Cool video I found..kind of humorous;)
 

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


haha- spelled the subject line wrong, but wont let me change. You understand

nursing students?
Shame on them.
Let me see how well theyd do singing a few verses about breast cancer or colon cancer. maybe take a shot at cerebal palsey.
Actually, it ticked me off and Im going to let those people know it.
I dont look foward to having someone shove needles into my veins every 6 weeks so I can function somewhat normally.
I hope someone gives them a good smack in the head and tells them to wake up.

Allen, it wasnt meant to make you or anyone angry, and im sorry if it did.

I find it quite interesting, its not as though they are bashing MG or any other medical issue, they are simply addressing it in a matter of acting and music. I can appreciate your frustration, though.

Well, no one with MG could sing that song - it drones on so long.

I actually understand, from a teaching perspective, what they are trying to do. It's both about being creative while learning and working as teams. I honestly don't believe they are mocking the diseases, just trying to have fun learning them. And the fact that they chose less well-known diseases is a good thing.

I would bet, Allen, that they are too young to even understand why that would be offensive to someone with a disease or condition. You might think my entire book is offensive since I really go after doctors in a humorous way.

Perhaps it would be funnier for us if people with MG had done it. You know how certain groups like Norwegians, which I am one of, can make fun of themselves but when someone else does it we get ticked off?

Tyson, you don't have to apologize for sharing something you thought was funny!

Annie

I am not angry with Tyson.
He is entitled to his own opinion of the work, as well as everyone else.
I dont believe incurable diseases or conditions should be presented in anyway that finds humor in them.(any diseases) And they were laughing in the video.

Tyson, I had been on YouTube last week and found it too. Every once in awhile I get on there and see if there is anything posted for MG and thymectomy (since I had one). It's amazing what people record and post. Heck, I half way expected to find my surgery posted there (just kidding) since I was told I was the first person in the U.S. to have a thymectomy done robotically with the DaVinci Si (dual console) model. One woman has done several short videos regarding MG and her thymectomy (transsternal) to let people know what to expect.

Allen, as a former teacher, I am pretty sure that this was a classroom "project". The students were put into groups -- each group was assigned a disease or disorder -- and they were told to come up with a presentation that would "teach" the other students about the symptoms and characteristics of that disease or disorder. The students usually get EXTRA points for creativity -- I'm guessing this one got an A+ -- not your ordinary boring Power Point presentation.

Although the students WERE laughing -- it was not AT MG -- rather it was at the absurdity of nursing students SINGING in front of their peers. Nursing is such a SERIOUS, time-consuming area of study that these students were just WAY out of their element for a while -- like puppies who have been in a cage all of their lives and are suddenly let go!! (I have a nursing student living in my house right now -- she studies 6-7 hours a day!!)

It reminds me of that scene in the movie _Titanic_, where someone's demonstrating his theory of how the boat broke and sank, and the survivor in the room says, "The reality was somewhat different..."

jana, I am offering my opinion of what I think of that video and the thought put behind it.
Noone has to agree with me, but I found it completely distasteful.
When one of the members of this board is rushed to the emergency room because they are choking on something or their breathing stops in crisis, or they cant get out of bed for 4 days and loses their job, then their home, play that video and see if it cheers them up.
Moderator:If my post is out of line, please feel free to zap it and I will not be offended.
The video might have been a presentation to explain the disease, but theres nothing happy like strumming a guitar when someone cant keep their eyes open or sees double.
I wont defend my position again, and Ill say it again, shame on those nursing students.
Sometimes puppies have to be caught and shoved back into the cage, because they urinate and poop all over the floor, and havent learned how to behave out of the cage.

I was just looking at all of the videos on that page -
I also think it must be some sort of presentation/lesson, since there are different sets of students doing different song/illnesses.
And they must be in a classroom setting.
Singing about the symptoms, etc.

I guess you can look at them as good, interesting or in bad taste, but some did pretty good versions with the song/symptoms.


I think on the linked video it was students in the audience giggling- probably because of a goof by a singer and not the subject matter.

I will give them that, they can rhyme and create nice verses to fit the original song.
Id still smack them on the sides of their heads, but Id smack them only on the upbeats so Id keep the flow of the music going.

I sort of agree with Allen.

I also think that putting things on YouTube, may not be appropriate for all subjects.

I recall recently some YouTubes made by doctors that were yanked off the site, because of inappropriate content! (It was reported in our Health News Headlines forum)

When I took human anatomy in college which was from the medical school, the humor (????) there was horrific. Black and often disrespectful of the bodies we had to work on. We had "parts boxes" too, and these were often used for pranks by the instructors. I never really recovered from that class. The professor who gave the lectures was a senior citizen and he was the "worst" offender. Some humor is therapeutic, but what I had to endure was way beyond "some".

There are days we can laugh at ourselves, and other days when our pain may be too great to be able to do so. So I think videos like this should remain within the system that made them, and not be for public consumption.

I was never able to make fun of the poor bodies in my anatomy class. They were unclaimed older people from nursing homes or the street. The respect you see today on Dr. G's show from Disovery Health, was not present when I took that class!

Freedom of speech and expression is necessary in our society, and that has to be for everyone - whether we like it or not. The only thing we can control is how we react to what someone says or does.

