there IS hope for the future

[**Peg**]

with wonderful kids like this leading the way:

in the category short film... "My name is Lisa".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiRHyzjb5SI

in the category inspirational... "I am a Muslim"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQXh20OuhIc

in the category commentary, the 4th one: "in my mind"
This is an eye-opener - I was so impressed I had to email him!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbgUjmeC-4o

almost everything in the adorable category is cute, with the exception (IMO) of the smartass 3-yr old.

see them all at:
http://www.youtube.com/ytawards07

[Delilah]

My Name Is Lisa was wonderful and touching. Almost made me cry but yet so happy to see kids like Lisa being strong and being there for her mother. That is a wonderful story.

[Skater Boy]

Well, I don't know much about Alzeimers disease, but it was quite moving.

For me though, the Aspergers film was the most fascinating. My mother happens to be a speech and language pathologist, which is kinda ironic since she sometimes claims that she can see traits within ME that suggest a communication disorder of some sort. That said, I was never tested, and I'm sure that if she thought that my communication patterns were dysfunctional enough, she'd insist that something be done about it. But it was certainly a good explanation, and in relatively simple language (thankfully).

Thanks for sharing.

[**Peg**]

Well, I don't know much about Alzeimers disease, but it was quite moving....Thanks for sharing.

thank you SB... I know more than I want to about Alzheimers.

[Toad82]

As someone with Aspergers I found the Aspergers video interesting, but it would have been nice if he would have talked about the emotional effects of it as well. Over the years I have found that most of the problems I have had come from people not being able to understand my lack of emotions. In fact until I was 24 ½ I didn’t really have any emotions at all besides occasional anger and happiness. And to be honest it was a lot of anger. No one understood me and they still don’t.

Through it all I have been able to deal with it, but it still pisses me of when some damn stranger tell me to smile it can’t be all that bad. People need to learn just because I don’t have a 24/7 grin doesn’t mean I am in a bad mood. Its just my face.:disgust: I don’t show much facial expression in my every day life. Over time I have somewhat made a character that I act as while I am doing things with people, but sometime it is too much trouble to pretend. Sometimes I want others to know me, not the character I have to be in order for people to accept me.

I am surprised that he only talked a little about the social problems that people with Aspergers have. For the most part from watching myself and doing my own research that seems to be the biggest problem with others not understanding why we do what we do. People seem to not trust those that don’t show emotion or those that can’t just walk up to someone and start a conversation. But it is even more surprising that he didn’t talk about what he can do well. People with Aspergers usually have a higher than average IQ and if given a chance will usually excel at most things. For myself I am great at financial things, I just suck at all things social.


RJ:lokai:

[The Barefoot Contess]

This is my experience with Alzheimer's disease:

My grandmother had Alzheimer’s for about seven years, when I was 9 to 16 years old (1988-1995). I also know more about the disease than I would want to. Those were extremely hard years, both for her and for my family. She used to live with us (my parents, my brother and I) in an apartment until she died.

Perhaps what I remember the most is how her memory loss affected her and us. She would forget what she just did (and you would have to repeat the same thing over and over and over again), but then she would have extremely vivid memories about her childhood and youth, some of them good and some of them bad (some of the memories turned out to be things no one knew about, including episodes of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath which she had kept a secret--- then all of a sudden she would tell you all about it, but not as if they were memories, but as if she were living those moments at the moment of speaking, and then you –or the people in the room- became in her mind “characters” in her earlier life). I had a hard time understanding that process: she would call me her sister, and she would insult me and reject me when I called her “grandma”. For my mother it was also hard to explain to me.

My mother lived for her. Day and night, her life revolved around her mother. As time passed, my grandmother became less and less able to use her body, so everything had to be done for her: feeding her, cleaning her, combing her, (un)dressing her, changing the diapers she had to use because she had no control over her body, everything you can think of. She could not be left alone, and she could not go anywhere either, which basically forced us to be with her all the time. At least one person had to be always with her, and sometimes that became hard itself, because she would grab knives, or try to walk (and then she would fall, of course, which for a woman her age is extremely dangerous), and it was not only that you had to be at home, but that you had to be paying constant attention to her. In the end, we had to actually tie her to a wheelchair so she could not get up or grab objects, but even then she would manage sometimes to untie herself and put her life at risk.

