For Hope

My name is Mendi and I was diagnosed with Reynaud's Phenomenon and Scleroderma (CREST) at the early age of 15. I saw the movie "For Hope" after I was diagnosed. I was told that I would live approximately 5 years. That is a great deal for a 15 year old to swallow. Not only was I having a hard time coping with the idea, I felt that I needed to hide my fear for my families sake because the news was overwhelming for them as well and I didn't want them to worry more. When I watched "For Hope", I cried for days and yet it also gave me hope. Since I was was 15, I have dreamed of meeting Sharron. When I heard she passed away, I had just lost my finger. Once again I cried because her death was a great loss to all current and future Scleroderma patients. God Bless Bob Saget for continuing to fight for all of us who suffer with Scleroderma and for what his sister believed in!

I really enjoyed the movie. My husband has scleroderma and was just diagnosed with it in January. While we were watching the movie we were comparing what was going on with him at this point to what was happening to hope. We can relate very well with this movie and the details of the disease was described perfectly. This movie was very touching and goes to show that this can happen to anyone because the cause of the disease is unknown, which is very hard to grasp. But knowing that there is no cure is even more hard to swallow, because now we are at the point of no return and death is the end result.

I wrote before about me and my husband watching the movie because my husband was diagnosed in January. Well, on the 19th of July he was finally called to rest by GOD. He had suffered for one short year from this disease but he suffered one year too long. I hope they find a cure from this disease even though it will not bring my husband nor my kids father back but it will at least save some other lives. To whom ever reads this, please do not take this subject lightly because this can to happen to you unexpectedly. My husband passed away at the sweet young age of 26. This disease is no joke.

The selfish son, the idiot brother, the rude parents...not an easy family to live or die in, but then few are. I've always hated Bob Saget but have to give him credit here for showing it like it really is, warts and all. Dana Delaney is one of my all-time favorite actresses--if you've never seen "China Beach" do yourself a big favor--and the only reason I watched this. I'm glad I did...sad, but glad. What a terrible disease.

I think I saw only the ending some few years ago on HBO, but I remember being moved to tears. Literally. I hardly cry during movies, but this one was so touching that the floodgates opened. And I don't believe I saw the whole thing. So if you have a chance to see this movie, be sure to catch it. I, for one, would definitely make it a point to see the whole thing if I ever have the chance.