DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
Members' Mausoleum => Calendar Events / Announcements '24 I => Topic started by: Midnite on June 26, 2018, 11:30:04 PM
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Please keep Denise in your thoughts and prayers, who is very ill following a massive stroke. She is currently sedated and on a ventilator. Her son and daughter-in-law have been updating her condition via Denise's and Jasmine's Facebook pages, and the couple sounds just terribly overwhelmed. They've set up a page for donations to help with the mounting costs of care, treatment and housing.
Support for Josh and Jasmine Nickerson (https://www.facebook.com/Support-for-Jasmine-and-Josh-Nickerson-666685037006967/)
♥
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How tragic! For several years, Denise and I were on-line pen-pals but as life gets filled with stuff, we fell out of touch. I'm crushed at hearing this news. She is such a marvelous person.
Gerard (P.S., not all of us belong to facebook or want to. If anyone knows of any other way to contact her family, please let us know.)
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Thanks, Midnite.
I hope things get easier for everyone involved, especially Denise. I spent a good deal of time with her at one of the fests and she was a joy.
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i saw that. things do not seem to have gone well for her in recent years. i hope her condition improves.
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Oh my - how shocking!! I certainly hope she recovers. Lots of good wishes to Denise and her family.
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Prayers are with her family And that God will heal her soon
Love Anne
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Last night's update was pretty good. It seems likely now that she will make a good recovery.
Gothick
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Thanks for the news, Gothic! That's fantastic!
Gerard
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Thanks, Gothick. Her DIL wrote that Denise is awake and responsive, breathing on her own and currently not needing the feeding tube, following simple commands, and purposefully moving her right leg [her stroke was on the left side of her brain, which impacts the right side of the body]. Very good news!
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Back in the late 90's, when Harper-Collins launched its revival of Dark Shadows novels, I hoped to make my mark by maybe penning a few. The first, called Dark Shadows: Watcher on the Hill, I completed in first rough draft. It was set in 2000. Carolyn, who remained widowed, and her cousin David, married with two young sons, were the owners of Collinwood. The entire great estate had been fully restored and Carolyn, through her found business savvy, turned Collinsport into a thriving tourist town with resorts, boutiques, cafes, etc. Her elderly Uncle Roger lived with them as did Quentin. In the modernized Old House lived a retired Barnabas and Willie with a satellite dish on the roof and Barnabas scouring the internet. Maggie Evans returns from California, divorced with her children grown, and Barnabas helps her arrange a showing of her deceased father's work at the New York Metropolitan of Art. And a totally reformed Angelique, who survived her death in 1841, also returns and she and Barnabas rekindle their romance with plans to wed. And then something dark and evil returns to create havoc in the family...
I started a rough draft of a second novel, Dark Shadows - Occasion of Sin. It was designed to be an "epic," Gone-With-the-Wind work with a prologue set in 1918, the major part set from 1927 through 1949, and an epilogue in 1966. At that time, I was a constant pen-pal with Denise. I told her of my second work and that Nora would be a major character (from 1927 until her tragic death in 1935). Denise was thrilled with the idea. She "collaborated" with me on fleshing out Nora, even as to how Denise thought Nora would look at that time period. It was a fascinating exchange. Then, of course, the Harper-Collins series collapsed. I had issues dealing with my parents' rapidly declining health, had to move back "home," and needed to deal with that. Time didn't allow a continuance. But I'll never forget that time when I was "pals" with Denise. Such a marvelous woman.
Gerard
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Great news, Gothick! The first report seemed so ominous. Gerard, that's a fascinating story!!
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Thanks so much, Josette! Denise would describe how she thought Nora would look based upon her own appearance. She even sent photos. It helped so much as I wrote the novel.
Gerard
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Back in the late 90's, when Harper-Collins launched its revival of Dark Shadows novels, I hoped to make my mark by maybe penning a few. The first, called Dark Shadows: Watcher on the Hill...
I started a rough draft of a second novel, Dark Shadows - Occasion of Sin
Gerard
Have you made these available to fans? I'd love to read them!
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Unfortunately, Doctor (but, then I guess fortunately), I have only one printed copy of the first novel in a binder, and the second novel is on one of those old hard discs that can no longer be inserted into a computer.
Gerard
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Willy Wonka star Denise Nickerson's family raising money after actress suffers stroke (http://ew.com/movies/2018/07/11/willy-wonka-denise-nickerson-violet-stroke/)
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Just heard this. She is a lifelong favorite and from all contact I have had with her or heard about her a wonderful person. I love her and hope and wish all the best to her and the family!
