Rosemary Kennedy More Normal than Thought?

[augusta]

I just got a new book on the Kennedys called "The Kennedys Amidst the Gathering Storm - A Thousand Days in London, 1938 - 1940" by Will Swift, Smithsonian Books, c 2008

I was surprised to see on page 135, this about Rosemary, the daughter that got the lobotomy:

"Lonely without his wife in London, Joe took Rosemary to a concert. Later, writing several letters to her father, Rosemary strained to please him by reciting her accomplishments: "Thank you for taking me to the concert. It was very nice of you. I have been very busy making an Album for Dr. Montessori when she comes in March. I have been taking Alouquation [elocution] lessons ... But it is wonderful to get a deploma [sic]. Then I will be a school teacher. I got a deploma for being a Child of Mary ... I have been taking First-Aid also ... Practising bandages ... I did it last term also, very interesting." Rosemary also told her father she was following an Elizabeth Arden diet. "I have gone down between 5 and 7 pounds already living on salads, egg at night." She ate meat once a day, she wrote, adding, "I will be thin when Jack sees me."

[doug65oh]

That was what, roughly a year before the lobotomy? (Poor thing couldn't spell, but I need help myself anymore.)

[1bigsteve]

I think Rosemary had some problems but just how "normal" she was I don't know. Joe Kennedy put the whole family through a great deal of pressure to succeed at any cost. I have read that the Kennedy's later regreted giving Rosemary the lobotomy. A very sad, twisted family.

-1bigsteve (o:

[Kat]

There was just a 2-hour show on the Kennedy family repeating over the weekend. I watched the first hour, but had to change channels after that for football. Boy, John F. looked gaunt even in his Navy days. They said Robert F. cleaned up after JFK, and that he was almost ruthless in that capacity- he dedicated himself to keeping JFK looking good. Some of this stuff- I don't really want to know about, or would like to have their sources!

[doug65oh]

You know, the more I read these days, the more I begin to think it might be time to forget almost everything else I’ve ever read about Rosemary Kennedy and start over again with a clean slate. The sole exception to that would be Rose Kennedy’s comment that of all the family’s misfortunes, the greatest tragedy was Rosemary’s because it was (in the end) an act of man rather than of God. Take for example that which is the stuff of legend – that “killer instinct” win-at-all-costs mentality that pervaded the Kennedy home life. That it applied to eight of the nine children is likely true enough – we have ample anecdotal evidence supporting that presumption. But whether Rosemary was ever actually subjected to such pressures is even now an open question. (That she was aware of the competitive atmosphere is all we can say.)
In 1962, Rosemary’s retardation was discussed in a piece written for the Saturday Evening Post. (It may have been the first public acknowledgement of her condition, I’m not certain.)

The piece, at http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/art ... ening_post is well worth reading if only because the author was the late Eunice Shriver. By our modern ‘tabloidian’ standards the article is a tad tame perhaps, but for the time it was a courageous thing to admit in public.
The Montessori program though – Rosie’s participation in it, that is – was a complete surprise to me.

Look at normalcy like this: In some of the concerns Rosemary voices (about her looks, clothes, boys, etc.) she wasn't much different from ohter girls ...yaknow?

[augusta]

That's a quote, from Rose Kennedy, that makes me stand stock still. That Rosemary's misfortune was caused by man.

Wait a second, tho. The assassinations were caused by men, too. But I guess she looked at those as 'fate'?

I wouldn't think Old Joe purposely had the lobotomy done to make her worse. He must have been told some pretty good results from doctors.

Kat, JFK was just about a walking corpse. When he 'fleshed out' later in life, he was full of steroids for his Addison's disease. When they released a whole new slew of Kennedy records a few years ago, I bought this book that went into detail about his medical condition. He was a really sick man, and his back caused him like constant pain in later life.

They say if JFK had won in 1964, a lot of the rotten sex stuff would have come out. There's an assassination theory!

Big Steve, I meant to say thank you for the tip on the book on Jackie Kennedy. Haven't heard of it yet and will check it out. I'm a Kennedy-aholic. I love reading about all of their personal lives. Not so much the scandals, but more the day to day things they did. I've always been very interested in how they lived. There was a book written on Jackie shortly after she died called something like 'The End' or 'Her Final Days' or something along that line, and I did not find it to be very good. There wasn't anything in it I hadn't already read somewhere else before. Except for her last weeks, and I didn't learn anything on that that I hadn't already heard from the news.

