On the Doctor and his odd book review of TSP.
He wrote: "A point that’s highly relevant to medical practice, however, is a recurring theme of The Salt Path: when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up. That’s if you allow yourself to try, and are willing to risk that you might die laughing in the effort…" and "I must say that Raynor Winn (et al!) provide a compelling (if not scientifically irrefutable) case for the benefits of positive action and of physical therapy, even for the ghastliest of neurodegenerative conditions."
Like others on here, I have first-hand experience of a relative with a rare, incurable neurodegenerative condition (not CBD in this case). Anyone with this experience knows that when you think you've reached "rock bottom", it can and does get worse.
My relative's diagnosis was year one. By year three he was reliant on a wheelchair, had speech problems and suffered side-effects of medicines including severe hallucinations. At year five this man who used to hike in the Lake District and the Alps was unable to move unaided, was reliant upon PEG feeding, upon others to turn him in bed and wash him, lacked the strength to hold a book and the dexterity to turn the pages, was unable to speak even basic sentences...The implication, even if unintentional, that he just didn't "try" hard enough to halt the progress of his disease is sickening.
For families, the emotional impact and despair at seeing the effects of a neurodegenerative condition on their loved ones - and on their own lives - is devastating. A Consultant Neurologist would know this because it's something they see and deal with every day. And it's inexplicable to me that a Consultant Neurologist should be so flippant (imo) about the issue, regardless of whether they know the individual or not.
For context, I did read TSP a few years ago and remember thinking if "Moth Winn"'s condition and improvement as described was true, then there was a valuable seam of research to be followed up. But, as far as I know, it hasn't been. And now it seems that his condition wasn't as described. He has something - but what that is may never be known. I sincerely hope that his condition doesn't deteriorate any further. However, for his wife to appropriate the misery and very real pain of families dealing with incurable neurodegenerative diagnoses across not just one but three books is unconscionable.
Apologies if it's felt this is a derail of the thread; of all the elements of the sorry saga of TSP, this is the one directly bearing on my (and many others') life and it makes me angry. For those posters/readers who have lived, or are living, it, my thoughts are with you.