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Mrs Frugal

" A Boy Called Alex"

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Did anyone see the Cutting Edge documentary on C4 last night about the gifted Eton schoolboy with cystic fibrosis who took on the challenge of conducting Bach's Magnificat? What an inspiring young man. Despite being rushed to intensive care on more than one occasion during rehearsals as he suffers from a particularly virulent form of Cystic Fibrosis, he carried it off magnificently and without an ounce of self pity.

 

http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/C/cutting_edge/alex/index.html

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A radiator, not a drain.

 

An excellent phrase Claret.

 

Too many people expect sympathy for minor blips in their daily lives which don't come close to being called an illness, and yet they take to the sofa.....

 

.....and then when you see a young chap like this with a dreadful disease and a low life expectancy....it makes you want to slap them all the harder.

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A radiator, not a drain.

 

I can't believe you just posted that Clare, I'd had the exact same phrase in my mind as well :D:D

 

:lol: Obviously seperated at birth then Kate :wink:

 

Too right Egluntine! When there are people in this world, who are suffering terribly, but still go on and contribute greatly like that, it puts everything into perspective, doesn't it.

 

I made a decision this year - to find time for the radiators, not the drains.

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Too right Egluntine! When there are people in this world, who are suffering terribly, but still go on and contribute greatly like that, it puts everything into perspective, doesn't it.

 

I made a decision this year - to find time for the radiators, not the drains.

 

It really does, Clare and I absolutely echo your last comment. Seeing Alex and others like him getting on with life despite overwhelming odds is a lesson to us all not to dwell on minor upsets and wallow in self pity but get on with life as best we can. You only get one crack at life - make the most of what you've got :D .

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Exactly Kate - I remember years ago having to 'have a word' with a young employee in my charge, who was a total drain - there were always dramas and tears, when really she was very lucky and privileged; she just couldn't see it.

 

It was very hard not to tell her off, but I said that when you get up in the morning, you have a conscious decision to make - whether to be positive and have a good day, or negative and have a bad one. If you try to make the positive decision in the mornign for just 2 weeks, it will change your habits and whole outlook.

 

It's not easy some times, but I do wish that peole would just try to see what they HAVE got rather than what they feel they are missing. :roll:

 

Believe me, that way has got me through some really hard times.

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I saw the documentary and was so impressed with him and his family. How incredible that his mother can cope with what the future will undoubtedly hold in such an inspired way. For those who didn't see it, she holds the belief that in his next life he is going to be a cricket playing composer of wonderful music, able to do all the marvellous things he cannot or will not achieve in this life. :D

Made me feel like a whinging ungrateful wretch.

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For those who didn't see it, she holds the belief that in his next life he is going to be a cricket playing composer of wonderful music, able to do all the marvellous things he cannot or will not achieve in this life. :D

 

That bit brought tears to my eyes. To be so positive while your son is in intensive care or while you're giving him all that medication was incredible. She's come so close to losing Alex so many times. What an emotional roller coaster to ride on and yet still be smiling and positive. An amazing family.

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I was fully expecting (not having seen any other publicity about this) that it would end with one of those '... two weeks after we finished filming, Alex died ...' - and indeed I felt the editing was building towards that.

 

I was delighted to see that in fact he's won two scholarships! I really, really hope he is able to go forward to take them up - what an inspiration.

 

And I love the 'radiator/drain' idea - not come across that one before! I usually describe people as 'mood hoovers'. You know - they come into the room and suck up all the good feelings ...

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"Mood hoovers" and "emotional vampires."

 

Both eloquent descriptions. :lol:

 

Moaning minnies is the expression I use.....but I am going to upgrade to these.

 

Him Indoors calls them "dumpers" as they "dump" their imagined troubles and their children on any Tom Dick or Harry that will have them.

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I wish my daughter had seen this it might help her put her life into perspective.

 

She has problems with panic attacks and social phobia, despite having a fantastic and supportive bunch of friends. I was much the same at her age and had to make the daily choice that was given earlier, and I am a glass half full person and I see no point in letting those things in life about which nothing can be done get me down. Hopefully I will bring her round.

 

People who make the most out of their lives despite great hardship are such an inspiration. :D

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