On Television

I joined an online adults with hydrocephalus support group a while ago and occasionally receive updates from group members. I also read about stories people in the group post. This week I found one which was familiar based on the television show, Face/Off.

The last time I watched a few episodes was during a shunt revision stay in the hospital in 2011.
Someone in the group had mentioned the March 22, 2017 episode of this show was about Frightening Families.  Group 1 featured three characters from a circus trio. One of them was a child like creature with an enlarged head in a wheelchair depicted as having hydrocephalus.

People in the online support group were quite upset about this depiction. I wasn't happy about it either. Especially since it doesn't represent everyone who has hydrocephalus. We know hydrocephalus affects people of various ages: infants, children and adults. Unfortunately, since hydrocephalus isn't well known, a lot of people automatically think most people with hydrocephalus are severely disabled. Many people in the support group commented on how this episode reinforces these stereotypes.

I wrote a comment about this episode to Syfy.

The full episode of Face/Off which aired March 22, 2017 can be found Youtube.

At 31:19 - The family of creatures in the circus are introduced to the judges.

At 34:02 - Where the judges analyze the wheelchair character with hydrocephalus

A description of the episode can be found here.

3rd

Today is the third year anniversary of my multiple brain injuries on March 6, 2014.  For now, my shunt is behaving itself. The last few months, specifically the last weeks have been brutal in terms of pain. Especially yesterday, when it was very cold where I live, like around 15 degrees outside. The cold weather as mentioned in previous posts bothers my shunt.

Today, I'm going celebrate my 2nd birthday by going to a movie and lunch. I made a film about my shunt struggles and brain injuries. Copies can be purchased here.