I think the recent statements by Susan Schneider, Robin Williams’ wife, about Williams’ suicide are off-the-wall, out-of-touch, and irresponsible. Williams killed himself on August 11, 2014, shortly after he was diagnosed with early stage Parkinson’s disease. After his death, an autopsy revealed he was also developing Lewy body dementia.
Schneider has been hitting the airwaves this week to applaud Williams’ suicide, claiming he would have died within three “hard” years anyway. In the same interviews she talks about her battles with Williams’ adult children from previous marriages over what she deserves from Williams’ will. I find it odd that these two issues (lauding his suicide and bickering over his estate) keep popping up side by side in the same articles and interviews.
In my opinion, her statements about Parkinson’s disease are ill-informed and border on hysteria. They certainly don’t match my experiences as a Parkie.
Here, for example, are her words in London’s Daily Mail:
Schneider went on to say; ‘I mean, he was sick and tired of what was going on, absolutely … and when he got the Parkinson’s diagnosis, you know, I mean, in one sense, it was like this is it. […] This disease is like a sea monster with 50 tentacles of symptoms that show when they want. It’s chemical warfare in the brain. […] There is no cure.’
And here’s a paragraph from the New York Daily News:
Susan compared the “Mrs. Doubtfire” actor’s “endless parade of symptoms” in the months leading up to his death to a game of Whac-A-Mole, admitting she thought he was a hypochondriac at first. He would’ve had “maybe three years” left if he was lucky, she said.
I find this shameless. However, it’s brought the subject of Lewy body dementia to everyone’s attention.
Coincidentally (well, maybe not coincidentally), today the Michael J. Fox Foundation‘s Facebook page had a live Q & A about Lewy body dementia. Folks at home (me!) could type in questions, and a Fox Foundation staff doctor typed out answers.
Here’s what I typed:
Question from Bruce Ballard: If you are diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, is your future as dire as Robin Williams’ wife is proclaiming in her interviews this week about the actor’s death? What is the life expectancy of someone with this diagnosis? Are there things the individual can do to slow the disease’s progression, such as lots of physical exercise? (My understanding is that many people stave off Parkinson’s symptoms with strenuous exercise. For example, see your Oct 31 post about Jimmy Choi, the marathon runner. In the Runner’s World article you link to, Jimmy talks about how many of his symptoms dissipated after he took up long distance running.) Thanks!
Here’s how the Fox Foundation doctor responded:
Although people will experience different symptoms and progress at different rates, Lewy Body dementia can unfortunately progress rather quickly – over about five to eight years. There are no therapies currently available to slow or stop the progression of disease, although there are medications that can treat the symptoms. Research has shown that healthy balanced diet, regular exercise, social interaction and cognitive/thinking/memory exercises (reading, crossword puzzles, etc) are good for possibly preventing memory problems. A person with this diagnosis should try as much as possible to stay engaged in all of these activities and in activities he or she enjoys, of course.
This response seems calmer, more reasonable, more responsible. And it offers hope.
I felt very sad when I first heard that Williams had killed himself.
To read more about Lewy body dementia and its relationship to Parkinson’s, click here.
