Me Before You
Well, when I started watching this movie I had no idea what it was about. I didn't read reviews and I hadn't even heard of it before. It just looked like a love story so I thought I'd watch it on a Sunday afternoon. It only took a few minutes to realize what it was about and then what was going to happen next.
Me Before You is a movie about a man (William Traynor) who is hit by a motorcycle while walking and suffers a high level spinal cord injury. I don't know exactly what level because I don't remember it being stated in the movie explicitly, but after learning about spinal cord injuries, I know it was high based on his quadriplegia and limited movement to the head and neck. William Traynor is a young, very handsome and successful man. He seemed to have everything going for him prior to the accident. After the accident he is completely wheelchair bound and unable to even feed himself. Soon into the movie, his mother hires a caregiver for him. She hires Louisa Clark, who is an unlikely match for him: silly and quirky. She works hand in hand with his physical therapist to learn the ins and outs of taking care of someone with a high level spinal cord injury. Louisa and William's relationship starts out slow. He isn't fond of her at first. He isn't really fond of anyone! Unfortunately, as I am sure is the case in a lot of spinal cord injury cases like his, he became depressed and shut himself out from the world. Louisa breaks down his walls with time and they form a friendship and then a romantic relationship. They fall in love. P.S. This next part is where the tears come. I don't remember the last time I cried this much in a movie, maybe because I choose not to watch movies that make me cry. But anyway, William wanted to die with dignity. He couldn't imagine living the rest of his life confined to his chair and only remembering what he used to be like. He never felt like himself and he never felt like he'd be happy in his new life, even with Louisa. He decides to go to another country where he could choose euthanasia. He goes there, with his parents and Louisa and he dies there. He leaves Louisa notes and money so that she can travel and he can narrate to her what to do and where to go. It was the ultimate love gesture and love from his family to support him in his decision, as well.
Reflection:
Like I said, when I started watching this movie I had no idea what it was going to be about. I didn't know my eyes would be puffy for five hours after and that my nose would be stopped up until Monday. There was honestly so much going through my mind when I was watching this movie. Usually when I watch TV and movies, I watch them to not think about life. I watch them as an escape, but I couldn't escape my overwhelming thoughts when I was watching this one.
What is he going to decide? What would I decide? Would I want to live? What will his parents and Louisa do without him? Would my family support me if this was my decision?
I don't think the decision he came to was easy for himself or anyone involved, but I can't help but wonder what I would do in his situation. It seems easy as an outsider of a situation to say what you would and wouldn't do. To say you'd never give up. To say it isn't fair to his family for him to do that. But, I don't know that I wouldn't make the same decision. It made me think so much about my own life and what I take for granted daily and how quickly the things I can do and abilities I have could be taken away from me. Its easy to say you shouldn't give up and that you should have faith. I thought about my role as a future practitioner and how I would be able to support someone and use a therapeutic relationship as part of treatment for a patient with a high level SCI. This movie made me think way too much! I think death with dignity is something to be considered seriously. I'm sure for every William there are many more people who are thankful to be alive no matter the situation, and I admire those people. I don't know that I'm that strong of a person. But in William's case in the movie, I supported him. I never felt anger toward him for his decision and I didn't wish the movie ended differently. That's the path for his life that he thought was best and I respect that.
Overall, this was the saddest movie ever and I never want to watch it again, but it did make me think about my life very seriously. What would I do if I was faced with a situation like that? Would I choose the life he chose? I don't think he gave up. I just don't think he would've ever been happy and that's what he felt was the best thing he could do. I respect that. Like I mentioned earlier, it made me think about my role as a future OT and that I will more than likely come across clients in similar circumstances. If anything, I want to be a Louisa. I want to be a never ending smile, an outstretched kind hand, and a light to a dark situation.
I am also very glad that we learned about spinal cord injuries in our Neuro classes. Because of that class, I was able to tell very quickly that William had a C1-C4 injury, probably C4 since he wasn't on a ventilator/respirator. From this knowledge, I knew that he only had head and neck control. I knew what autonomic dysreflexia was when it occurred in the movie and I could think of potential causes for it. I knew his immune system was weakened and that he would probably get sick (which he did) from being out all night. I have such respect for people with injuries like these that choose to wake up every day and fight and remain positive. I also have respect for those people who don't feel like they can do it anymore, whatever their reasons are. Its such a fine line and none of us can begin to imagine what it feels like to be another person!
Thanks for these assignments, Professor Lancaster!
Baden-Powell, S., Owen, A., Rosenfelt, K. (Producer) & Thea, S. (Director). (2013). Me Before You [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Bros.
