Neuro Note 1

I currently have an obsession with the new TV show “The Good Doctor” on ABC. First of all, if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it - however, it can be cheesy or seem staged, but I love watching Freddie Highmore play Dr. Shaun Murphy. In the show, Murphy is a new surgical resident at the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital, and he happens to have autism. The show describes his life and how he interacts with his patients and his colleagues. I am so in love with all of the characters, they each seem to reach me in different forms or fashions. Which brings me to my next point, it has been revealed that one of my favorite doctors on the show, Dr. Glassman, has a brain tumor. This man just so happens to be Dr. Murphy’s mentor and is the person who raised him after his brother passed away. It literally brought me to tears after I watched the episode.

In the scene where Dr. Glassman finally realizes he might have something going on, he is out to eat at a restaurant with a new friend. The waitress asks him if he needs anything else and Glassman says, “Nothing else, just the door stop please.” He looks at his friend and laughs. Then repeats his statement. His face grows worried as he repeats the statement one more time. Tears begin to come to his eyes as the doctor recognizes what is happening to him. This ultimately is recognized as anomia, which is the difficulty naming common objects. It is associated with possible damage to the parietal lobe of the brain. Dr. Glassman keeps trying to say “check” but it keeps coming out as “door stop,” even though deep down he knows the term he is searching for, but just can't seem to find it. This scene (along with a new class I began recently about neurological disorders), got me wondering about brain tumors and brain cancers. So, I decided to take a look at someone else’s story.

Alison Piepmeier: a single mother to a daughter with Down Syndrome. Although now, she has another title to add; brain cancer victim. Piepmeier's blog describes her life from the day she found out about the tumor to after her tumor removal and even pieces of her recovery. The details she highlights about her pain, guilt, anger, vulnerability, and so much more gives insight into what life with a tumor could be like. The problem with brain tumors is that every person it affects will hold a different story about the experience. It can affect different parts of the brain, therefore affecting different parts of your body - language skills/comprehension, writing abilities, sight, etc. In Alison's case it was affecting her language skills, which was a high priority for her to keep. After her surgery, she explains her process of trying to find the words, but can't seem to quite reach them (word blindness). But her highest priority, was staying alive to be able to support her daughter. Throughout her blog you can feel her struggle of frustration, but desire to keep going for her sweet girl, who she knew would need her alive. 

Everyone will have a different motivation, and it's important for occupational therapists and other health professionals to remember those client specific motivations to make sure their clients get back to what (or who) they enjoy most in life. One take away for me, as an OT student, is to always remember every person and their life situation is different. The better I talk to them and understand their needs and wants, the better I will be able to help them reach beyond their goals.

Brain tumors are a non-traumatic brain injury and no case is alike. I'm thankful to have read Alison's inspiring story and hope that she (as well as Dr. Glassman in "The Good Doctor") can kick this cancer to the curb.

Sincerely,
The Young OTS
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If you want to check out Alison Piepmeier’s story, here is a link to her blog series:
Also, here is a picture of Dr. Glassman with a quote that I feel can really hit home to those with a brain tumor (or any other disability or life problem, really). Don't forget there are other survivors, family members, and friends who are there to support you. 

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