Ben is Coping with Huntington's Disease

Written by Lynda Appell


Ben is Coping with Huntington's Disease. Ben, how HD affects him and how he is dealing with it.

A Dear Male Friend has Huntington's Disease.

A dear male friend who I met while both of us attended a rehab program has Huntington's Disease. It is also known as Huntington's Chorea. Chorea means involuntary movements usually involvingrepparttar voluntary muscles. In other words, mostly twitches, spasms and similar moves. Getting back to my friend. I remember him beforerepparttar 115890 disease began to clearly manifest itself. He was a bright, creative young man. He is in his mid forties now. Now I wonder if his depression was caused byrepparttar 115891 very real fear of inheritingrepparttar 115892 dreadful disease or ifrepparttar 115893 mood disorder was already part ofrepparttar 115894 disorder. One ofrepparttar 115895 signs of Huntington's is depression. I would think knowing you could inherit a condition that destroys not onlyrepparttar 115896 body, butrepparttar 115897 mind as well and there is no cure could cause someone to be terribly depressed. Irregardless, clinical depression is one ofrepparttar 115898 symptoms. His progressively worsening involuntary movements is making it increasingly difficult to take care of himself, to live independently. As I wrote before HD also effects one mentally, not only with a mood disorder. It is also considered a dementia. That is causes memory and thinking, judgement impairments. Inrepparttar 115899 latter stages people with Huntington's have to be in full care nursing homes, protected from themselves. They could very well inadvertently do something dangerous because of poor judgement. For example accidentally start a fire. For his mood disorder he is in a partial program. His father and his very supportive male friend is giving him moral support. Unfortunately his younger brother hasrepparttar 115900 same disease. His father's late wife passed away from Huntington's. I feel great sorrow forrepparttar 115901 entire family.

My Views on Patient's Rights

Written by Lynda Appell


What I consider rights of patients.

These I believe should berepparttar right of all patients.

My article is about my proposal forrepparttar 115889 rights of all patients. By this I mean both in and out patients. It includes physical and mental conditions. By no means isrepparttar 115890 list below meant to be exhaustive. It is merely a beginning. Perhaps you could think of this as start of a dialogue. If you have any valid suggestions feel free to add them in your comments. The two exceptions to these rights would be people too incapacitated either by a developmental disability or mental illness. In that case a reliable guardian should be appointed. By reliable I mean a person who can be trusted to make sound decisions and is able and willing to do so.

One other note. Only a small percentage of patient's in psychiatric hospitals are unable to make their own decisions affecting their care.

Admittedly opinionated, but not dogmatic. It's just my opinion and it's fully realized that everyone hasrepparttar 115891 right to agree or not. Hopefully at least some readers out there will be agreeing with me.

The list here is not in order of importance, simply because they are considered equally important.

1. Be treated with dignity and respect.

2. Participate fully in all decisions about one's treatment

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