Recovery - David Tennant / Headway

[Karen]

Hiya,

Did anybody else watch Recovery on tv tonight?

I was in too minds about watching it, so was Eric and I had to leave the room about 3 times, as I personally found it uncomfortable viewing at certain points. It touched on a few raw nerves with me and so may be I'm not quite as "emotionally" healed as I thought that I was. It's hard to explain..... :?

I can't say that I enjoyed it as such, but I thought that it was very well done and portrayed the emotional and practical side of brain injury very well from all of the family's perspective.

Did anybody else think that David Tennant bears a bit of a resemblance to Richard Hammond?

Just found this on the Headway website http://www.headway.org.uk/news.asp?step ... &navID=108

BBC TV drama highlights hidden condition

Date: 21 Feb 07

A new drama is to deal with the little understood but all too common condition of traumatic brain injury and its effects.

Recovery, partly inspired by research undertaken at Headway - the brain injury association, is to be shown on BBC1 at 9pm on February 25th.

The drama features David Tennant (Dr Who) who plays Alan Hamilton, a building manager, who sustains a brain injury when he steps out in front of a passing car after going out for a drink with a friend.

The resulting accident leaves him in a deep coma but with remarkably few physical injuries. His wife, Tricia, (played by Sarah Parish of Cutting It fame) is delighted when he comes round - only to discover that the man she loved has changed. His personality is completely different. He's lost all of his inhibitions and he veers from being angry and frustrated to vulnerable and childlike.

Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway UK, explains that the situation Alan and Tricia find themselves is not untypical for those experiencing life with brain injury:

"Most people have little idea of how devastating a brain injury can be, not just for the person concerned, but for their family and friends and everybody who cares about them".

Research for the drama was undertaken at Headway Essex where David met brain injury survivors and staff. He attended one of Headway Essex' group sessions for brain injury survivors whilst at the centre, and described the experience as insightful and invaluable.

[rince]

I thought I was going to watch it, but at the last moment decided that I really didn't want to.

Scott

[Louise]

Hi there

I forgot that was on, but its not really my thing terrible to say, however is gets something across to others? David Tennant (think he's the Scottish guy)

Sometimes I dont think you get 'emotionally healed' there always seems something.

Louise.x

[Karen]

Scott,

You were probably wise not to .... I didn't fall off to sleep easily, after watching it .... but it was a reminder of how things could have been so much worse and I think that it helped Eric to also realise that .... but he found it very uncomfortable viewing.

[ninja]

I thought it was an excellent drama and am glad I watched it. In some respects the person portrayed was worse than me however when he had his accident he went into a coma and therefore appeared to suffer no pain which and no doubt I may be criticised he was lucky. The reason I say this is because of misdiagnosis of my condition I suffered three weeks of extreme headaches before I was coiled and they were the worst 3 weeks of my life and I would have been better off out of it.

I can relate to his fits of temper, his isolation and at times childishness. It makes one realise what our partners have and are putting up with. Please if you didn't watch it do so if it is repeated.

Cheers

John

[Karen]

John,

yes, it's hard on the whole family and those scenes where the kids were being affected and feeling as though they'd lost their Dad, were the ones that really touched me..... I can remember not feeling like much of a Mum to my own, when I first started my recovery.....they couldn't rely on me any more and I was having to rely on them for quite a while. I felt pretty useless at the time as a Mother.

[Karen]

Different Strokes are also discussing this tv programme on their message board, if you fancy taking a peak... - see copy of posting below from Peter Allen @ http://www.differentstrokes.co.uk/

Different strokes Discussion Board

Re: BBC1 tonight

Posted By: Peter Allen

Date: Monday, 26 February 2007, at 10:02 a.m.

In Response To: Re: BBC1 tonight (Karen Hyder)

Hi Karen,

I don't think that David Tennant really bears any significant resemblance to Richard Hammond apart from being young and appearing vulnerable. But they're both in the news now about brain injury.

Karen's posting to her website and several comments about the programme are at -

http://www.behindthegray.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=398

It also includes a link to Headway's comments about the drama at -

http://www.headway.org.uk/news.asp?step ... &navID=108

There's a short extract from the programme at -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/recovery/

There's comments about the programme by head-injury unit staff at Swansea's Morriston Hospital at -

http://tinyurl.com/ywgwl2

There were articles about the drama in a number of television journals according to -

http://www.team-tennant.com/dtint/id173.html

There may be a BBC forum session starting at -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ouch/200702/ ... very.shtml

Press comments are at -

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/las ... 17.0.0.php

and - http://tinyurl.com/2x6arr

Cheers, Peter

[Skippy]

Hey guys

Yeah I watched it. Didn't so much find it disturbing as intriguing. Got to see the difficulties from the carer's point of view too which was good. Made me realise just how lucky I've been with my recovery.

It did make me cry though and I too had a very restless night and couldn't sleep - hence not being in work yesterday.

Sami xxx

[Sasbo]

Hi All

Started to watch it on The Rock (staying with friends so all mod cons!) but couldn't manage it all which was a little embarrassing but everyone was very understanding. Don't know why but found it increasingly disturbing as it unfolded.

Sarah