I was very selfish at that time. I wanted to be with my friends and could not because both my parents worked and my bother had class in the afternoon and evening, so I was the only one at home. Sometimes I wished she would die, because I thought that it would be the best for everyone: for the family because we could finally have a life, and for her, because her life was a nightmare anyway. She always had this absent look in her eyes. She was not with us. Maybe she was happier than she had ever been, in her own half-real, half-imaginary world, I don’t know. Sometimes she would laugh and you would ask her why she was laughing and she would say something like “look at her” and point towards some person who was supposedly in the room (which in her mind had become her childhood farm), and you would just had to play along and laugh with her. Other times she would cry remembering the war, and the deaths (by torture, by “disappearance”, mass shootings…) of her beloved ones, and there was just no way she or you could find any relief. I was totally unprepared for that, and for years I was not able to come to terms with what was going on. Even this day, I regret not having been more understanding, not of my grandmother only, but of the situation of other family members who suffered along and to whom I did not show enough support.

She died one night when she choked on her own vomit as my mother was trying to help her breathe. By that time, she was bedridden and had bruises and injures all over (because of lack of movement), and her mind was completely lost. We all had become enemies who wanted to hurt her. When I saw her die, I sighed of relief, and even if her death might have been the best for everyone, I still feel extremely guilty about it. I know I shouldn’t, but that is just how it is.

Alzheimer’s is a horrible illness, because it makes people around the sufferer “sick” as well. Now treatments might be better, I do not know. I honestly hope that if any of you is in contact with this illness, you will “arm” yourselves “against” it better than I was able to. I know there is little you can do when a beloved one needs you, but you need to have a life of your own and distance yourself a little from the illness, because otherwise it might be extremely hard on you. Maybe that was just my case because I was very young at the time, I don’t know, but that would be my advice for anyone in a situation like this.

Thanks for reading, and sorry for the long post.

[12voltman59]

Those were all some very good videos---the one that hit me the most was "I am Lisa"--the young actress who played "Lisa" did a great job--she sorta reminds me of the role Ellen Page did as "Juno."
What got me about the video is that I had a few older relatives who got claimed by Alzheimer's and it is such a nasty, cruel way to leave life---it may be even more cruel than to have a cancer or other similar disease--the video made me think of their deaths--and I have to say--I had to cry while I watched that film--they did an incredible job on the film and they deserve the award the film recieved.

Bit by bit-- Alzheimer's is a condition that erases one's life that seems especially capricious and nasty.

For an interesting program on Alzheimer's and a two part special on Asperger's--a program that airs on public radio stations called "The Infinite Mind" did programs on both of these conditions that affect the brain along with many other interesting topics.

Go to the link and find The Infinite Mind link on the page, then scrowl down--you will find the programs--they are about an hour long---but if you are interested in these topics--the time spent listenting to them is well worth it.

http://www.theinfinitemind.org/

Thanks for posting the links to these videos.

[Germanicus]

Take it from me, the cowardly lion (quote unquote) who regained his courage, there is always hope

[**Peg**]

I know there is little you can do when a beloved one needs you, but you need to have a life of your own and distance yourself a little from the illness, because otherwise it might be extremely hard on you. Maybe that was just my case because I was very young at the time, I don’t know, but that would be my advice for anyone in a situation like this....

ty Contess(a) ... mercifully (and I don't use that word loosely either) there is now help for both the afflicted and the caregivers. There are wonderful new meds out there that lessen the effects and give people longer, more brain-productive lives. There are FINALLY respite programs for caretakers and family members, whereby you drop off your loved one into a kind of adult daycare and you get the day off to be yourself.

Both those came too late for me, but the trauma of losing someone to Alzheimers lingers: counselling for your guilt feelings is highly recommended. It will help you.

>hugs<

**Peg**

[**Peg**]

Toad82:

as for the young man not addressing emotional issues, I found it odd that you would tell us that YOU have problems expressing your emotions, yet you expected the young man to do it? I think he did a wonderful job of educating us about Aspberger's Syndrome.

It was obvious to me that he was addressing the problem as best he could. His halting speech speaks volumes to those who know how to listen.

So rather than criticize him for what he did not say, be grateful that he educated at least one person who had never heard of the affliction before.

**Peg**

[GreenEyedLady(GEL)]

Toad82:

as for the young man not addressing emotional issues, I found it odd that you would tell us that YOU have problems expressing your emotions, yet you expected the young man to do it? I think he did a wonderful job of educating us about Aspberger's Syndrome.