[twinsrwe]

Doug, thank you for the link to the article written by Eunice Shiver; a very enjoyable read. I agree, it was a very courageous thing for her to admit in public. Even in our modern day, some parents, as well as siblings, attempt to hide mental retardation by referring to the condition as ‘intellectual disability’, cognitive disability, or ‘developmentally delayed’. As I have posted in other threads, my son is mentally retarded. He is a very loving individual, who has a great sense of humor, and the ability to cope with whatever life has to hand him. He doesn’t know hatred; he loves and accepts everyone who comes into his life. If I could live my life over again, I would definitely want him in it.

[doug65oh]

Bless your heart Judy, I’m glad you enjoyed that piece. It’s one I’d heard of for years but had never been able to find or read until just recently when that website was put up after Eunice’s death. I heard Eunice talk about that Saturday Evening Post article during a lecture she gave (I forget just when, but the video is still out there somewhere) and was particularly amused by her account of President Kennedy’s response to the piece. Paraphrasing here, she said something like ‘Well, of course I sent it over to Jack – to the President. He read it and said it was fine, to run it – but there were four grammatical errors I needed to fix.’

Rosemary Kennedy came to this earth as do all children: For good or for ill, whatever she was she was a gift of God - as indeed are we all. As tragic as her situation was, however, there’s another important question that begs asking: If not for Rosemary and the inspiration she provided to Eunice and others, what might life be like today for millions of others who are similarly afflicted?

That’s pretty much the ticket, augusta. It’s an interesting point of view really, and yet there’s a truth in it that strikes with as much force as an unexpected slap in the face. Joe Jr., Kathleen, Jack, and Bob – the common thread here is that they all suffered sudden and unexpected deaths, events which Rose Kennedy (and perhaps others) saw as acts of God. Only Rosemary’s ultimate fate was different, the direct result of decisions made by those she loved.

I suppose one might say that fate dealt old Joe Kennedy quite the blow too: Four children dead before they were 50, and a 5th child who (like your son, Judy) knew frustration perhaps but not hatred, to whom cynicism was completely unknown – to whom love, kindness, and good humor were the currency in which you paid your way amongst your fellow men.

Multimillionaires are generally not considered boobs, but concerned multimillionaire parent Joseph P. Kennedy … well, he was but one of hundreds if not more who essentially bought snake oil, hoping it would do Rosie some genuine good. The doctor who performed the lobotomy on Rosemary Kennedy was Dr. James W. Watts. The supervising surgeon was one Walter J. Freeman. Of Dr. Freeman an acquaintance said, ‘he was the nearest thing to a genius I’ve ever seen. But I also thought he was crazy as hell.’ If you saw that film The Lobotomist on PBS, that’s the Walter J. Freeman who supervised Rosemary Kennedy’s lobotomy.

[augusta]

I didn't know about your son, twinsrwe. Well God bless him - and you. He sounds so sweet.

I think the stigma of any mental illness has come a long way since I was a kid. I am glad I learned better.

I didn't see 'The Lobotomist'. That's interesting that the doctor oversaw Rosemary Kennedy. Is it a sad show?

[doug65oh]

The Lobotomist, augusta, is truly a program you’d have to see to believe. It’s sad, sick, twisted and yet also so much more. Astounding is a good word I think. The interface is a bit klunky and aggravating, but if you’ll visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lobotomist/program/ the entire program is there, broken into sequential segments – and well worth the viewing. I too was unaware that Dr. Freeman was associated with Rosemary Kennedy’s lobotomy, had heard only of the feller who actually did the procedure, Dr. Watts.

[augusta]

Thanks for the link, Doug. I contemplated buying the DVD from PBS a few months ago. I didn't know it was online. There's a lot of 'American Experience's online at the PBS site, too. Included is the 5-part one that they did on Native Americans. (I think it's under 'American Experience'.) I watched the first part and part of the second so far and kept falling asleep (my fault; not theirs).

[twinsrwe]

Thank you for your kind words, Doug and augusta.

