Topic : 10/23 Tuesdays with Morrie

I read "Tuesdays With Morrie" many years before my husband died from Cancer in 1997.  It was such a help in coping--letting Jack talk about our life, our love of 32 years, our child--his dreams, his failures (as he perceived them).  I think my knowledge of this book let my husband die in a way that was both elegant (sorry--that is the right word) and powerful.  The word I used-elegant--means with his head up, with knowledge, with the awareness of himself.

Dr. Phil,

 

I though Mitch Albom and Denise is a great job. It is to bad that you did not tell the audience about what ALS is. You could of had more patients, friends and family of people that are living with ALS. Instead you decided to bring back people that were on your show a couple of months ago. It is to bad you missed this opportunity.

You have know idea what life is like. There is plenty that would fill up the show. You could of had Denise on stage and asked her about her story.

lbo

 

I am a high school teacher in inner-city milwaukee and needed some way to  reach out to my students who do not think beyond tomorrow. Most of my students have a small picture of what their lives are going to be like and truly believe that they cannot plan ten years ahead because they are unsure of whether they are going to reach next week. I have had a hard time getting them interested in reading, so I decided to pick up Tuesday's With Morrie. I read the book when it came out and thought "this might work". So, I brought it to class. Not only did we finish the entire book, but my kids loved it. We then watched the movie, and they loved that as well. I see some of my students this year and from time to time they bring up the book. They learned a lot of life lessons and brought up some very pertinent conversations. Thank you for having him on your show...I told some of my students and they watched the show as well. You never know who you are going to reach and some of the toughest kids on the streets really enjoyed this book.

When this book came out ten years ago I was only 14 years old. Now I am 24 years old nearly 25, Im going to college to be an elementry teacher and when I say Mitch on the show and how much Dr. Phil talked up this book I bought it that day. I have read it cover to cover in two days which is not easy with a 13cr class load and midterms. But it was so captivating and insiteful and it really gave me perpective on where and how I want to live my life. Thank you Mitch, Dr. Phil and esspecially Morrie for helping me realize what's really important in life.

I am a 37-yr-old single parent of an 18-yr-old boy. I struggle with depression and anxiety, and after the death of my Dad in 2004 due to ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), I have had a painful void in my life, as has my Mother, sister and son.  He was like a Father to my son.  He was his role model.  My Dad was only 60 yrs.old when he passed away from this very cruel disease.  I unfortunately missed the show that aired this past Tuesday, but will buy a tape, so my family and I can watch.  You have no idea how much it means to my family and so many others for you to have done a show relating to ALS.  The disease gets little media attention, and not enough funding.  Most individuals don't even know what it is.  It is a rare disease, but it does not discriminate.  I still to this day cannot believe my Dad is no longer here because of some "mysterious" disease that there is no cure for.  Many Gulf War Vets are being dx with ALS.  There are certain "clusters" in various states.  I do believe it is part environmental, and part gene-related. 

 

The House of Representatives just passed a bill approving an ALS National Registry.  That has been needed for many years, and I was so happy to hear about that.  It will give the researchers so much important information that will help them fight this disease and hopefully help them find a cure very soon.

 

My Dad was on the Burleson School for many years, a successful self-employed CPA, and a very good, Christian man involved with the First Baptist Church as a deacon.  He is missed by many friends, some he had known since elementary school.  He was fortunate to be a patient of one of the best ALS doctors in the U.S.  Dr. Stanley Appel, who works at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Appel was wonderful, and my Dad was very fortunate to live so close to his location, and to receive the best care available to him.  There are so many that are not able to receive the care my Dad had, and I know there are many that do not have insurance. 

 

My heart and prayers go out to those individuals who have or are now struggling with this disease, and also to their family members.  I know how hard it is to watch someone you love so much dying.  I know the feeling of not being able to do anything to stop it. 

 

Thank you again for giving this disease media attention.  Now more people know what it is, and that is so very important.  

 

Julie in Texas 

Hello birmanmom!

