On February 16, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which shocked the film industry. The ‘Die Hard star had been suffering from this illness for some time, and the news was shared with all of his fans via an official statement written by his family.
“It’s a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis,” according to a statement. A person close to the actor claims that his symptoms have worsened in an interview published by Bild newspaper.
The symptoms first appeared in Bruce Willis two years ago, according to the British newspaper Daily Mail. People present could sense that something was wrong during the filming sessions in which the actor was present.
He had difficulty holding conversations and was unable to connect words correctly. His family was concerned about his health. In the next paragraph, we’ll see how his family puts effort to understand his illness.
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The Family Of Bruce Willis’s Efforts To Understand His Illness
His wife Emma Heming’s statement a month ago was the official confirmation of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, she and his two daughters have not been separated from him.
Teepa Snow, a dementia specialist, has even been asked by his wife to assist her in learning how to care for him and what he requires as his disease progresses.
Similarly, his wife, along with his children, has become his staunchest protector. In recent weeks, she wrote on her social media to journalists to stop harassing Bruce Willis on a day when he was meeting friends in Santa Monica.
Monica De La Cruz Tweeted about Bruce Willis’s illness. You can see the Tweet below.
My heart goes out to Bruce Willis and his family. Dementia is a cruel disease. We will always remember him as a great actor who has done a lot of good work helping combat veterans and sick children. Join me in me praying for him and all Americans who suffer from this illness. pic.twitter.com/wywzcXTQE8
— Monica De La Cruz (@monica4congress) February 16, 2023
“This goes out to the photographers and cameramen who are trying to get those exclusives on my husband: just keep your distance,” she posted.
“Please don’t yell at my husband or ask him how he’s doing; just don’t do it and give him his space. Allow our family or whoever is with him that day to safely transport him from point A to point B.”
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Is Bruce Willis’s Health Condition Getting Worse?
Bild published an interview with Wilfried Gliem, who claims to be Bruce Willis’ uncle-in-law. Gliem reveals what the actor’s mother, Marlene Willis, thinks during the conversation.
“She says she’s not sure her son recognizes her, that his behavior is slow and a little aggressive,” Gliem said.
“A normal conversation is impossible to have. Bruce’s mother keeps us up to date. We talk about it once a month.
“Scout and Tallulah are two very strong girls who are now there for their father in the same way that he was there for them.” let’s find out how the doctors diagnose FTD.
How Is FTD Identified?
A neurologist will conduct a careful clinical examination, along with psychological testing designed to evaluate cognitive skills, to diagnose FTD disorders, according to dr. Paulson.
“A brain MRI can tell us whether certain parts of the brain are shrinking or showing signs of atrophy. “We’ll run some blood tests to make sure we’re not overlooking any treatable causes of cognitive impairment, such as thyroid disease or vitamin B12 deficiency,” he said.
“And we will frequently do brain metabolism imaging,” Paulson added. “Positron Emission Tomography, or PET imaging, can tell us which parts of the frontal or temporal lobes are involved.”
What Is The Treatment For Ftd?
Unlike Alzheimer’s disease, there are currently no treatments available to slow the progression of FTD. Medical professionals can try to improve a patient’s quality of life by prescribing anti-anxiety, anti-irritability, or anti-depressant medications.
A speech-language pathologist can assist an FTD patient who is struggling with language skills in determining the best strategies and tools. Physical or occupational therapy, under the supervision of a doctor who specializes in these disorders, may help with movement symptoms.
“It is really important for people who have a progressive dementing syndrome like FTD to continue to eat well, exercise regularly, and stay connected with people. “Those activities aren’t medications, and they won’t cure the disease, but they can help your brain work as well as it can,” Paulson explained.
As the disease progresses, patients can live active, fulfilling lives while adapting to their symptoms in inspiring ways, he says.
“I’ve seen patients who completely lose their speech and yet they go out and take their camera and take beautiful photographs of the lives they’re living. They can’t tell me in words, but they can show me pictures,” Paulson explained.
“I always tell my patients, ‘Don’t let this disease own you. ‘You own it,’ he continued. “Sure, you’ve lost some skills due to your illness, but you still have a lot of skills left and you work with what you have.”
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