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VIOLET FROM 'WILLY WONKA'
DENISE NICKERSON SUFFERS STROKE
... In Critical Condition (http://www.tmz.com/2018/07/11/willy-wonka-actress-denise-nickerson-violet-suffers-stroke-recovering-fundraising/)
Willy Wonka actress Denise Nickerson in critical condition after stroke (https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/11/willy-wonka-actress-denise-nickerson-critical-condition-stroke-7705290/)
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‘Willy Wonka’ star Denise Nickerson immobile after stroke, son says (https://canoe.com/entertainment/celebrity/willy-wonka-star-denise-nickerson-immobile-after-stroke-son-says)
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I'm in tears about this. I keep hoping she make a full recovery. I don't want to lose another, especially one of our DS goddesses who is a remarkable and wonderful woman.
Gerard
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Not to blame the victim here, but did Denise ever smoke? Just askin'. Thanks.
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Barnaby, I know that she smoked and drank. I saw her do both at the Festivals. To what extent I have no idea. I'm certainly no health professional. I know that those can be factors in having a stroke but it's certainly possible to be a drinker and a smoker without ever having a stroke. It's been a number of years since Denise was at a DS event, so I know nothing about her current situation. She was posting on Facebook and Twitter quits recently.
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I really hope somebody out there is fundraising for the medical bills separately from the link posted in the article I looked at yesterday. The fundraiser was closed and the amount raised was only around $2500 or less. Which is a drop in the bucket for typical hospital bills in the US.
Hope Denise's son and his spouse are getting good support and advice. It sounds like a very challenging, difficult situation. And heartbreaking, of course.
Gothick
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‘Willy Wonka’ star Denise Nickerson critical after suffering stroke (https://pagesix.com/2018/07/11/willy-wonka-star-denise-nickerson-critical-after-suffering-stroke/)
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Not to blame the victim here, but did Denise ever smoke? Just askin'. Thanks.
Back in that era, everyone smoked and drank. Barry Williams from The Brady Bunch stated that he started to smoke when he learned how to smoke from, ironically, an anti-smoking episode. Women smoked and drank when pregnant with us and, heck, we're still here. Lucy smoked when she was pregnant with Little Ricky. He turned out okay. I don't want to open a can of worms, but regardless of what you do or don't do, you're going to die. There are many things that can contribute to a stroke. Lots of people who've never smoke have had a stroke. Lots of people who've smoked never had one.
Gerard
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Yes, my grandfather suffered five strokes and never smoked, my father suffered three strokes and probably twice that many heart attacks and never smoked, my father I know never drank and I don't believe my grandfather did either.
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No updates for over a day now!
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Radaronline published some pictures of Denise in her hospital bed, with the breathing tube. No idea where the photos came from.
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Talk about invasion of privacy. But then, some people and web sites have no propriety. [ghost_rolleyes]
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Uncle Roger, that is so messed up!
I really hope somebody out there is fundraising for the medical bills separately from the link posted in the article I looked at yesterday. The fundraiser was closed and the amount raised was only around $2500 or less. Which is a drop in the bucket for typical hospital bills in the US.
The only way to donate at this time is directly to Jasmine through PayPal:
https://www.paypal.me/JazzyNickerson
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This lack of updates is killing me but doubtless they have nothing vital to report.
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Talk about invasion of privacy. But then, some people and web sites have no propriety. [ghost_rolleyes]
I would have to assume that to get pictures like that it would have to be the family or with their permission (unless someone from the hospital did it surreptitiously).
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Either way, it just seems rather tacky.
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Paparazzi will stoop to any low to get a picture - especially something like what Radaronline apparently has. Such photos bring in big bucks for them, and most of the time they have no permission whatsoever to take the photos. They bide their time until the opportunity arises...
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Sadly true. I remember The New York Post published a picture of John Lennon in his coffin on the front page. This, in turn, prompted a series of posters all over NYC reading Aren't You Ashamed To Read The New York Post?
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Jasmine Nickerson reported yesterday:
[Denise] has finally been moved out of the ICU into a new part of the hospital for "high-risk," but not "intensive-risk" patients.
She's stable but still fidgety with the new contraptions in and on her, and unfortunately they pose a greater risk if she rips them out. Josh is very worried and had had a rough day emotionally with processing everything. (end)
I can post updates here when I think to check for them. I haven't seen anything today.
There was something that I think had been posted Friday evening about Denise having surgery. The procedure is supposed to help with her recovery. Keep those prayers going.
G.
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That certainly sounds encouraging. As to the previous discussion, I wouldn't have thought she would be a target for paparazzi. I know that kind of thing happens with major celebrities, but didn't think this would qualify.
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Sadly, I suspect all celebrities - big and small - past, present and future - are targets for paparazzi. And the Internet, in particular, is a place where former child stars seem to have the worst photos imaginable posted of them in all of the where are they now and some such postings. Stars can be out of the limelight for decades, but the paparazzi manage to track them down somehow. You see links to such posts in the margins and at the bottoms of so many Web sites, even respectable ones...
As for Denise, reports about the severity of her illness and her connection to the beloved original Willie Wonka were around several days before the Radaronline site published their photos, so I can easily see a paparazzi seeking out a hospital photo shot of her on their own or possibly Radaronline even sending out a papazazzi connected to the site to get one. As I said, there's no such thing as propriety in the world of the paparazzi or sites like Radaronline...
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I know that the paparazzi can be pretty aggressive in pursuit of their goals, but if Denise was in intensive care, I would think (or hope) that visitors would be restricted.
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You would hope access to the ICU would be restricted. And maybe I've watched too many TV shows and movies where a paparazzi uses doctor/nurse garb to get into places they shouldn't - or even resorts to bribery. But I have a hard time imagining the alternative that Denise's family would have given permission for such a photo to be taken, much less would have taken it themselves to publicize their cause. At least I hope they wouldn't have done such things...
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Those thoughts crossed my mind as well.
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I've never heard of radaronline. But then I'm not into all the celebrity "news" stuff especially since I don't know who 99% of these "celebrities" are - it's all so "well, did you hear? Auchantae was seen going out with Bustin Jieber; girlfriend, shut up!; oh, yes, and she was wearing a dress designed by Le Corncobber!; girlfriend, get out of here!"
Anyway, so I googled it, went to it and looked for any "news" about Denise. There was one article that claimed it had interviewed or at least talked with her son. I found no pictures of her in IC. There were just the two of her as Violet and the one that's been constantly used on all sites of her smiling and happy with her kids. Maybe it took those photos down; maybe I was looking at the wrong article. Like I said, I don't know how those sites work. I'm not trendy when it comes to those things.
Gerard
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Jasmine posted this update a couple of hours ago on social media:
"[Denise is] fully awake at this point. We aren't sure if she understands much yet. But she is still reacting to and responding to certain commands. She's even moving her right hand and squeezing with it now.
And the greatest news, she can stand up on her own and she said words today. When asked by the occupational therapist if she wanted her hair brushed she said loud and clear, "No."
When we were just on a video call with Shane she said, "Bye" at the end of the call. The entire time we've been here she's been trying to talk. She's trying to have a full conversion but the words aren't there yet."
There was more of the update, but it was personal sharing from Jasmine about Denise's agitated state of mind. This is unfortunately typical of people who are in recovery from this kind of event. Let's hope and pray Denise continues to make progress.
Best wishes, G.
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Thanks for keeping us informed - that certainly sounds very encouraging!!
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Willie Wonka will be on AMC tonight (7/18) back to back at 8 and 10:30 Eastern.
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Jasmine Nickerson posted several updates about Denise's care on the Facebook group today. Some of what she wrote is upsetting. The family is having difficulties getting proper care for Denise in the facility where she is currently staying. The latest update posted just a few minutes ago (around 10:30 p.m. tonight) indicated that there was some progress with issues that the family has been experiencing with the staff and the neglect of the patient's needs and care.
The good news is that Denise is having speech therapy now and seems as if she is having more lucid moments. Jasmine mentioned a feeding tube which I think she is on in part so that she does not get dehydrated.
Best wishes,
Gothick
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I've been following Denise's care on the facebook site as well. I'm not a facebooker, but her children have made it public so I don't have to join it. I'm grateful they are on the backs of the care-givers. She deserves the best and they have to fight tooth and claw for it. Not to open a can of worms, but if you don't have the $$$, you get steerage treatment.
Gerard
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The news on her condition certainly sounds encouraging - nice to see she's up to speech therapy. While the rest is sad, it's good that she has family there to fight for her - such a shame that that's necessary.
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Since folks can follow Jasmine's reports on Facebook without having to have a profile on the site, I'll stop posting updates now.
Thank you all for your prayers/good thoughts for Denise and her family.
G.
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Actually, Gothick, if you don't mind I know I would appreciate it if you still kept posting updates because not everyone has the time or the inclination to check Facebook directly...
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I'm not entirely sure that they grasp what a rehab facility actually is. I was in one for a month after the surgery on my Achilles tendon. Rehabilitation facilities here are not specifically doing rehab only. They are convalescent/rest homes, with a certain amount of availability for rehab patients. Because I had good insurance, I was able to choose from a number of places in my area. Those without insurance go where they are sent.
And, like a lot of health care facilities, they are likely understaffed.
(No idea whether any of this pertains to Denise but this was my experience.)
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Given that the family is soliciting online for donations to go toward Denise's care, chances are she doesn't have the best insurance. (Though it's also possible that she has insurance with a high deductible.)
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OK, I will continue to post here when I do see an update.
Jasmine shared the family's perception that only 5 of the 20 people assigned to Denise's care are actively helping her. I think the difficulties include staffing issues at the center, as well as the fact that Denise is not always sufficiently lucid to understand her own best interests much of the time--though it would seem that she is starting to get better. They mentioned difficulties getting Denise to accept food, water, and medication. This is a familiar problem for people providing care to patients recovering from this kind of event, unfortunately.
Let's hope the good news outweighs the bad in the next update.
G.
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Thank you, Gothick.
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Denise is not always sufficiently lucid to understand her own best interests much of the time--though it would seem that she is starting to get better. They mentioned difficulties getting Denise to accept food, water, and medication. This is a familiar problem for people providing care to patients recovering from this kind of event, unfortunately.
So very correct. At times, because of strokes when the brain is "scrambled," patients suffer (hopefully temporarily as the brain tries to "repair" itself") from dementia, causing confusion, fright, delirium and even paranoia. My mom suffered and died from dementia (Lewy's Body Disease) and she experienced all of those symptoms. It was the worst when "sundown syndrome" hit. Fortunately and hopefully, Denise's brain will heal and the symptoms will begin to subside and eventually vanish.
Strokes are tricky things in a huge spectrum. My dad caught what he thought was the flu and most of it eventually vanished except for constantly feeling fatigued and it wouldn't go away. One day, my mom noticed one side of his face looked different from the other - it was very subtle and it took my dad a long time staring in a mirror to agree. He called his doctor. He told my dad to get to the hospital now. So my dad did - of course, he drove. Turns out it was a stroke, albeit a mild one. He was kept in observation for a week in the stroke unit until he got cleared to go home. He spent the time, every night, playing poker and Sheepshead with the other patients. He asked the doctor why he had a stroke. The doctor replied: "Because you're old." My dad then inquired if he could have another one. His physician responded: "Maybe tomorrow, maybe never again." My dad lived for ten more years.
Gerard
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My dad suffered three strokes. Sorry about your mom!
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In hopes of being of help, I have contacted everyone in my family of whom I can think with medical or legal expertise or ties to Colorado.
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A short update from last Wednesday:
She had a shower and did pieces of therapy. She walked around, got herself dressed, and is moving her right arm independently more. She's still really mad and being obstinate. (end)
Best wishes,
G.
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Her being "really mad and obstinate" might be a sign of her recovery and her brain healing herself. Imagine if one knows everything on the "inside" but can't do it all totally on the "outside." She might be fighting against what happened to her. If that's the case, you go, girl!
Gerard
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Wow - very encouraging - after the initial report I was wondering about survival, let alone being able to do these activities so soon.
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Praying for Denise and her family God is with her every step of the way she continues
To improve and not give up .
Love Anne
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Jasmine posted an update--I think last night, but it hasn't been added to the "support" group yet, possibly because the individual who has been maintaining that group is having some personal things to attend to.
Jasmine wrote about Denise:
She's getting more vocal. As in, her voice has more strength and she's saying different combinations of letter sounds than before. She's showing less anger and aggression towards people (including us) and more frustration that she isn't being understood. But as she grows more frustrated, more "word" sounds become more clear.
She used the bathroom on her own after walking to it today. Another thing they and we didn't think she would ever do. But she did. On her own, granted with her nurse watching, but still. That's an astonishing feat. (end quote)
Jasmine wrote that the rehab center has made much needed improvements to Denise's care. There is also a current photo of Denise. I'm not friended to Jasmine but she is making all these posts public (if I'm understanding the Facebook "protocols" correctly).
Best wishes,
G.
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I guess this will be pretty much a repeat of what I said the last time, but the initial report was so dire that I was amazed when she first started improving and was able to get to rehab. These latest improvements seem to be coming quite quickly - great news - hope it continues!
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Jasmine posted a video update, I think sometime yesterday afternoon or early evening. Denise has been refusing to cooperate and comply with therapy and care directives from the rehab staff--basically refusing to go to therapy, I think. This means she is due to be discharged and sent home on Friday. Which also means that Jasmine has had to give notice at her own job and begin preparing the house for Denise to live there.
Jasmine has had a lot of medical training and experience and they have most of the equipment already, but they will need a lot of help, particularly in the next two days.
It was a very sad video to watch. Both Jasmine and Josh (Denise's son) are under a huge amount of stress.