 

I am a family member of Morrie Schwartz and also a cancer survivor.  I looked on the website today because someone told us that pictures of the family were posted online as a result of the 10/23 Dr. Phil show.  We didn't know that they would be online, nor that there was a message board regarding the show.  There's a first time for everything!  Out of curiosity, I wanted to also read about what viewers thought of the show and came across your posting.  I cannot imagine what it is like to be you and understand everything you have been through and are still enduring.  I can only offer something that you may find helpful in lifting your spirits and to provide you with some hope.  If you would like one, I would like to send you a copy of the book, Tuesdays With Morrie as a gift.  Out of privacy for the both of us, please send your name and mailing address to this e-mail:  loveandhope@forcedelesprit.net. 

 

We (my husband and I) have set-up an alias e-mail address as we are not interested in receiving communications from everyone who is reading these postings.  To the brave lady to whom this is directed (birmanmom)--we hope that you truly enjoy the book!  To everyone else, thank you for respecting our wishes and privacy.

 

Love and Hope,

D

I had a husband that expressed similar views as those of Josh.  It should have been enough for my daughter and me that he brought home the paycheck.  He wanted to do only those outside activities that primarily interested him: tennis and running w/ buddies, reading sci-fi books when he came home from work.  He also encouraged me to go to work rather stay at home and raise our daughter, so that I would have outside interests and not expect him to interact w/ us.  I would ask him to go play w/ our daughter and then would find her playing in the sandbox or playroom alone while he sat by and read.  The only time he would speak to her would be to correct her play or scold her for something. 

 

The winter before I left him, I was extremely ill w/ ear/sinus infection.  I had to force him to take a couple of hours from work to go to the doctor w/ me to watch our daughter--no available babysitter and the doctor's office did not allow children w/ patients.  After leaving him at work and going home so ill, he came into the house asking what was for supper.  I know that this is minor compared to missing a wife's miscarriage but the same inconsiderate mindset applies.

 

When our daughter was 3, he entered her playroom. when she realized it was daddy and not momma, she jumped as if doing something wrong.  That was my defining moment and we left him 7 months later.  I tolerated the mental abuse to me, but when I realized it was affecting my child, I put my foot down and left.

 

While watching the episode w/ my now 23 yr old, she kept saying, "Oh my goodness that sounds just like Dad!"  Even Josh's facial expressions were reminiscent of my ex-husband's.

 

I applaude Tarah's reaching out for help at this early stage and hope that either they continue the marriage after some serious counseling or she makes the decision to move on with her life and protect her child from this horrible example of a father/husband/man figure.

I have no problem with our government being in charge of our healthcare system.  Whenever I go to the hospital the care is always exceptional--sometimes overcrowded but I guess everybody gets sick once in a while. Having a baby here in Canada well you pay nothing.  Everything you  need for yourself and the baby while you are in the hospital is free and anything that you had but didn't use well you get to take home with you.  I couldn't imagine how you guys manage to live like that.  I was sick recently and made probably a dozen hospital emergency room visits--all free.  Had to undergo many different test--also all free.  Had to be administered many different meds--also all free.  I honestly have nothing to complain about the govenment--not when it comes to our medical care---other issues, a different story.

I was so blessed to watch this show.  I worked for a medical organization inside a prison and was always telling myself, I refuse to treat others as bad as I was treated (by staff not inmates) because if I were to die today I will have pleased my Lord.

 

I fully understand how  my life has been blessed "because" I worked with the bad of the bad and experienced the worse of the worse in people.  

 

What would I say on judgment day, when asked "how did you treat your fellow man today?"

 

I am going to purchase this book and carry it with me because I still plan to work inside prisons once I receive my degree.

 

God bless

 

 

I had this show on my DVR list for a couple days and then watched it...I was going to erase it cause the info didn't seem to thrilling to me....but I am so glad I did watch it.  I also did purchase the book and should be receiving via mail in the next day or so. 

My best friend just passed away, she was 26 yrs. old, died from complications associated with leukemia and it is terrible how so many people live there life day to day complaining about the little things...and as I watched my best friend struggle to just get to be in her sister's wedding and try so hard just acquire the little things that we all take for granted, it made me realize that nothing is more important than surrounding yourself with things that make you happy today because tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone.  And, being there for the people you love is much more rewarding than most anything I could think of...it gives me great solace in knowing that I was there holding her hand when she took her last breath and I wouldn't have traded that moment for anything else in the world. 

So live life to the fullest and love strongly...keep those you love close to your heart cause you never know when they could be taken away.