A LOOK BACK AT OUR APPEARANCE ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “MONSTERS INSIDE ME”

 

This blog post was originally published in 2010. Sometimes looking back on what we’ve been through and arriving on the other side is a reminder that God was and is always with us. The complete story of my daughter’s illness can be read in my memoir Children of Dreams. 

 

My family just finished one of the most exciting and unique (but stressful) events we’ve shared as a family. A few weeks ago we were contacted by the producers of “Monsters Inside Me” on Animal Planet to film Manisha’s story. 

One of the producers found my article, “Monster Inside My Daughter,” where I wrote about Manisha’s parasitic infection. The producer contacted me through my website. We went back and forth for a while, and then Animal Planet emailed that they wanted to try to squeeze in Manisha’s story to finish out this season’s shooting. We had one week to make it happen. I didn’t believe it would be possible considering how many people were involved and the logistics of doctors’ schedules, et cetera.

But I started contacting everyone—Manisha’s doctors, Shands, and a family in Nepal who have a little girl the same age as Manisha was when she got sick. Animal Planet wanted a little Nepali girl to do some reenactments. Through whirlwind emails, we got it approved by the Shands’ legal and public relations departments. Dr. Carney set aside all day Friday to be involved, and the family with the Nepali daughter drove in from Tallahassee and stayed both days to do the reenactments. Animal Planet is planning to film Dr. Hostetter at Yale next week.

I have a new appreciation for how difficult it is to produce shows—

making sure the lighting is right, the sound is perfect, what to film, what not to film, reshooting scenes several times from different angles to see what works the best, dealing with outside noise like barking dogs, helicopters, and my stomach that wouldn’t quit growling (I hope they make sure that doesn’t hit the airwaves all over the world).

Four people came down from New York and a freelancer that drove over from Jacksonville. They were young, talented, and processed great people skills. Their backgrounds were interesting—not what you would expect. One lady had a degree in anthropology and culinary arts, another lady had a degree in biomechanical engineering, and a third one, a young man, had a degree in comparative literature. The fourth guy was “a jack of all trades.”

Joy called the whole event a “breathtaking experience.” She was very excited to have them conduct Manisha’s interview in her bedroom (it was her contribution to the show).

Manisha felt satisfied that by being interviewed, she could help someone else and raise awareness about neurocysticercosis. It felt surreal to relive some of what Manisha and I went through--the emergency room, seeing the MRI machine again, and reenacting many scenes. It was a little more fun this time, although it was more stressful than I thought it would be.

The public relations director at Shands said it was very rare to give this much access to a filming crew (we were all over the hospital), but Manisha’s case was so unusual that they wanted the public to hear the story for its educational value.

There were many reenactments at the house as well as at the hospital, interviews of Manisha and me, as well as “portrait” shots that took about five minutes. As a homeschooling mom, it was a fascinating learning experience.

REFLECTIONS ON OUR APPEARANCE ON ANIMAL PLANET

Having never been on television, it was a unique experience to see myself and my family on the screen. I looked way too old on high-definition TV (do I look that way in person?) At least the analog televisions didn’t show every wrinkle. Now I know why people spend so much time on make-up. Yeah, I know, vanity, vanity! They should have sent one of those miracle workers along with the cameramen and interviewers. I heard comments from my kids like, "That doesn't look like you." What is that supposed to mean?

There were also some scenes needed that weren't shot in Gainesville. I did a double-take when another woman appeared on the screen impersonating me. Where did she come from? And a lot of events were omitted for the sake of brevity. Really, I am not that paranoid about headaches—except my father and aunt died of a brain tumor. If you know that bit of information, my initial concern about Manisha’s head hurting makes more sense.

But I am thankful for the opportunity that Animal Planet gave my family to share the story and disseminate the information about the pork tapeworm in the brain. It is the most common parasitic infection of the nervous system in the developing world. Six percent of the population in Asia, Africa, and South America are infected. More knowledge about this condition will help doctors and the public to be aware of and prevent this sometimes fatal malady.

I also appreciate the time and effort of all those who were involved in Manisha's care, the filming of the show, and who helped to bless us with a successful outcome. I want to thank the family with the eight-year-old adopted daughter from Nepal who played Manisha in the reenactments. She was a real trooper. I want to thank Joy for allowing us to use her bedroom for Manisha's interview. And lastly, I want to thank Manisha for being willing to share her story on national television. Not every teenager has the guts to do that!

This whole experience has touched each of us in significant ways. Hopefully, you have vicariously shared in this journey on “Monsters Inside Me” and in my book Children of Dreams. May God receive the glory for His healing touch on Manisha.

If you want to read the full story, as they say, usually the book is better than the movie, please check out my book Children of Dreams, available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstores. I am also available for interviews and speaking engagements within the Gainesville area (and maybe outside the area if I have the time).

If you missed the airing yesterday, “Shape Shifters” will be shown again on Animal Planet on August 31st at 8pm and 11pm. When it’s available on the Discovery website, I will post a link to the episode here.

My thought for the day: Life is too short–may we focus on the moment since that’s all we have and give it our best. No complaining allowed. Try it. And then thank God He gave you one more day. Life is a gift—share it.