Let me give you a peek into the kind of life my son lives. He lives in a duplex with two roommates, and a live-in staff person; he and his roommates are supported by a residential support agency. He does not have, nor has he ever had, the ability to take care of his personal needs; bathing, brushing his teeth, etc. He goes to work 5 days a week; he has a couple of voluntary jobs and one paid job. He is on a bowling league, through Special Olympics. He loves to get together with his friends to go out to eat, go to the zoo, take in a movie or having his friends over to his place to watch a movie, and sometimes he just likes hanging out with his friends. He loves all kinds of music, so of course going to dances are a big thing for him. He enjoys sports; his favorites are professional wrestling and football. He loves animals, and children; especially babies.

… Rosemary Kennedy came to this earth as do all children: For good or for ill, whatever she was she was a gift of God - as indeed are we all. As tragic as her situation was, however, there’s another important question that begs asking: If not for Rosemary and the inspiration she provided to Eunice and others, what might life be like today for millions of others who are similarly afflicted? …

This is a very good question, Doug. I know for my son, his life would be quite different, I’m sure. He was a Special Olympic athlete for many years, that is until he became confined to a wheelchair, due to dislocating both of his patellas (knee caps). Although surgery was done on both of his knees, both surgeries failed. He was an athlete in T-ball for several years (my husband and I were coaches for his T-ball team). Many of my son’s current friends, as well as one of his roommates, he met through Special Olympics. So, if it were not for the inspiration that Rosemary Kennedy provided, I'm sure my son's life, as well as other handicapped citizens lives, would be quite different.

… I suppose one might say that fate dealt old Joe Kennedy quite the blow too: Four children dead before they were 50, and a 5th child who (like your son, Judy) knew frustration perhaps but not hatred, to whom cynicism was completely unknown – to whom love, kindness, and good humor were the currency in which you paid your way amongst your fellow men. …

Although my son is a pure joy to be around 90% of the time, because he is usually a happy go lucky guy, he does become frustrated when he is not given choices in his daily life. He may be mentally retarded, but like all of us, he needs to have some control in what happens, and when things occur, in his life.

I didn't know about your son, twinsrwe. Well God bless him - and you. He sounds so sweet.

I think the stigma of any mental illness has come a long way since I was a kid. I am glad I learned better. …

Yes, my son's personally tends to draw people to him like a magnet. Although he is a sweetheart most of the time, he does have his moments when he is not so sweet, as all of us do.

Mental illness and mental retardation are entirely different disorders. Mental illness is a behavioral or emotional disorder. Mental retardation is an intellectual disability. So, they are definitely separate entities. The biggest difference between mental illness and mental retardation, is that mental retardation is diagnosed at birth or shortly thereafter and is a rather open and shut case. The capacity and ability to reason among retarded persons is gauged on levels and is thus more finite than the world of mental illness. My son's disability is consider a moderate level of mental retardation.

[doug65oh]

Well on the whole Judy it certainly sounds as though your son is doing right well within the limitations imposed upon him at birth. I couldn’t be happier to hear that! The element of frustration I understand especially because it’s something I deal with myself each day and have for 40-odd years – only the reasons are different. Usually when this subject come up and I hear “Well, she became increasingly agitated and frustrated…” my automatic response (right or wrong) is something akin to “Okay, let’s take a moment here and look at this: If you were in the same situation and rebuffed or otherwise overlooked (as if memory serves Eunice Shriver said of Rosemary following an offer by Rosie to help with the younger children) how would you feel?” Pretty much like the dog’s supper on a paper plate I would think – Frustrated, inadequate, all of that. It hurts to be told or to perceive that we are somehow not good enough! So I don’t even bother with frustration because it comes with the package.

The key I think is to encourage, encourage, and encourage. Some measure of perceived independence (indeed, of value) is absolutely vital.

I’m a bit rusty on this Judy, but would it be correct to say that retardation is a congenital genetic disorder, whereas mental illness is not?

[augusta]

Your posts are totally interesting, Fargo and Doug. It sounds like your son is living a good and full life that he is happy with (?).

Yes, I see that retardation is different from mental illness. But nowadays they are finding out that many mental illnesses are caused by genetics; a chemical imbalance; a physical cause. Is "mental illness" a misnomer for those cases, I wonder?

[doug65oh]

augusta...wipe your glasses. Fargo hasn't posted in this thread yet.

[augusta]

Oh, what an idiot. I'm sorry, twinsrwe. I knew it was you.

Thanks, Doug, for mopping up after me - again.

