In the 1980’s, 12-year-old Martin Pistorious became seriously ill with what doctor’s believed was Cryptococci Meningitis. His health started deteriorating and Martin lost his ability to move, make eye contact and even speak to others. His doctors told his parents, Rodney and Joan Pistorious, to bring him home and let him die. They told them he was as good as a vegetable.
However, he didn’t die.
Joan said, “Martin just kept going, just kept going.”
According to NPR news, his father would get up at 5 o’clock in the morning, get him dressed, load him in the car, take him to the special care center where he’d leave him. Rodney said, “Eight hours later, I’d pick him up, bathe him, feed him, put him in bed, set my alarm for two hours so that I’d wake up to turn him so that he didn’t get bedsores.”
For twelve years, Martin’s family cared for him without any sign that he was improving. Joan started to despair and even told her son, “I hope you die.”
Today she acknowledges that was a horrible thing to say but says she just wanted some sort of relief. Remarkably, now Martin is 39-years-old and says he was totally aware of everything going on around him.
More @ Life News
This isnt that rare. Ok. Today it is...but a little known part of our history involves thousands of people who survived the great influenza of 1917 only to become afflicted with encephalitis lethargica. Various degrees of severity including some that were extremely self destructive and institutionalized to semi functioning almost like those given prefrontal lobotomies and lots of others that just slept. Excellent book @it called Asleep by Molly Caldwell
ReplyDeleteVery glad this guy's family stuck with him and he finally woke up.
Thanks and I didn't know about that.
DeleteIts probably responsible for some 'autism'
ReplyDeleteAn embryonic infection that affects certain areas of the brain and only recognized as infant doesnt develop within 'normal' parameters.
carriers probanbly had slight infections of some type of virus and pass it on to offspring. Most likely maternal
*Im not a scientist, medically trained or in any way qualified to make this connection but just a theory i have.some types fit with the viral infection and damage to the brain.
Thanks and I know zilch. :)
DeleteA movie was made about the people who became catatonic after the 1917 influenza epidemic called "Awakenings' with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
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