I send thoughts of support and care to both of them and, of course, to Denise.
The video is public on Facebook but it's a very sad tape to view. Jasmine reported that Denise is not eligible for MedicAid, and will not be "for a very long time," which means that Jasmine will not be eligible to receive a salary for taking care of Denise at home. (I am just trying to summarize what was said by Jazz on the tape; I don't have training in the Byzantine crenellations of medicaid, care for stroke survivors, etc.)
G.
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Jasmine posted an update. Denise has been home now since last Friday, I believe.
An excerpt:
I have given her three feedings this far. The first two were terrible, the most recent was a breeze. But fortunately Josh was home and I could train him how to do so, too.
This is a process but even still I don't feel like I got much done today. Laundry, dishes, installed her bedrail, and some light organization. Everyday will be a bit easier hopefully.
Denise had been up and down all day. She wandered around the living room and kitchen a few times with our help. She's really adept at standing up on her own and walking around. She can change her own clothes and gets up to the bathroom when that urge hits her. She is overall doing pretty well. We agreed to take it easy today for therapy. (end quote)
Best wishes,
G.
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i just learned of this late last night actually when i was looking DS up. i had seen on blu-ray.com that it had the show going to blu-ray,no release date though and i was looking online and when i saw that post i went WTF? so i found online that she had, had a stroke and i am so relieved she is doing better.
i've been a fan of her's since i was a kid. for me though DS wasn't the 1st thing i saw her in but Willy Wonka.
it's a shame she quit acting but she i'm glad has had a great life so far. i hope she continues to do better with each passing day. i hope she sounds better than say Kirk Douglass. after he had his stroke it really messed his speech up cause it had been a really big one and i don't think it was his 1st either.
through the years for him it did get better but than at the oscars what was it this year or last? i forget which he was at and he sounded like his voice had gotten even worse. and he is after all going to be 102 this year.
my point is i hope that Denise doesn't end up sounding like him and i hope it wasn't as bad as the one he had in the late 90's i think it was.
off topic a bit but my mom's was a nurse since retired but her name also is Denise. if i'm not mistaken Denise was one as well which is why i mentioned my mom
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Denise's recovery is really coming along. Jasmine posted this video earlier today of Denise singing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDn0CMQDY4E&feature=share
I hope that link works...
G.
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It does work - and it's a great video. Thanks for posting the link, Gothick! [ghost_smiley]
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How wonderful! And Denise is singing a song that's a blast from our past! I feel so nostalgic! Denise, you're the bomb - you make me feel young again!
Gerard
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The latest update about Denise's amazing recovery, from Jasmine Nickerson:
Denise said some pretty amazing words tonight. Words like, "impression" and "embarrassed" and "break." Of course we don't know the full context but she has been working so hard. And she still gets so flustered and frustrated with the apraxia, but her speech is improving. It's still not there but the words are becoming words and thoughts and sentences. Josh and I just listened and held her hand and tried to understand what she's trying to convey.
By the end of the conversation she just wanted to change the TV channel to "Snapped" on Lifetime, and the volume and when she finally got it out and I did it she said, "Thank you, Jazz, very much." And I cried. I was so proud of her and overwhelmed and she laughed and told me not to cry. Then she asked me to turn off her light and have me a big hug and said "I love you, bye bye" when I said goodnight.
This has been such a long, emotional road and her progress has been unspeakable. I'm literally in awe everytime she does something new or says something new.
Sorry, I know it just seems like normal stuff but Denise was one of my best friends and we would talk and joke and bicker and prattle on about whatever. And it's been so hard. I didn't think she would survive what happened. I didn't think she would ever be herself again or understand us or know us. And she did. She fought like hell. She's still fighting like hell. But I'm so proud of her fight and her unwillingness to accept that she might not be who she once was. She is a stubborn as the day is long and she won't give up. (end quote)
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sounds like my grandmother she's stubborn as hell but than mine is 94 years old too.. i'm thrilled to learned Denise is doing so much better and has started being herself again after the stroke. i hope her speech isn't as bad as say Kirk Douglass after his stroke years ago.
but he's a guy i always get the impression who also is very stubborn too... so maybe that might be helpful for her to get better and to speak normally again? her stubborness maybe?
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Great news - hope she continues to improve!!
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Sad news--Denise had a fall at home early this morning (around 6:30 a.m.). Jasmine said that she feared Denise had broken her hip again. She posted a video from her cellphone as they were following the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
I will update here as I am able to do, when we know more.
People who know her and care about her, please keep her, Jasmine, Josh and the family in your prayers.
G.
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A person (slightly more women) breaking their hip.....you have to be immobilized, which, the blood doesn't flow easily....it tends to build up.....