It was obvious to me that he was addressing the problem as best he could. His halting speech speaks volumes to those who know how to listen.

So rather than criticize him for what he did not say, be grateful that he educated at least one person who had never heard of the affliction before.

**Peg**

Peg , you know I loves ya sugar , but lets not forget Toad has Aspbergers too. I don't think he's criticizing, just pointing out some other issues the best possible way he could :)

I enjoyed all of these films so much and I appreciate the fact that you were inspired enough to bring awareness to this community. Hugs to you my friend.

[Toad82]

As someone with Aspergers I found the Aspergers video interesting, but it would have been nice if he would have talked about the emotional effects of it as well. Over the years I have found that most of the problems I have had come from people not being able to understand my lack of emotions. In fact until I was 24 ½ I didn’t really have any emotions at all besides occasional anger and happiness. And to be honest it was a lot of anger. No one understood me and they still don’t.

Through it all I have been able to deal with it, but it still pisses me of when some damn stranger tell me to smile it can’t be all that bad. People need to learn just because I don’t have a 24/7 grin doesn’t mean I am in a bad mood. Its just my face.:disgust: I don’t show much facial expression in my every day life. Over time I have somewhat made a character that I act as while I am doing things with people, but sometime it is too much trouble to pretend. Sometimes I want others to know me, not the character I have to be in order for people to accept me.

I am surprised that he only talked a little about the social problems that people with Aspergers have. For the most part from watching myself and doing my own research that seems to be the biggest problem with others not understanding why we do what we do. People seem to not trust those that don’t show emotion or those that can’t just walk up to someone and start a conversation. But it is even more surprising that he didn’t talk about what he can do well. People with Aspergers usually have a higher than average IQ and if given a chance will usually excel at most things. For myself I am great at financial things, I just suck at all things social.


RJ:lokai:


Toad82:

as for the young man not addressing emotional issues, I found it odd that you would tell us that YOU have problems expressing your emotions, yet you expected the young man to do it? I think he did a wonderful job of educating us about Aspberger's Syndrome.

It was obvious to me that he was addressing the problem as best he could. His halting speech speaks volumes to those who know how to listen.

So rather than criticize him for what he did not say, be grateful that he educated at least one person who had never heard of the affliction before.

**Peg**


**Peg**

It is people like you that I made the character for. I thank you for proving my point of people not understanding us. To use your own words I didn’t want him to express his emotions, I know that he probably has a hard time doing so. I wanted him to address, the lack of emotion that we as individuals have and feel. It is as if you only read what you wanted to out of the third paragraph from what I wrote.

As for your quip “His halting speech speaks volumes to those who know how to listen.” I am just glad that I am high functioning. If you would have said that to a low functioning person with Asperger's and self-esteem issues (as a lot of us have) you may have set back their forthcoming social interactions. Also as someone with Asperger's I find it odd that you lecture me about paying more attention. That is part of the disorder. For the record, I have the halting speech myself.

In closing I would just like to say that I am grateful whenever anyone tries to educate someone about Asperger's, Autism or any other disorder. I was not criticizing him. I just felt from my own experience and research that he did not talk about and convey what it is like to not be able to cry at your own grandmothers funeral, or to have any emotion at all when you find out that your nine year old nephew is talking about suicide.

There was nothing in that video that was incorrect if using parallels. Although in my personal opinion, watching cartoons has nothing to do with Asperger's, its just fun. I suppose in my own way I am and just was, trying to say that he gave a partial lesson and with but a few more moments he could have gave it all.

RJ:lokai:

[diB4u]

Hey Peg- the 4th video on Aspurges is very very good.

IT is hard for people who havent had any contact with people with aspurges in their day to day life how to deal with individuals that are affected with this condition.

For a person with aspurges they find it hard to distingish their view of the world and the rest of societies view on the world.

Aspurges children need routine, that is something that even as an adult they have to have. Anger is easily shown because they find it hard to communicate with other people.

People think that sufferers of aspurgers are rude and bad mannered. That is not the case... Its how a person just sees things.

Non aspurges sees the orange, aspurges sufferes sees the segments the pips the strands of dna.

Thanks Peg for the find... More people should be made aware of Aspurges like we all know of Autism.

Aspurges, Autism, ADHD, are all related with each other.

:2cents: