I got around to watching “Love and Other Drugs” out of curiosity. The movie revolves around a woman my age with a degenerative disease (Parkinson’s) and her quests to not only become comfortable with her diagnosis, but finding love.
Maggie, the lead, is terrified of becoming close to someone, however she won’t let anyone, or anything, stand in her way of leading a “normal life”. It is pretty much your cheesy love drama, but there are some parts of the movie I identify with; especially Maggie.
Maggie had a man in her life who left her when she was diagnosed, and it forever changed the way she looked at relationships. She spends her time making art, not letting her diagnosis control her, a free spirit, seize the day kind of gal. She lives each day as if it were her last to enjoy it; we are all expiration dates. She expresses the frustration on doctors treating her like an experiment instead of a human being, attends support groups and takes care of herself. Of course, there are scenes where you get to notice the side effects of her condition: hand trembling, tremors, memory loss, and the usual. She then hides these side effects from her potential suitors because deep down she knows it may scare them away. But Maggie does avoid relationships, only for the reason that she knows she IS sick.
I quote Maggie, “who would want to love a sick girl?”
Maggie, girl, I know your pain, even though you are fictional. But don’t worry; Maggie does indulge on sexual escapades (hey, we’re human), relationships without strings attached and the idea of being courted like a lady, but she doesn't complain about being single... her independence inspires her.
But this is when Hollywood bullshit comes through; she meets a man that accepts her for who she is and wants to take care of her, sickness and through health. He warms her cynical, distant heart. (Who didn't see that coming?)
There was one point in the movie that really struck me. It was a scene when the male lead asks for advice from a man that had been taking care of his sick wife for 20 years, advice on how to date a girl as sick as Maggie.
And his response was this:
“Leave a note. Tell her you are sorry and go find a healthy girl.”
I am happy that there is a movie that does document the feelings of a woman just like me, and what goes through our head on a daily basis.
Just remember, the most important thing to learn from all of this, is that the only acceptance you need is from yourself.