[twinsrwe]

… The key I think is to encourage, encourage, and encourage. Some measure of perceived independence (indeed, of value) is absolutely vital. …

Doug, I totally agree – encouragement, as well as compliments, work wonders. Many of my son’s abilities were taken away when he dislocated his patellas; simple things, like taking himself to the bathroom. I don’t think I would be the, loving, happy go lucky guy that he is, if I had gone through all of the things he has gone through in his life. He truly amazes me. Looking at his life, makes my troubles seem pretty small in comparison.

… I’m a bit rusty on this Judy, but would it be correct to say that retardation is a congenital genetic disorder, whereas mental illness is not?

It can be. There are several possible causes for mental retardation, however, only 25% of the cases have a specific cause. Mental retardation affects about 1 - 3% of the population. In about one-third of all cases, the cause of mental retardation is not known. The remaining two-thirds of the cases can be broken down into several categories. I found an excellent site that gives a list of the possible causes:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency ... 001523.htm

My son has been genetically tested several times, but no known cause for his condition was found; therefore he falls in the unexplained category - his degree of impairment is moderate. Although the test results did not show a cause, Mom, believes the cause of his condition is from the Agent Orange, that was sprayed in the Vietnam War.

I have no proof to back up my belief, except that my son’s biological father told me that his exposed skin would be covered with orange dust from the Agent Orange that was sprayed, and the troops were given no precautions whatsoever. My brother was also in the Vietnam war. Now, at one point in time, there was the opportunity for the vets and their offspring to be tested for Agent Orange. Appointments were set up for my, then, husband, as well as my son, however, the government stepped in and stopped all of the testing before they were actually tested for it. However, my brother was fortunate enough to be tested. The physician who did his examine told him that one of the primary symptoms of Agent Orange was loose/floppy joints. Well, my son definitely has loose/floppy joints, especially with his wrists, and I suspect his ankles and knees; he has always had bad balance, and a long history of falls for no apparent reason. Although the dislocation of his patellas occurred at different times, both incidents were from falls that occurred for no apparent reason.

I know that Wikipedia is not the most reliable web site, however, I found it interesting to read the information it has on the Effects on health, Perception and information, and Acknowledgement by the U.S. Government:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Oran ... _on_health

I also found the following web sites, which, I personally think, are interesting to read:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/227467.stm

http://www.braytonlaw.com/practiceareas/agentorange.htm

A few years ago, there was a documentary on the man who ordered Agent Orange to be sprayed in the Vietnam War. Part of this documentary covered the fact that this man’s son was diagnosed with two kinds of cancer, and his grandson had a severe learning disability, which they attributed to the Agent Orange defoliant. During the course of the program, Admiral Zumwalt’s son and grandson were shown – when I saw his grandson, my immediate response was that I was looking at a young man who had the same kind of disabilities as my son; not only was this child retarded, he had loose/floppy joints of the wrist! It was the loose joints that caught my attention and although I had highly suspected that my son’s condition was due to Agent Orange, I wasn’t convinced that of it until I saw this documentary.


From Publishers Weekly

Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr. ordered the Agent Orange defoliation during the Vietnam war, in part to protect sailors such as his son, Elmo III, who was involved in the riverine aspect of fighting. Years later, the son developed two kinds of terminal cancer, and his own son, Russell, was discovered to have a severe learning disability.

http://www.jgzumwalt.com/index.php/tradition/144

Admiral Zumwalt retired in 1974, but a decade later he was back in the public eye, enmeshed in family anguish arising from the Vietnam War. While serving as commander of American naval forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970, he had ordered the spraying of the defoliant Agent Orange in the Mekong Delta, seeking to deny cover to snipers on the river banks. One of the Navy boats patrolling the river was commanded by Lt. Elmo Zumwalt III, his son. …

His son Elmo III left the Navy in 1970 and became a lawyer in North Carolina. In 1983, he was stricken with lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, and in 1985 he was found to have Hodgkin's disease, an unrelated form of lymph-node cancer. Elmo III's son, Elmo IV, known as Russell, was born in 1977, with a severe learning disability. Admiral Zumwalt and his son attributed the cancers and the boy's learning disability to the Agent Orange defoliant. …

Admiral Zumwalt wrote: "Knowing what I know now, I still would have ordered the defoliation to achieve the objectives it did. But that does not ease the sorrow I feel for Elmo, or the anguish his illness, and Russell's disability, give me. It is the first thing I think of when I awake in the morning, and the last thing I remember when I go to sleep."

http://www.mishalov.com/Zumwalt.html

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/14/obitu ... e-use.html

[twinsrwe]

… Yes, I see that retardation is different from mental illness. But nowadays they are finding out that many mental illnesses are caused by genetics; a chemical imbalance; a physical cause. Is "mental illness" a misnomer for those cases, I wonder?

