The Choice Episode of HOUSE ~

[selmaS]

Discussion thread.

Ok lets talk about the episode we all have been waiting for : )
Add comments like always but also cast ur vote for  how u liked the way the chiari info was handled.

[margypops]

whoops sorry I saw the name House and popped in I just adore that programme .

[ChiariWolf]

It will get the name Chiari out there if someone 'really' paid attention. But no symptoms explained or anything. The only thing pushed was that the guy was gay. That has nothing to do with Chiari. I'm thankful to have a bit of exposure but very disappointed overall.

[jonifa]

VERY disappointing!!! Not at all what I was hoping for!!

[northernstarmn]

while it will get the WORD out....it wasnt an accurate representation of how chiari affects most people, and how life changing it really is, not to mention the frustration we feel before diagnosed (while i understand it was a tv show and they couldnt go that length in explaination-however it depicts it is something easy,and less of life altering of a disease)......Disappointed..

[jonifa]

It also depicted the surgery as minor...small bandage on his neck..no hair shaved and moving his neck completely fine...sooo not realistic.

[bbisweary]

I was thoroughly disgusted about the program.  I was so embarrased that I told people on my facebook page to watch it that half way through the program I wrote an apology on my page and told them it was a perverse and inaccurate representation of a serious disorder.  It makes me so mad!!!! I wish I had never told anyone about it.

[selmaS]

I feel so bad for Laura who this was to be fashioned after...they flew her out to LA......just think how she must feel....just a waste of time and hope...so, we must continue to get the word out ourselves.

[soccero]

It sucked! I'm so mad!!!!!!!!! And what happened to two hours?
Molly

[jonifa]

I am so upset about the portrayal that I won't be watching the show anymore...too bad, I used to like the show...

[jorlex137]

I'm sad!  It seemed more about a life lesson on being gay then living with chiari!  Wow did you see him move that neck afterwards??  Simple little piece of gauze to "seal" things up!

[selmaS]

I know Jen...I had tubes, a cath....and even an ace bandage wrapped around my head.....he was holding his head up like it was nothing....I still have times where it bothers me.....sigh

[plumsaki]

Very very unrealistic depiction of Chiari!  I knew there would be an issue with it being "glammed" up for ratings, but seriously, why did they have to make the central theme around his sexuality?!  Ridiculous....

[cyberpyxi]

I'm a HUGE House fan. I haven't missed an episode yet. I even watched through the Vogler crap. However, even if I hadn't had my expectations raised for this episode, I would have totally hated it.
However, because I DID have high expectations for this, I was literally angry after watching it. Chiari's Malformation was mentioned so minutely, and as mentioned above, the bandage? They didn't even touch on the treatment, which they usually do. And sitting there, fresh from surgery, sitting UP... looking at someone above him, turning and twisting his head, tape coming off of the "bandage"... ug. I really wish I would have not mentioned this to my entire company and all over my facebook.
I agree with bbisweary... I'm disgusted.

[selmaS]

Not only the small bandage, but what about recovery post op...life after post op....geeze

[jorlex137]

Now everyone thinks just a quick easy surgery and your cured!  How many of us have had surgery but still live on eggshells for the "what next" game???

[selmaS]

Jen,..so right...and it didn't even cover how many of us have had symptoms for yrs, but not the treatments this guy had to cure his gayness....to trigger them.....they didn't mention balance issues....and his HA's didn't start until he had the LP....so his chiari could arguably have been aquired......ugh

[ChiariWolf]

Yeah, lets add House to list of Drs!!!! I used to feel like Dr Di did a wonderful job as recovery was so much less painful and limiting than I expected. But after seeing how wonderful House's patient felt guess we'll have to start directing everyone to him. And wait until the insurance companies get ahold of this!!!! I just did a Chiari dx on my kids without even having to pay for any mri's or and of that garbage.

Disgusted- that kind of fits as I really don't have word for the letdown felt ... I still can't turn my head that well. Hummmm guess House also did something with all the damage in the guys neck while he was at it. But they just didn't have enough time to discuss the Chiari part of this as they had to get in all the garbage about him being gay. What a total JOKE!!!!

[selmaS]

Wow...so much to get mad about and that slid right passed me...no MRI...just pulled up on his head and made the dx   of chiari...how?

I knew this would get too Hollywood, but I did hope for more real info.....

[Meghanchiari]

Very dissapointed. At least the word got out there- that is a huge step forward but still nothing was explained about the symptoms or anything like that. The whole episode everyone I knew kept asking me if it was really a chiari patient bec all they talked about wad being gay. The neck range at the end was very unrealistic. I need a doctor house- I had my decompression in July and have not been able to eat or drink since- anyone out there like me?

[selmaS]

HI and welcome to the chiari forum.

U r so right this episode of HOUSE was so unrealistic....but it may have a few people asking what is chiari.......the gay aspect may...I mean will confuse many, so we have our work cut out for us.

Have u been checked for other related issues?....like Hashimoto's....a syrinx, tethered cord?

And do u know if u have perm nerve damage?

So happy to have u join our little family here, sorry teh reason u had to seek us out.

"selma"

[selmaS]

Some chiarians in Ohio did an interview with FOX news and this is a link to what they reported....

http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/Fighting-Chiari

[shanmomof3]

yes i was disappointed but like selma said its now our job to get the word out and talk to people about it! I had so many people that were watching because they knew this was what i have. I have spent the last 4 hours or more answering questions about chiari and the surgery to a lot of my non-chiari friends. So although we as Chiarians are not happy about it, it did make people ask questions, so that is a plus.

[mikeysmom1995]

Wow,
My husband and I were in total shock and very disappointed after watching this. It was almost the same as the episode on Gray's anatomy where the mom has Chiari and the neuro surg tells the lady in you have Chiari and we can go in and fix this, like it is that simple. 2 shows now that have mentioned have made very light of this condition like there is just a simple surgery fix and all is well! Wow so sad and very disappointing.
Barb :)

[cyberpyxi]

I'm glad to hear that people are asking y'all questions, because it's been pretty silent on my end. Other than people saying "Sorry, I just couldn't watch the whole thing". Throw around a few affairs and the word sodomy a few times and watch them run. To be fair, these are people that do not normally watch the show, only did so at my request. I'm not so excited about that, for sure.

My problem with it all was that the way House described Chiari. The opening to the base of the skull is too small, and since he was given medication that made his brain swell, it plugged up the opening. Nothing about descending tonsils, herniation, or anything of the like. You'll need a surgery, sir... and will be moving around better than before the next day. blah.

I really don't think it DID get the message anywhere. They did mention a MRI after his face drooped, they said it was normal, then they ordered another MRI after he started lactating... and that MRI was also normal...
And I'm sorry... he got the shock treatment how long ago, and has had not one noticeable sign since then, but then, in 3 days, has a fainting spell, can't talk, POTS, heart attack (which was not a heart attack, was a cardiac arrest... big difference), pleural effusion, headaches that are better when his head is lifted up from his neck, and never had a headache until the hospital?

No, I don't think it did a single thing for Chiari. I can honestly say that if I were to walk up to someone that typically watches House, and mention that I have Chiari Malformation that they would even associate it with last night's episode. I didn't hope for too much from this episode, but I would have liked a showing of a MRI (for herniation), talks about history of (insert symptoms), and more than a gauze band aid at the end.

I'm off my soap box now, I'm sorry... I'm just so frustrated by this!