ME on UK's "Casualty" 12 Nov

[Sasha]

Ritto (new member) asked me to put this on the forums if I thought it was interesting, which I do! Ritto says:

I watched 'Casualty' on BBC yesterday. I'm not a regular viewer so I don't know if ME had been introduced into the plot before. But there it was last night. It only got a mention but, at about 21 minutes in, the (I presume) house-bound husband says to his wife, who is a nurse, something like 'they don't think ME's real either' referring to the Casualty staff.

It's at about 21 minutes in with relevant scenes both earlier and later here on BBC iPlayer (not available outside the UK?)

My guess is that they will pick up this story-line again and I think the plot could go either the Wessley Way or the good way. There is also plot about him stealing his wife's car keys which leaves it open for them to go the Wessley Way.

Thanks, Ritto, and welcome to the forums!

 

[bertiedog]

Yes I picked up on this too when I watched last night. I watch Casualty every week and this is the first time it has been mentioned that the nurse's husband has ME but it has also been intimated that she is being physically abused by him so not the sort of connection one would like with ME.

 

[Sasha]

Yes I picked up on this too when I watched last night. I watch Casualty every week and this is the first time it has been mentioned that the nurse's husband has ME but it has also been intimated that she is being physically abused by him so not the sort of connection one would like with ME.

 

[poohbear71]

The story about the man with ME has been building up for a few weeks, we have been led to believe he is abusing her and is manipulative and not really ill, I could not believe it when they dropped in the ME stuff it is not helpful to those of us with ME.

 

[Min]

We must write to complain or nothing will be done. this is a dreadful way to portray us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/

 

[Nielk]

It's so sad that when they somehow do decide to show that this illness exists
it's always with negative connotations.

No wonder people out there, who are ignorant about this illness, think it's a hoax!!!!

HOW FRUSTRATING!

 

[Sherby]

There was an episode of House, which portrayed a man complaining of CFS.
House didn't take him seriously and sent the guy away with sweets instead of actual pills.
The same man came back later asking for more!
No it doesn't help our cause one little bit and i will defiantly complain to the BBC.

 

[Sasha]

We must write to complain or nothing will be done. this is a dreadful way to portray us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/

Thanks for the link, Min. I just sent this (short and not brilliant but the more of us the merrier):

I have been severely disabled with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) for 25 years. I am told that last Saturday's episode of Casualty included a manipulative character who is pretending to be ill with ME.

ME is recognised by the World Health Organisation and the Dept of Health as a neuro-immune disorder and affects 250,000 people in the UK, 25% of whom are housebound or bedbound.

I am unaware of any fictional character on UK TV being represented as having ME and I find it offensive that when one is, he is represented as a malingerer.

Our lives are hard enough without your broadcasting the idea that people with ME may be pretending to be ill. How are you going to make restitution?

I asked for a reply (there's an option you can choose). I'll let you know if I get one.

 

[Sasha]

There was an episode of House, which portrayed a man complaining of CFS.
House didn't take him seriously and sent the guy away with sweets instead of actual pills.
The same man came back later asking for more!
No it doesn't help our cause one little bit and i will defiantly complain to the BBC.

I sometimes wonder if actors read the script and ask themselves the hard questions.

 

[anne_likes_red]

I sometimes wonder if actors read the script and ask themselves the hard questions.

Bloody good point!

Perhaps we should enable some increased awareness among some of them!

I can't watch the BBC player - except some Wallace and Gromit stuff once, for some reason - that's a constant source of regret for me because our Network doesn't seem to buy much of the good stuff!

Good on you to those who have complained and/or suggested tweaking the storyline!

 

[Wonko]

I saw it and wasnt amused, whilst it's genrrally not acceptable on this forum to say that someone doesnt have ME that guy didnt represent either my physical, mental, neurological or emotional issues in the slightest - apart from apparently being too weak to stand up unassisted (but strong enough to to grip hard enough to cause pain and bruising) there was no evidence of any physical or neurological issues at all - once he was up he walked off, not using anythign for assistance (furniture, walls etc) - if he was strong enough fo that he was strong enough to lever himself up unassisted - tbh if he wasnt then whats wrong with a stick, crutch or whatever as a lever - no need for 8(?) calls for assistance (in itself showing a lack of understanding of the abilities of a lot of pwME)

this sort of manipulative (as in the character) claptrap is not helpful or representative of pwME and could (and maybe should) be seen as manipulative in it's own right

 

[pictureofhealth]

Just typed what I thought was a great reply then lost the whole thing when I went back a page to check something. aargh.
MUST remember to highlight and copy when trying to send anything on preprepared comment boards like this! Its not the first time ..
Will attempt again tomorrow.

 

[anne_likes_red]

Commiserations pictureofhealth. (Hate it when that happens!)

 

[pollycbr125]

Well ive got a different take on the story . yes the story has made folk presume that she is being abused by her husband . yes he doesnt come across has been very nice but it has never shown him hitting her .It has shown him getting angry which is probably the result of frustration . I think his character is showing his frustration at being stuck in the house whilst she is goign out to work .

this weeks episode briefly mentioned ME and he did say well i bet you havent told them at work have you because none of the doctors believe its real or words to taht effect . but it also showed her helping him out of his chair or off the couch cant remember which now and he clearly grabbed her arms to be able to get up which would explain the bruising on her arms .

I hope the story is going to progress that shes not being abused and that it is the difficulty in helping her husband around which is to blame for her bruises . She is only petite , hes not the biggest bloke in the world but hes a lot bigger than her .

Hes not pretending to be ill , its been obvious from the start that he had some form of health problem . I just hope that casualty portray the subject in a sensitive light , I would be very dissapointed if not having watched the program from the start which is far too many years to remember lol .

 

[meadowlark]

As I was once an actor, I can say that in my experience actors don't ask themselves such questions (e.g. "Is this plot line fair to people with ME?") unless the actor works all the time and can afford to pick and choose. Most actors are desperate for work, and agents don't like it much if an actor who doesn't work continually refuses to audition for or play a role. Actors need agents, and agents need actors to work so they (the agents) can take their financial cut. It's a cynical business.

 

[rhiannon]

casualty

Being a big fan of casualty, I'm also disappointed with this portrayal. Latest episode though showed the husband listing some of his symptoms with the doctor and the doctor saying yes, it was probable that he had ME. His wife, in the background, was shaking her head and trying to tell the doctor no, he didn't. At least he was believed by the doctor. How will this story pan out? Either way, he has already been shown to hit his wife, which is very unlikely that anyone with this illness would have the energy to be able to do that!