Hmmm, I don’t really know.

[twinsrwe]

Oh, what an idiot. I'm sorry, twinsrwe. I knew it was you. …

Don’t worry about it, I knew you meant me.

[doug65oh]

Aye, I understand what you mean Judy. Perhaps I expressed myself poorly there. What I was thinking of primarily in making that distinction was of chromosomal disorders which sometimes occur independently of external factors, such as exposure to Agent Orange or other chemicals, substance abuse, alcoholism, etc.

Egads, I’ve not heard nor thought of Admiral Zumwalt for years! It’s interesting that your son exhibits some of the characteristics the Navy doctor mentioned as earmarks of Agent Orange exposure.

[twinsrwe]

I think you expressed yourself very well, Doug. I understood where you were coming from and you could very well be correct. As I stated, I have absolutely no proof, whatsoever, that my son’s condition is to due to Agent Orange; it is just one of the possibilities for his physical and mental disabilities. Another possibility is that my son’s condition could be from cerebral palsy; my son’s primary physician has told me that he probably has it. Following is some interesting information from the Mayo Clinic regarding cerebral palsy:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cerebra ... ECTION=all

My son was 6 months old and still could not sit up. He never learned to crawl, and he was well beyond the average age that most babies learn to walk. As I mentioned before, my son has always had a problem with his balance and has a long history of falls, which resulted, 9 times out of 10, in hitting his head. The following information is, in part, from the Medline Plus website (Note: Underlining is mine).

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and to maintain balance and posture. The disorders appear in the first few years of life. Usually they do not get worse over time. People with cerebral palsy may have difficulty walking. They may also have trouble with tasks such as writing or using scissors. Some have other medical conditions, including seizure disorders or mental impairment.

Cerebral palsy happens when the areas of the brain that control movement and posture do not develop correctly or get damaged. Early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear before 3 years of age. Babies with cerebral palsy are often slow to roll over, sit, crawl, smile or walk. Some babies are born with cerebral palsy; others get it after they are born.

Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cerebralpalsy.html

My son also has Scoliosis, which required Spinal Fusion surgery. He has two metal rods running from the base of his neck and are attached to his pelvic bone. Spinal fusion surgery eliminates motion between vertebral segments and since his rods run the full length of his spinal cord, he is unable to move the core of his body in any direction. Following is some information (Note: Underlining is mine):

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty. While scoliosis can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scoliosis/DS00194

Here is some information on Spinal Fusion surgery:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scolio ... -and-drugs


Now, why do I believe that Agent Orange is the cause of my son’s disabilities? Well, the mention of cerebral palsy did not enter into the picture until the year of 2002, and it was stated by his primary physician that he probably has it. Granted there are several of my son’s disabilities listed in the information on cerebral palsy, but I still hold on Agent Orange being the cause.

An interesting conversation took place between a CNA classmate and myself a few years ago. This gal has a son, who was born with Autism, and we began to talk one day about our son’s disabilities. As I was telling her about my son’s disabilities, she said, “I suppose now, you are going to tell me that you believe his disabilities are due to Agent Orange”. Since Agent Orange had not been mentioned in this conversation, I was taken back, to say the least, and proceeded to tell her that I did. She told me that her Grandfather was involved in the spraying of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War and that I could very well be right. She then told me that her grandfather had reason to believe that the unexplained disabilities of the offspring of the veterans who served in the Vietnam War, could indeed be due to Agent Orange. What his reasons were, I don’t know; she told me that her Grandfather would not disclose that information to anyone. So, until I am proven wrong, I will continue to believe that Agent Orange is the cause of my son’s disabilities.

[Angel]

Whatever the cause, I know for a fact what a wonderful mother he has, because he seems to be a very happy person.

