Simply..abandon hope....

1/7/2018

..all ye who enter here!

I do appreciate your thoughtful responses to yesterday's post

I do not object to being sent the video - I signed up for emails from the Macular Society. I expect to be upset - it's a most upsetting condition. What I object to is the total negativity of the message, the hopelessness and helplessness it seems to me to convey.

I need just a glimmer of hope! Any faint glimmer would do...like a mention of the existing treatments for wer AMD, or the research projects, or the encouraging results of stem cell therapy, or the good results from nutritional supplements and diet - I could go on, and to be fair these do all feature on the Society's website but I wonder if this 'stark' and 'scary' film makes many people go to the website. (You can find it here.)

At the end of the video, where it says 'How to protect your sight today' I would like to see a link direct to information on how to do that. Did watching the film make any of you look up the website and send for the information pack about protecting your sight? I have sent for it to see what they send out. I am very pleased to see the site now has a nutrition and diet page to download. They say 'there is currently no cure' for the condition - but there are treatments which are thought to slow down the deterioration.

I can understand that the Society does not want to create false hope, but neither should they create false hopelessness.

I remain hopeful.

EXTRA EXTRA How's this for a message of hope and positivity?

12 Comments

Lotta

1/7/2018 11:27:22 pm

I was too turned off by the negativity of the film to want to go to their site, although I have looked at it before. Positivity and hope are so important for health - negativity is like a toxin to the body. I always think that anything is possible... who knows, some random person, could even be you, might change something about their health or lifestyle that makes a big difference to AMD's progression, or even stumble across something that leads to a cure. I remain hopeful too :-)

Freda

2/7/2018 12:34:26 am

I so agree with you about hope Lotta. It counteracts despair. :-)

Lotta

2/7/2018 01:54:08 am

Re Extra extra... Now THAT'S more like it!!

Mary

2/7/2018 03:36:19 am

As you are pointing out, what the Macular Society is missing is a balanced message:
1) info on the disease (facts, not drama)
2) what people can do, not to cure, but to improve their lifestyle to delay the impact (meaningful measures one might take), and
3) provide info on promising new research (hope), as well as giving links to the ways folks can support research.

Hopefully, the Society is getting the message and will take a critical look at their own and make some adjustments.

Freda

2/7/2018 09:58:59 am

What a good analysis Mary, and the website does cover these points but the promotional material (which I think is supposed to take you to the website - otherwise why produce it) does not! I'll be forwarding some of this stuff on to them.....Thank you so much.

Linda

2/7/2018 06:55:47 am

I had been wondering whether you knew about the Blue Zones before I saw this on the Beeb this morning. I've been reading about them for years, and there's loads on the website, as well as 2 (I think) books. Very motivating stuff!

Freda

2/7/2018 10:00:31 am

New to me Linda - and what a different attitude to the idea that old people are a burden on society which you do someitmes hear! Love it.

Linda

2/7/2018 10:20:21 am

I've read both books, Freda, and they really are worth reading. Real food, real movement (as opposed to gyms), people keeping busy, engaged and healthy. I love that someone took the time to identify what it is that keeps people healthy and active in old age in these 'Blue Zones' as opposed to just treating 'illness' and 'disease'. On both sides of my family are women who lived to 93 and 100.5. Not a chia seed in sight for them!

Julia

2/7/2018 12:24:31 pm

I am thinking back to your post last week, Freda..how to get out of a slump..and all the ideas your readers had...i suspect those ideas would all be blue zone ideas! Yes, we should move and exericse, but linda is right...let’s do movement that we love, or that is productive, not just mindless, boring repetition...and let’s dance! And laugh, and play games with our friends, join book clubs, and converse respectfully about real issues...stay interested and involved! And stay in touch with loved ones far and wide...like you all! And let’s eat cake too!

Freda

2/7/2018 01:24:00 pm

Yay to all that Julia! I am going to a tai chi class tomorrow - I've not tried it before...

Viv link

2/7/2018 02:14:20 pm

My dad had this condition as well as other things that affected his eyes. At the time the medical research into this condition was just taking off so too late for dear old dad. There has been such an advance in knowledge that hopefully soon it will be a condition of the past. Sorry Freda couldn't watch the film not enough data allowance left up here.

Freda

2/7/2018 02:39:44 pm

There is talk of treatment being available, like treatment for cataracts is now available , within a decade or even less Viv.

Simply..abandon hope....

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