Thoughts on Me Before You
Me Before You is a fictional movie about a high profile man who was in a pedestrian accident resulting in a SCI. William Traynor lived a lavish life before he became quadriplegic. After the accident, he rarely smiled or engaged in leisure activities. His parents hired Louisa Clark, a extroverted, free spirit, to be Will's caregiver. Her personality and excitement for life was inspiring to me. At first, Will is not fond of Louisa, but as time passes their connection grows stronger. Louisa planned several activities for them in hopes of Will finding enjoyment in his life again. The role Louisa played in this aspect reminded me of what an OT could do for Will. Minus the physical relationship at the end of the movie of course. She did her best to find things Will enjoyed before the accident and tweaked them to fit his current needs. Some attempts of the actives did not go as planned, but Louisa helped them adapt to the changes.
Will made plans to go to an assisted suicide facility to end his life. This controversial aspect of the film led me to wonder about the reality of someone doing that and how hard it must be for them and the family. It is difficult to say whether or not I agree with that. As an OT, I would hope to help my clients find joy and meaning in their daily lives so the thought of ending life is not in question. From another perspective, a person's own suffering and pain is difficult to understand from the outside, therefore if someone has made that decision it could be unchangeable.
I have heard several reviews from my classmates about this film, so I decided it would be my last Neuro Note. While it was fiction, it gave me insight on what life is like for a person after a SCI. I hear about stories of triumph and overcoming obstacles such as Fletcher Cleaves, but stories about the suffering and pain following SCIs are rarely broadcasted. It was sad to see how much he hated his life, but that is some people's reality. In conclusion, this movie made me laugh, made me cry, and gave me more insight on the life of a person who is a quadriplegic.
Sharrock, T. (Director). (2016). Me Before You [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Bros. Pictures
No comments:
Post a Comment