I personally do not like verbal or physical abuse of any kind but I know it exists. I simply choose not to be a part of it.

I'm sorry if that video upsets anyone but there's nothing I can do about that either - only each one of you can. Either watch it or don't. At least we have a choice like that in our country.

Annie

I sorta agree with Allen too....I've often noticed that people make light of certain diseases (like STDs (because of our view on promiscuity, or perceived promiscuity...religion still having a strong force), or any infectious disease, for that matter, (except for maybe HIV because of maybe its permanence and political-ness)), but wouldn't dare joke about others (like cancer and so on)...Heck, I joke about my disease too, even though the reality is that it's not actually funny, deep down...It's really different when someone who doesn't have the disease laughs about it...I think this why I always make a point to point out my own weakness (when I'm slurring/nasaling) with friends and family because I don't want to be laughed at, but laughed with...

I definately think that the kids were finding a creative way to explain the diseases...It's probably a mixture of desensitization, light-heartedness, but also the idea that both are seemingly temporary states that usually don't lead to death, or cause extreme disability (at least that's the medical perception)...

ALS has similar weakness to MG (minus the ocular muscle component), but there's no recovering from that weakness. With MG, we do go back to normal somewhat (or that's the perception, but often, that's not really the case, as we all know), so maybe that's why it's seen as okay to sorta laugh about it- since it's fluctuating weakness-it's not permanent (even though it kinda is?)....I've seen people joke about Steven Hawking, and I've always viewed it as in really bad taste. But it's funny how when I saw this video, I understood it, but also felt a little hurt...But the feeling I had wasn't as bad as when I've heard people joke about Steven Hawking...

I see what you're saying, Mrs. D...Maybe because the bodies that were being used were seen as societal throw-aways, it was viewed as okay to laugh at them, or joke around about it...I have a feeling that maybe it's just a way to cope with a dire situation, but I see what you're saying...I see it as black humour too...Things like this could be funny on some level, but it sorta leaves a bad taste in your mouth after....

I think this is an interesting conversation...It's good to exchange views on things....People have the right to their say, and people have the right to their say! lol


Sorry about all the brackets! LOL

freedom of speech?
This has nothing to do with freedom of speech.
This has to do with the lack of compassion expressed by a bunch of nursing students who are making fun of an obscure disease with a funny sounding name. Lets face it, if you would stop 500 people today in the street, and say what is myasthenia gravis, youd get 500 different answers, like a rock band, a species of plant, maybe one would get the disease right.

The entire aura of the video is insensitive, uncaring, and unthoughtful, and most of all, unprofessional and childish.
Im glad I dont live in the state of Iowa only because one day one of those nurses might get a shot being responsible for my well being.

Diseases dont have to be deadly to ruin peoples lives.

Did you notice the other videos listed to the sides..
they are about many other illnesses & conditions also. Not only MG.

If someone does want to complain contact the nursing school / college and write to the teachers or head of that dept.
If the students are just doing a lesson /presentation it isn't their call - it's the teachers choice to make it a lesson and post it online most likely..

here is the link to the school -
Iowa Lakes Community College

Iowa Lakes offers the first two years toward a bachelor's degree in a variety of Arts and Science fields and technical career programs.
http://www.iowalakes.edu/

[ HEALTH
Associate Degree Nursing
Health Care Administration
Massage Therapy
Medical Assistant
Medical Assistant Specialist
Paramedic Specialist
Pharmacy Technician
Practical Nursing
Surgical Technology
Transfer Programs]
http://www.iowalakes.edu/programs_study/index.htm

Allen, it put me off, too. I think it's great that some people can find it funny, but your reaction isn't out of line. Maybe it doesn't help, too, that since a lot of people haven't heard of mg, and it can be pretty invisible, getting it taken seriously already tends to be a problem. For instance, the next person who says, "Oh, yes, I've been feeling tired lately too," or suggests that a healthy diet might make me feel better is going to get smacked somewhere delicate with a big bunch of collard greens.

Abby

Thanks, JoMar for posting that info. All anyone can do is to contact the appropriate people and file a civil complaint. I personally do not like all this talk about abusing others, guys. No one, even if they are doing something childish or hurtful, deserves to be hurt in response. Anger is a normal response but it's not an excuse to hurt anyone else.

Allen, you certainly have the right to your opinion. I was just trying to explain the possible circumstances.

I hope that you won't let this STRESS you -- it certainly is NOT worth that!!! Avoid stress whenever possible!!

I guess I taught high school for WAY too long -- I am forever "warped". This video really doesn't even faze me.

I met a lady online whose husband is dying of ALS -- he hasn't gotten out of bed in two weeks. They have three kids -- he probably won't see any of them graduate -- or marry -- or have kids............stuff like THIS gets to me.

There were two police officers killed last week while on duty -- they left wives and children -- THIS gets to me.

Nashville was badly flooded -- probably the WORST non-hurricane flood in U.S. history. Friends sent me videos -- I didn't even recognize half of the landmarks -- and couldn't understand WHY it took so long for the national news to pick up the story -- THIS gets to me.

My daddy always said -- "you can't fight everyone, so pick your battles".

Getting worked up over a video is a waste of my energy. No offense intended to Allen or anyone else.

Im not worked up over this.



Moving on.