Dr. Stephen Hawkin

[IBLazy]

Hi,

My cousin was diagnosed about 9 months ago and my aunt was a victim.

I'd like to know if anyone knows how Dr. Stephen Hawkin, the famous Mathematician and author has managed to live so long with this disease. He's had it since 1985 or there-abouts. I heard it was his will to live, but there must be more to it than that.

I was at his website and he doesn't mention his illness. He's planning on giving a lecture next January (with his computor). He's been paralyzed since a long time.

Rumors are acceptable as they sometimes lead to the truth. Thanks. :?

 

[PALS Mike]

Stephen Hawking

There's a good book written by Vancouver doctor Gabor Maté called...
"When the Body Says No- The Cost of Hidden Stress"

Provocative and beautifully written, When the Body Says No provides the answers to these and other important questions about the effects of stress on health. In clear, easy-to-follow language, Dr. Gabor Maté lucidly summarizes the latest scientific findings about the role that stress and individual emotional makeup play in an array of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, cancer, and ALS, among others.

Chapter 4 (If I remember correctly) is about ALS and the type of personality it affects. He says that the typical ALS patient is usually a very "Outgoing" person who is almost "too nice"...to lose one's ability to speak (communicate) tends to lead to depression and so on and so forth...
Maté talks about Dr. Hawking being a genius and how that type of personality has difficult time communicating in a social atmosphere. For Stephen Hawking (Maté feels) losing his ability to speak is of no great consequence and has had an easier time/greater will to live...

I can't give the book the justice it desrves...Chapter 4 is WORTH reading and will explain why Stephen Hawking has been "living" with ALS for over 35 years better than I can in this forum.

 

[lacey]

I have no idea how Stephen Hawkings has lived for so long but I can tell you that my mother lived for 16 years with ALS. Her neurologist told us this happens about 10% of the time. Once she was diagnosised she stayed the same for about 10 years and then began to rapidly fail. She also has a very negative attitude so it was not will that kept her going. There just seems to be no answer.

 

[PALS Mike]

From Stephen Hawking's website...

From Stephen Hawking's website...http://rarediseases.about.com/gi/dy...http://www.hawking.org.uk/disable/dindex.html

 

[nata]

I found Stephen Hawking's web site long ago. Yes, he is writting about his disease. I asked myself is that possible to live that long and I think there must be a lot of people, foundations that help him financially with all those instruments he has around him.

I'm not sure about the positive attitude. My dad was (still is) always optimist and he was training and exercising as long as he could, but the disease is now stronger than his will.
But still I believe it is better to be an optimist and specially the people around you! I think it helps.