. When this first happend to me. I escaped in my dreams too. I ran, played football, all kind of things. The bad thing was when I woke up I would see my powerchair sitting in the corner, and it would hit me all over again.

Now, once I excepted the fact that my walking days were over, and the powerchair made my life better I stopped having those sort of dreams. My dreams now are me in the powerchair doing whatever I want.

 

[Disney01]

I don't know if I'm particularly looking at Chris Reeve's "life" and saying would I want to live like that exactly, but rather would I want to continue to live my "life" if I were in that situation. One thing I thought over the last few days, where he was fortunate, and most, including me would not be, was in his financial position. If myself or my husband were paralyzed from the neck down, the financial drain would probably bankrupt us and I don't know if we could afford the care like he had. The resultant drain on the healthy spouse would also be something to consider. So, there would be many considerations. Diana was able to focus her energies on loving him because she didn't have to worry about finances...A heavy load for many spouses when the other spouse is chronically ill. It's not an easy question for me to answer because I can honestly say I just don't know.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

I definetly have a high respect for life, so I would live as long as my body would allow me to.