[doug65oh]

Aye…CP (also referred to as spastic hemiparesis) is another affliction I’m quite familiar with Judy. My own case is thankfully rather light, apparently the result of congenital intracranial blood clots if I remember correctly. As for the root cause in my case, so far as I know nobody really knows – but indeed as the reference you cite suggests, it could be due to simple prematurity. (As I have mentioned elsewhere here some years back, I shuffled onto this mortal coil some 13 and ½ weeks ahead of schedule. See viewtopic.php?p=11496#11496 for the gory details.)

Oddly enough though most of my own physical troubles have been effectively remedied through orthopaedic surgeries done periodically since about 1975 or so and on up to December, 1986. If you’ve seen the film Forrest Gump, I grew up wearing leg braces very similar to those in the film. (I love that film, but the first half hour or so I can barely sit through – it’s literally like looking in a mirror.) From there I went down to one, and then to none. When all was said and done I came out of the business with a starboard limp and diminished dexterity in the fingers of the right hand. (I had little or no dexterity in that hand for 20-odd years on account of spastic contractures, so the way it came out is definitely an improvement!)

I’m not scoliotic but do occasionally have severe back troubles and have had for years. Nothing to do for that but extremely hot baths (aspirin & other such stuff is worthless, I might just as well eat a handful of salted peanuts) mutter the occasional ‘sailor’s phrase’ as they say behind gritted teeth and get on with life.

Speaking of... it's nigh onto bed time, so as Red Skelton used to say so often, Goodnight, and God bless.

[twinsrwe]

Whatever the cause, I know for a fact what a wonderful mother he has, because he seems to be a very happy person.

Thanks, Ellen!!! I appreciate your kind words. Yes, my son is a very happy guy. I agree with you in that the cause of his medical condition is not all that important, although from a parent's view point, it is difficult not knowing. However, one of the things I admire about him is his attitude toward life, and how he makes the best of everything, no matter the outcome. He is truly an amazing young man.

[twinsrwe]

I'm really impressed with the great attitude you have regarding your medical condition, Doug. You truly do understand my son’s condition and his attitude toward life. I can’t tell you what that means to me.

I love the movie, Forrest Gump! There is a line in the movie that was said by Forrest Gump, which pretty much sums up life:

“My momma always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_M9WrTC_qM

Doug, you mentioned that you had braces similar to the ones Forrest Gump wore. My son also wore braces similar to those, for a short period of time, after he dislocated his patellas. As I mentioned in a previous post, my son has two metal rods along the entire length of his spinal cord; they are attached at the base of his neck and his pelvic bone. Therefore, he can not move the core of his body in any direction. He also has a plate in his neck which prevents him from turning his head any direction. Now, when he dislocated his patellas, and surgery failed to correct the situation, special braces were made for him. These braces run from his upper thigh down past the heel of his foot, and they are locked in full extension, which means he can not bend his knees when wearing them. He has learned to walk using these braces and a walker. The determination he displayed when re-learning to walk, with the aide of his braces and walker, was absolutely incredible. I guess that it all comes down to how one faces adversity; will you buckle under it, or will you be determined to beat it.

We often hear the cliché: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." This saying is attributed both to Joseph P. Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy’s father, who used it as a family saying, and to Norwegian-born American football player and coach Knute Rockne. Who said it first is unclear, however it was popularized by Billy Ocean’s song ‘When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going’ (1986).

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/Sayi ... g_1314.htm

[doug65oh]

Ayup, I remember that line well, Judy. I’ve also found a time or two that “Stupid is as stupid does, sir!” also applies, as in the case of Dr. Walter Freeman, et al – well-meant but ultimately foolish folks who in the end do far greater harm than good.

I’ve seen or at least heard of the type of brace you’re referring to I think but thankfully never had to wear one like it. The first pair(s) I had ran from waist to heel and attached to each shoe via slots cut into the heels. Mine didn’t have locks on them though that I know of. The last brace I wore was fit only to the right leg and ended just below the knee. Nowadays the most I use is a black thorn walking stick – not all the time, but “as needed.”

Reading your description here Judy, it’s difficult to fathom just how your son manages – and yet the fact is that he does. It’s impossible not to be amazed.

You’re right, it’s attitude that makes the difference. When all’s said and done there’s really only one choice: We can stand and fight, or not. Some of us are better equipped to wage the battle perhaps, but in the end all that matters is that we do fight. Know what I mean?