Casualty Current Episode Discussion

[taungfox]

Is it really realistic to portray a man with muscular dystrophy who has trouble walking, showering etc. as a violent and abusive person? Sure he could be on pain killers but MD affects the strength of muscles so surely he should be a lot weaker than a man his age without MD, especially as he's been undiagnosed for years and without proper treatment. A few weeks ago he couldn't lift his arms above his head but last week he managed to break his wife's ribs as well as old injuries showing up on the X-ray. Ribs have got a lot of give in them, they're designed to bend before they break so it takes some considerable force to break them. Granted he could have pushed her down the stairs or hit her with something like a rolling pin but I can't see a guy who uses a wheelchair having much strength to drag his wife across the kitchen and beat her up, like he did last night.

Hi,
I am pleased that unlike most people you have taken on board the fact that Warren does have Muscular Dystrophy. We at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign have been watching the storyline with great interest. To answer your point, it is not inconsistent to see Warren's actions as they have been portrayed. MD is by nature a variable condition and not all encompassing across all organs. Having said that our position is that it is more serious a condition than has been shown and after making a few valid points in the diagnosis episode MD has not even been mentioned. We are straight back to the image of "Nasty Despicable Warren". Of course it is not acceptable under any circumstances to hit people but no effort has been made to put across the situation from Warren's position. As we have been told he was a hard working, brave and committed fireman married to a nurse and having a great life. Then along comes this horrible medical condition and it gets worse and worse so that he loses his career and indeed cannot get any other work at all. Worst of all unlike most diseases MD is often undiagnosed for many years. Warren knows he has a serious conditon and will know his working life is over yet the whole world refuses to believe him. Even his wife Kirsty as they are doing the tests says "you can test him all you like, it is all inside his head". There you have it, poor Warren can see his himself losing his career, his livlehood, his marriage and his house and the only response is that no one believes him, even the wife does not accept it. Who amongst us would not feel frustrated in this situation. I was undiagnosed for 12 years and this insidious and cruel disease has cost me a career, a relationship and a house. This does have an effect of a person, particulrily when you get no sympathy at all. Warren faces a very bleak future. There is no cure to Muscular Dystrohy, it will pprogress to many other different muscle groups throughout his body including heart and lungs. Since the diagnosis episode MD has not been mentioned, the oppotunity to publicise this disease has been lost. It has been totally overshadowed by the scriptwriters reverting to the normal "blood and guts" storylines with child molesters and "legs cut off" type incidents. They have not put across that his is the more srious and life changing than all these.
Even the falling down the stairs incident. You will notice there were sturdy bannisters both sides. An able bodied person would just arrest thier fall with his hands. Warren as we have seen has the symptom of Myotonia (totally bad grip) and just cannot grip
the bannisters and thus fell. Indeed if you remember Warren was only diagnosed because the doctor having misdiagnosed him shook his hand to say goodbye and realised the degree of myotonia. So after making a few good points the scriptwriters have changed the idea of publicising MD and pandered to the more populist wfie beating story . An opportunity missed!

[Abigail]

Hi,
I am pleased that unlike most people you have taken on board the fact that Warren does have Muscular Dystrophy. We at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign have been watching the storyline with great interest. To answer your point, it is not inconsistent to see Warren's actions as they have been portrayed. MD is by nature a variable condition and not all encompassing across all organs. Having said that our position is that it is more serious a condition than has been shown and after making a few valid points in the diagnosis episode MD has not even been mentioned. We are straight back to the image of "Nasty Despicable Warren". Of course it is not acceptable under any circumstances to hit people but no effort has been made to put across the situation from Warren's position. As we have been told he was a hard working, brave and committed fireman married to a nurse and having a great life. Then along comes this horrible medical condition and it gets worse and worse so that he loses his career and indeed cannot get any other work at all. Worst of all unlike most diseases MD is often undiagnosed for many years. Warren knows he has a serious conditon and will know his working life is over yet the whole world refuses to believe him. Even his wife Kirsty as they are doing the tests says "you can test him all you like, it is all inside his head". There you have it, poor Warren can see his himself losing his career, his livlehood, his marriage and his house and the only response is that no one believes him, even the wife does not accept it. Who amongst us would not feel frustrated in this situation. I was undiagnosed for 12 years and this insidious and cruel disease has cost me a career, a relationship and a house. This does have an effect of a person, particulrily when you get no sympathy at all. Warren faces a very bleak future. There is no cure to Muscular Dystrohy, it will pprogress to many other different muscle groups throughout his body including heart and lungs. Since the diagnosis episode MD has not been mentioned, the oppotunity to publicise this disease has been lost. It has been totally overshadowed by the scriptwriters reverting to the normal "blood and guts" storylines with child molesters and "legs cut off" type incidents. They have not put across that his is the more srious and life changing than all these.
Even the falling down the stairs incident. You will notice there were sturdy bannisters both sides. An able bodied person would just arrest thier fall with his hands. Warren as we have seen has the symptom of Myotonia (totally bad grip) and just cannot grip
the bannisters and thus fell. Indeed if you remember Warren was only diagnosed because the doctor having misdiagnosed him shook his hand to say goodbye and realised the degree of myotonia. So after making a few good points the scriptwriters have changed the idea of publicising MD and pandered to the more populist wfie beating story . An opportunity missed!

I think you raise some very good points there. Having a disability is no excuse for being violent but I can also see how being disabled and losing control can cause anger and rages. It's part of the process of accepting an illness.

