The Discworld still Spins

[puppetmaker]

The news that Terry Prachett has a kind of a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer's has lit up the Internet.
Terry's Message on the Discworld Board
The number of fans of his work is amazing and the number that have come out of the woodwork is astounding. And no one is slowing down to think but the feathers are flying.

Terry is rather brave to put this out there for all to know. I liken it to when Michael J. Fox told the world that he had Parkinson's. Now in both cases I have a feeling that they decided to be up front before someone in the media decided to "out" them and they would rather have this out on their own terms.

I know Alzheimer's is a terrible degenerative disease. Personally I have had friends with parents and grandparents who have been affected. I don't think anyone in my family has had it or if they did I don't know about it.

But Terry has time before his mind goes and he is still working on the various books he has under contract and, knowing writers as well as I do, probably a couple more churning in his brain pan. We're talking 20 years not next week. And that is the point that a lot of people seem to be missing. It is long term not something that is going to make him "go away" within the next year. He still plans to meet his obligations for the next couple of years. Because they caught it so early, there is more that they can do for him and he can do for himself.

However this news got me to thinking. This is probably the worse thing that can happen to a writer. If something happens with your hands there are other ways of getting your ideas out there but to lose your mind slowly. That must be torture. And you have the knowledge that your mind is slipping while it goes.

I have always been scared about losing the use of my hands. A lot of what I do creatively depend on the fine motor skills I have developed over the years. But it also depends on my brain since I have to work out in my head a lot of what I create. I know what things I have a predisposition in terms of my family medical history and I have told my doctor what they are. I know there is a good chance that I might lose my fine motor skills because arthritis does run in my family. But until then I plan to continue to make puppets and dolls and things. And keep an eye on medical science to see what is on the horizon that might help me in the future.

As is, probably, Terry and his family. Medical science has created cures for many things that use to kill us. Now other things that are showing up because we are living longer are being worked on. Once we solve those I bet another set of things we never thought about will crop up. We were never meant to be immortal (Highlander aside) but we can have a good life for what we do have on this planet. Which is what Terry is planning to do. Terry is one of the most optimistic people I have met with a wicked sense of fun and a love of bad puns. He has the right attitude to make it and I think he will with his sense of humor intact.

I am grateful for the couple of times our paths have crossed especially the first one when I hadn't a clue who he was except he was working on a book with my friend Neil which he found funny.

Comments

[wookiemonster.livejournal.com]

You know, I've had those same thoughts in the back of my mind...what if I lost a hand or became paralyzed. But the idea of losing my mind...ouch.

Though, that's something about therapy... It's really starting to unlock my mind, which is great...

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

This is a good reminder. I think people freak out because we're used to seeing Alzheimer's portrayed in its later stages, and because writer or not, we're afraid of that fate. HIV, at least, you can reasonably avoid. But things like Alzheimer's, there's nothing you can really do to stop it from developing.

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

Well said.

It struck a nerve with me; I have a history of dementia on one side of my family, so I'm at risk for something similar to what Mr. Pratchett has. So it's on my mind. When I e-mailed my former girlfriend Alicia (a big Pratchett fan) with the news, I added "I want to hug either Terry or a turtle."

I am impressed with the gentle humor he used to tell us about the illness (much as I was impressed with how Reagan presented the news of his Alzheimer's, back in 1994). And he's likely to be taking especially good care of himself now, to keep the rest of his health. I admit that I worried that his condition would get really bad really quickly; I have no real sense of the timeline early onset Alzheimer's takes, and of course there are enormous variables.

Take care of your brain, ma'am. I'm glad it's there.

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

One of my journalism professors is Christopher Stasheff, an "old school" sff writer. Last winter he nearly died from carbon monoxide poisoning in his apartment. His mind is still not 100% what it was before the poisoning, and at this point I wonder if it ever will be. He's retiring at the end of this school year, and wants to go back to writing...if he can.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

I cried when I heard the news, but only because my Grandmother went through this. It was a very slow decline, but I remember the time where suddenly, she was no longer who she was. She'd have sparks of herself now and again.

I know it may be 20 or 30 years before Terry reaches that fate, and I hope sometime between now and then - for his sake and for the sake of everyone who has watched a loved one go though this - that they figure out a way to slow it so a natural death comes before the death of the mind.

As an artist losing the use of my hands scares me, which is why my tendinitis flare up freaked me out so much. For 2 weeks I couldn't even LOOK at a pencil.

*edit to add* I met Terry in 1993 at Swancon in Australia. He is a gentleman. And he almost missed his GOH speech because he was playing the new Xwing video game :D

[bangdrum.livejournal.com]

Absolutely rotten news. :(

Though it's true that he has a much better chance having been diagnosed early and NOW than if it had been in a later stage and years ago. Unlike my grandma, who went from being a racist, whiny, generally crazy old bat to a senile, angry, bitter, Alzheimer's AND lewybodies (we think) afflicted crazy old bat. Nothing can cure her; she's way too far along the scale. And she's yet (just turned 83) to become a docile sweet little granny.

As for Terry, I love Discworld books. Got into them on the late side, I'm sure, but still a huge fan. I sat and read the whole of Making Money in B&N because I didn't want to buy a hardcover. I have bought several paperbacks though. :)

I'd love to meet him... I know there are conventions and things in NYC sometimes, so I guess I'll have to look for those.

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

I'm visual. I work with technology.

The loss of my eyes or my brain scares the beejeesus out of me.

I think these thoughts cross all of our minds because we fear losing that which we love.

That and we're anxious.

There's no point to this other than to echo what you've said.

Take care.