Me Before You is a movie about a man (William Traynor) who is hit by a motorcycle while walking and suffers a high level spinal cord injury. I don't know exactly what level because I don't remember it being stated in the movie explicitly, but after learning about spinal cord injuries, I know it was high based on his quadriplegia and limited movement to the head and neck. William Traynor is a young, very handsome and successful man. He seemed to have everything going for him prior to the accident. After the accident he is completely wheelchair bound and unable to even feed himself. Soon into the movie, his mother hires a caregiver for him. She hires Louisa Clark, who is an unlikely match for him: silly and quirky. She works hand in hand with his physical therapist to learn the ins and outs of taking care of someone with a high level spinal cord injury. Louisa and William's relationship starts out slow. He isn't fond of her at first. He isn't really fond of anyone! Unfortunately, as I am sure is the case in a lot of spinal cord injury cases like his, he became depressed and shut himself out from the world. Louisa breaks down his walls with time and they form a friendship and then a romantic relationship. They fall in love. P.S. This next part is where the tears come. I don't remember the last time I cried this much in a movie, maybe because I choose not to watch movies that make me cry. But anyway, William wanted to die with dignity. He couldn't imagine living the rest of his life confined to his chair and only remembering what he used to be like. He never felt like himself and he never felt like he'd be happy in his new life, even with Louisa. He decides to go to another country where he could choose euthanasia. He goes there, with his parents and Louisa and he dies there. He leaves Louisa notes and money so that she can travel and he can narrate to her what to do and where to go. It was the ultimate love gesture and love from his family to support him in his decision, as well.
Reflection:
Like I said, when I started watching this movie I had no idea what it was going to be about. I didn't know my eyes would be puffy for five hours after and that my nose would be stopped up until Monday. There was honestly so much going through my mind when I was watching this movie. Usually when I watch TV and movies, I watch them to not think about life. I watch them as an escape, but I couldn't escape my overwhelming thoughts when I was watching this one.
What is he going to decide? What would I decide? Would I want to live? What will his parents and Louisa do without him? Would my family support me if this was my decision?
I don't think the decision he came to was easy for himself or anyone involved, but I can't help but wonder what I would do in his situation. It seems easy as an outsider of a situation to say what you would and wouldn't do. To say you'd never give up. To say it isn't fair to his family for him to do that. But, I don't know that I wouldn't make the same decision. It made me think so much about my own life and what I take for granted daily and how quickly the things I can do and abilities I have could be taken away from me. Its easy to say you shouldn't give up and that you should have faith. I thought about my role as a future practitioner and how I would be able to support someone and use a therapeutic relationship as part of treatment for a patient with a high level SCI. This movie made me think way too much! I think death with dignity is something to be considered seriously. I'm sure for every William there are many more people who are thankful to be alive no matter the situation, and I admire those people. I don't know that I'm that strong of a person. But in William's case in the movie, I supported him. I never felt anger toward him for his decision and I didn't wish the movie ended differently. That's the path for his life that he thought was best and I respect that.
Overall, this was the saddest movie ever and I never want to watch it again, but it did make me think about my life very seriously. What would I do if I was faced with a situation like that? Would I choose the life he chose? I don't think he gave up. I just don't think he would've ever been happy and that's what he felt was the best thing he could do. I respect that. Like I mentioned earlier, it made me think about my role as a future OT and that I will more than likely come across clients in similar circumstances. If anything, I want to be a Louisa. I want to be a never ending smile, an outstretched kind hand, and a light to a dark situation.
I am also very glad that we learned about spinal cord injuries in our Neuro classes. Because of that class, I was able to tell very quickly that William had a C1-C4 injury, probably C4 since he wasn't on a ventilator/respirator. From this knowledge, I knew that he only had head and neck control. I knew what autonomic dysreflexia was when it occurred in the movie and I could think of potential causes for it. I knew his immune system was weakened and that he would probably get sick (which he did) from being out all night. I have such respect for people with injuries like these that choose to wake up every day and fight and remain positive. I also have respect for those people who don't feel like they can do it anymore, whatever their reasons are. Its such a fine line and none of us can begin to imagine what it feels like to be another person!
Thanks for these assignments, Professor Lancaster!
Baden-Powell, S., Owen, A., Rosenfelt, K. (Producer) & Thea, S. (Director). (2013). Me Before You [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Bros.
I so appreciate your heartfelt words, Houstyn, and I can promise that it'll be the really emotional things like this that make the most impact on learning.
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