An opportunity missed indeed. Perhaps we will start to see more consistent behaviour after his fall down stairs. I guess its difficult to get the balance right and avoid excusing violence with frustration at being ill but also not overdoing the wife beater angle.

[taungfox]

[QUOTE=Abigail;742033....Having a disability is no excuse for being violent but I can also see how being disabled and losing control can cause anger and rages. It's part of the process of accepting an illness.

......... I guess its difficult to get the balance right and avoid excusing violence with frustration at being ill but also not overdoing the wife beater angle.[/QUOTE]

With respect, the points I was making was that Warren could not accept his illness as he had not been diagnosed. He had no chance over many years to accept an illness, he
was told he was not ill. In the diagnosis episode the doctor diagnosed a mild heart condition, a few pills and you are fine. Warren is just as much a victim as Kirsty. Just
ten minutes before the correct diagnosis she told the doctor "test him all you want, it is all inside his head". Warren had to put up with years of that, the exact
same from the medical profession and the loss of his beloved career and indeed any other work. He is only human. This is the only consistent thing about
Muscular Dystrophy, that we all go years without a diagnosis and face discrimination and persecution even from our nearest and dearest. Warren should
have had help from the medical profession and especially from Kirsty, he did not get either. He is simply portrayed as a wife beater, this is wrong.

[taungfox]

....... avoid excusing violence with frustration at being ill.......

I apologize if I have upset anyone or appear to be condoning violence in anyway. This is not the case, I am merely trying to get the balance right and correct the complete
ignorance of the the condition of Muscular Dydtrophy which has completely been lost in the populist theme of wife-beating. Violence of any sort is wrong, but it does happen
in our society. If Warren was up in court for assaulting his wife he would be able to at least have his extenuating circumstances aired. This does not seem to be the case
on TV drama and soapboards where people are just presented as one dimensional characters.
I obviously feel strongly about this because I am Warren. MD took away my career and my house and shortly the tiny flat I live in. My partner left when things got difficult and
even took my dog as I might fall on her. Who is to say that even a fervently non violent person like myself might for one second lash out and in today's climate be completely
pilloried. People suffering from MD do have an incredibly difficult time and people in general, the medical profession and even their own familes just do not understand. Unitil
you have been in Warren's shoes please do not judge him.

[Abigail]

You haven't upset me. I'm just too tired to digest your posts and write a coherent reply.

I do know how a serious, non-visible disability affects people and their families; my sister has fibromyalgia which affects the muscles and joints. Because people can't actually see the pain in the muscles they think she's putting it on. My mother tells her to pull herself together but that's a whole other story.

I'm feeling a bit stressed and over sensitive at the moment so I'm not going to say any more. I'll come back to your posts when I'm feeling more alert

[taungfox]

You haven't upset me. I'm just too tired to digest your posts and write a coherent reply.

I do know how a serious, non-visible disability affects people and their families; my sister has fibromyalgia which affects the muscles and joints. Because people can't actually see the pain in the muscles they think she's putting it on. My mother tells her to pull herself together but that's a whole other story.

I'm feeling a bit stressed and over sensitive at the moment so I'm not going to say any more. I'll come back to your posts when I'm feeling more alert

I have decided I must apologise to Abigail. It was wrong to take out all my frustrations on one person.

The reason my apology is delayed is that I have had a major scalding incident. Another "Warren Incident", people just do not understand !

[Perdita]

Hope you are ok again, sorry to hear that

[taungfox]

Looking forward to following the warren story in tonights episode.

At "the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign", we have been following the Warren has Muscular Dystrophy storyline with great interest.

Putting aside our disappointment that this has morphed into the more populist wfie beating angle, the MD diagnosis
episode was superb.

I enclose the review of the episode I put on our website. It was important publicity for a little understood disease.

""Just watched Casualty on the I Player.

DEJA VU...!!!!.........Spooky......Uncanny......

This is me.

Well done BBC. This a is a stunningly accurate portrayal in every respect.

From the movements, to the falls, to the myotonia, to attitude of family, to misdiagnosis, to
confusion, upset and worry and an almost accidental diagnosis.

Good way to portray it. Causualty episode with blood and guts everywhere. He is seemingly making a fuss
about nothing. The wife says you can test him a thousand times, it is all in his head. Then gradually
the truth comes out that he has as serious a condition as anyone else, and when explained she
feels she has to stay and look after him. Great touch that the doctor relises something is wrong
when he shakes hands with the patient and realises the degree of myotonia.

The only gripe, they did not mention timescale, would have been better to
make the point he had been misdiagnosed for years. They condensed my
12 years into 50 minutes.

Well done BBC."

[Katy]

i really hope jays ok

One question, how has Charlie popped up in the place where Ruth is?

I liked last nights episode...oh the next question what on earth has the woman who was playing warrens mum been in? its bneen bugging me all night!

[parkerman]

i really hope jays ok

One question, how has Charlie popped up in the place where Ruth is?

Ruth had him moved there when she was in charge of ED.

Although I thought last night's episode was quite amusing in parts, the whole scenario of the second clinical lead was just preposterous. She suddenly appears with no prior warning to any of the staff and presumably she was unemployed if she was able to start straight away. They then argue and bicker in front of the staff and patients. Sorry, none of that would happen in real life....oh, I forgot, this isn't real life!

And how did she get to the hospital before Nick seing as he was in his sports car and she was waiting for a bus?