Patti [hall2_embarrassed]
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Denise and I are the same age. I grew up with her from Dark Shadows to Willie Wonka and even The Brady Bunch. Back in the late 90's, I connected with her online and we became penpals. I started working on a mammoth, epic DS novel named Dark Shadows: Occasion of Sin when the HarperCollins series got off the ground hoping for a submission. It covered the Collins family from 1918 to 1949. Of course, Nora Collins was a central character primarily in the 20's and 30's. Denise was thrilled and wrote me descriptions of how "she" (Nora) would look and act based on my description of the character. It was almost a collaboration. Then the HarperCollins series fell apart and that was that and slowly Denise and I fell away in the way that things do with people who have busy lives. I'm still basically healthy and Denise is suffering through this trial. None of us are guaranteed anything. You keep fighting, Denise.
Gerard
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Hope this is okay; I copied from the FB site (public):
She's out of surgery and it went smoothly. Popped it back into place and doesn't appear to have created any additional damage. She will be in a hip and knee con...
Thank God!!! So, maybe not broken, just dislocated.
Patti
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The latest news from Jasmine:
Nursing center just called. Sending Denise back to the ER. She refused to let the nurses put her knee lock brace back on and the abductor to keep her legs at a straight and separated position to allow her hip to heal and when they did finally put it on and left she took them off and tossed them across her room. In doing so she began complaining of pain to the doctor that came to see her today and they did an x-ray.
She re-dislocated her hip...again.
So now she's being transported back to the hospital. (end quote)
Sending prayers for Denise's recovery.
G.
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Sadly, it sounds like dementia is settling in for out beloved Denise. Everything she is doing is just like what my mom did. I recognize all the symptoms. I hope beyond hope she pulls out of this. But all of us who are original fans and our wonderful stars ain't 21 anymore, as the saying goes.
Denise, know we love you and you have been so much a part of our lives.
Gerard
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she's only 61. isn't that sort of young for dementia?
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Sadly, Michael, while dementia on average comes at later ages, it can happen at any time. I had a cousin who died from it in his fifties. And, unfortunately, a stroke can begin the process. As incredible as it sounds, there have been people in their twenties diagnosed with various forms of dementia, from Alzheimer's to Lewy Bodies Disease (from which my mom died in her eighties).
Gerard
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My mom also did some of the same things but in that case it was pain medication which was the culprit and not dementia. If only Denise could be put on some reduced or different medication while she has a chance to heal of the injuries she might eventually do quite well.
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Let's hope, Barnababy, that that's the case with Denise. Doctors aren't infallible and they'll be the first to admit that; they go by what they see in their patients. My mom was initially misdiagnosed with Parkinson's and was given meds for that (which wouldn't help but could've actually hindered) and then on top of that with Alzheimer's. More meds that won't work and even may have hindered. She had Lewy Bodies Disease which mimics both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. But by the time that was discovered it was too late. All the damage had been done and couldn't be reversed. Let's continue to hope for all the best for out beloved Denise.
Gerard
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Gerard,
We all hope and pray that Denise recovers completely and that we see her at a future Dark Shadows event with her wonderful family.
Bob
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You said it, Bob. We always have hope.
Gerard
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I asked them today how their Thanksgiving was.
They said good, and they went to visit Denise.
Patti
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Below I am pasting in Jasmine's update from yesterday.
G.
Update, 11/27: Just finished our case care meeting at the hospital. She's doing well and had been given a new set of medications for pain management and to increase her appetite. Hopefully the feeding tube will finally come out tomorrow and then she can go to the nursing center tomorrow afternoon/evening. She's peaceful and slept through the whole thing.
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Gothic, that's wonderful! Let's hope that our beloved Denise's latest "set-back" was just a "glitch" in her recovery and it continues to progress.
I don't know if her family knows about this board and reads what we all post here, but hopefully the word gets out to them how much we love Denise and how much joy she brought and still brings to our lives. We need OBD (our beloved Denise).
Gerard
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I'll just echo what Gerard said. Thank you for keeping us up-to-date.
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There's been NOTHING at all new on their FB page; I posted if everything was alright....no answer....
Patti
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Denise was well enough to say Merry Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyoqD5nYlxQ&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0Wbglof_-bo_N8msRwIMN73v-gABClf5GECkynGnrIPYRvjxMDG5B9Uz4
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it doesn't look like she's talking all that well yet cause of the stroke. i hope she doesn't have dementia as she is far too young to have it i think too. i grew up watching her on Willy Wonka and not DS.
have you heard anything recently?
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Dear all,
I am posting Jasmine's latest update from a day or so ago on her social media page. I am sorry it is not good news.
Best wishes, Gothick
From Jasmine Nickerson:
Denise update:
Her hospital case manager says she's not any closer to coming home. Likely not for a few more days. And even after she's discharged, they want her to go back to rehab because she's regressing. $160/day while she's there.
She's being really hateful and agitated and the only thing they can do is sedate her. It's what we've been dealing with from her for awhile only we can't sedate her, we just have to let her be that way towards us. Denise acts out physically by hitting, and kicking, and spitting. That behavior was targeted towards just me for awhile but now she does it to whomever when she realizes she can't do and get what she wants when she wants it. Nurses, doctors, family. And Denise doesn't have any interests or "leverage" that we can punish her with for bad behavior other than turning off her tv and then she just takes a nap until we turn it back on and then she keeps us up all night.
We're coming to the reality that we don't think we can do this anymore. And it's devastating. We've only tried to make her comfortable and happy at her home surrounded by the things she likes and knows. That she could be with us as get family and not feel isolated in a "home." But this isn't working. We are left spinning our wheels everyday. Like, yes, the stroke negatively impacted her in significant ways, but her personality remained. The stroke caused damage to her movement and dexterity faculties but exacerbated the worst parts of her personality.
Josh and I have lived in grief and denial about this for a long time and have tried to make things work. We tried to convince ourselves that we could do this. We tried to do everything in our power to make sure that she was "good." But we are coming to the harsh reality that the best way to take care of her and take care of us is to find a new solution; for her to live in a facility that can care for her and me to go back to work so we don't end up homeless. Her staying is just putting herself in danger as she refuses to listen and us in danger as she is getting more brazen with her physical outbursts. All of her money will be depleted so she can go on Medicaid and we will sign legal rights for her care since we will no longer be in charge.
It feels like we've wasted a lot of time, money, and resources. I gave up my career. We went without health insurance until the beginning of this year when Josh could enroll us from the plan we lost when I abruptly quit to stay with her. We've put a lot of things in storage, drained our savings and 401ks to make ends meet, and put our lives and futures on hold. And even still we're guilty and broken that it's coming to this. We never wanted this for her. But we can't do it anymore.
I'm sorry. We tried.
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Sadly, this is a situation that too many children find themselves in when a parent has a stroke. My heart really goes out to them...
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They tried, which is more than a lot of people would do.
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That is so sad and certainly very difficult for them. They seem to have tried a lot more than many would have.
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So very sad but I know just how they feel, I went thru all of this when my mom
Had her stroke ,. At least later on in her yrs . Plus taking care of my dad too
And lastly my brother who passed away in 2017 .
My prayers go out to her family, that God will give them strength.
Love Anne 😘
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Like Annie, I, too, know what this is like. I mentioned it before how I had to deal with - emotionally and financially - when my mom suffered in her later years with dementia. Care-giving drains everything out of one. Denise's wonderful family took it as far as they could; nothing more can be expected to come from them, but all our support, love and understanding can be given to them.
Gothic. I don't know if you're in contact with Jasmine through facebook or other means, but if you are, please let her know that she and her family have all our support, love and understanding. Their mom gave us so much joy growing up. Her life and career enriched us all - it still does.
Gerard
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Hi Gerard, I am not a personal friend of Jasmine's or the family's. People who know them as well as some fans have been writing to express support. Not al the messages have been terribly helpful but some have simply said that they support the decisions Jasmine and her husband have made and have hoped Denise could get better.
Jasmine has always been very gracious. I think she and Denise's son simply have come to the end of the line, for reasons she expresses quite eloquently in her writing I have shared here.
Best wishes, Gothick
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WOW this sucks and i would really hate to be them and i hope i never am in their position at all. but i suppose if it means for her to be comfortable and can have all the help she needs.... man that sucks that she's got all that now.
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Folks, this is the last update I am going to post on this thread. Unfortunately Denise is getting worse. She is going through withdrawal from some medications she had to be taken off, perhaps due to health issues. The dementia that Jasmine reports on in another recent update may be in part due to neural damage from the strokes, although Jasmine also says that these behaviors occurred in Denise before she ever had any of the strokes. As Jasmine says below, Denise both is and is not aware of how she is behaving and what is going on. Unfortunately in an update from yesterday, Jasmine reports that Denise has been becoming increasingly violent, oppositional, and unreasonable and I don't have the heart to continue reading about this.
The GOOD news is that Josh and Jasmine are going to have a baby. So, life continues.
If you want to continue to follow what is happening, you can make up an account on the face book with a name that you devise thus. Let's say your best friend's dog was named Chloe and the family lived on Clifford street. So on social media you are Chloe Clifford. As long as it sounds like a plausible name and you just have the account to follow Jasmine or whoever else you wish to follow, nobody will ask any questions. There are a ton of DS fan groups on FB but you have to actually join most to see the posts. I am not friended to Jasmine--she makes these updates public.
Best wishes,
Gothick
Final update I will post from Jasmine, dated Feb.4:
Denise update:
She has not been doing well in the nursing rehab center. Not that they are doing anything wrong but Denise is being out of control. Over the past few days we've each gotten calls at all hours of the day and night where Denise has fallen from not alerting anyone she's getting up, she's refusing her medications, she's screaming, and now today she has packed her belongings and is trying to bum rush the elevator like she's coming home. When we talk to her she tells us to "F off" or she just screams in our ear until she hangs up the phone. Today she was put back in her room from her little escape escapade and when she hung up we had to call the main nursing station for her floor and it's evident she can be heard yelling and fighting from the entire floor of sick and rehabilitating patients. We're getting ready to go up there to try to calm her down because they cannot have her act like this.
So yeah... She's still regressing and this is why we're so tired and frustrated. She's aware and not. She understands and doesn't. She isn't the same and this isn't sustainable.
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Heartbreaking.
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well i hope in the future you do post more but i do get you don't want to post more updates i mean each and every one. my brother's mother-in-law boyfriend Mario who got dementia and is now in a nursing home, the guy had no brain long before he even got dementia.
and yes i can joke about that but i do feel sorry for him that he did get it. he had it for a couple of years before she finally said enough is enough and i think she goes to have lunch with him there every day. but he kept on doing the same thing, now she's not any type of nurse she's not trained at all so let me add that.
but he would have just those exact side effects and i dunno how long he had well he's still alive but i dunno how bad it is now. but he really went down fast and it wasn't cause of a stroke and i don't think it was meds either as far as i know. i tried to look for updates online but i didn't find anything but news from last year when she had her stroke.
it is indeed heartbreaking, i wonder if her son is also visiting her?
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Jasmine posted a couple of videos on her Facebook page. One in transit from bringing Denise home from the rehab center and one with Denise after arriving home. Both were devastating. They pretty much confirmed Denise has full blown dementia. Despite attempts to reason and communicate with her, all she did was yell incoherently, hit and be totally uncooperative. You can see how crushed Jasmine and Josh are and both are at their wits end. I think they both realize Denise will have to be institutionalized very soon when her insurance is worked out. Jasmine has posted along the way about her recoveries and various setbacks since her massive stroke but seeing is believing. She definitely has regressed a lot since surviving the stroke. I most recently saw Denise at a Willie Wonka reunion at a convention here in Orlando 3 years ago. While I was taken aback by her appearance ( she was in a wheelchair and had lost a lot of weight), she was still the Denise we all knew and saw at previous festivals. To see her now it's just plain heartbreaking. You may or may not want to look at the videos Jasmine posted.
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As I'e stated. I dealt with my mother who had dementia. Not to sound remose, but I hope our beloved Denise passes on soon, and her family can then continue with their lives. Unless one has been there, no one knows what it's like. When my mom passed away from a ten-day coma, all I could think immediately afterwards was: "Thank god it's over." No grief. I had stopped grieving years before when I actually lost her.
Gerard
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Hi Gerard I too dealt with my mom having dementa as well . Taking care of both my
Parents and my brother were tough. But I’ve managed to thank God above for the
Strength he gave me to do this all. If I had to so I all again I would.
Hope that Denise’s family gets some relief . My Prayers are with them.
Love, Anne ❤️
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Annie, you are our board's sweetheart. You and I and others here know what our beloved Denise's family is going through, Life isn't fair and many of us have to face that. To Denise's family, our love is with you.
'
Gerard
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Amen, Gerard.
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1stly Gerald i'm sorry to learn that about your Mom and you are right on what you said, i don't have the experience and i hope i never do to have gone through what you and Anne did and to you Anne i'm sorry for you also having to go through that as well.
anyways when i learned that Denise had died i was actually relieved and not surprised not that i wanted her to go or anything but my thoughts were of course on her family and her and though i never sadly got the chance to meet her i'm just glad that she's not suffering anymore neither are her family who had to see that day in and day out. i could not imagine how hard that must have been for not only her family but for Denise as well once she realized she was losing it. ya know i've i've always liked her as an actress i love and adore Willy Wonka even if it is a horror movie for kids and on joke that film has giving me nightmares.
we all know which scene too and i had many nightmares about that scenes through the years, than when i started to get into the original DS i was was really shocked that she was on it and she was really good on it it too. hmm i need to search out for other things she's done