Marie Osmond: A Time to Dance
Marie Osmond had every excuse to bow out this week. I wouldn't have been a bit surprised, nor would I have blamed her, if she had. But I would have been disappointed, and Marie Osmond did not disappoint.
Despite the death of her father last week, Marie Osmond's night on Dancing with the Stars wasn't all love and roses. The judges keep putting pressure on her to dance like a 20-year old, ignoring the fact that she's not. I only wish that I could do half of what she's doing, but it doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy the judges -- they keep telling her to give more, do more, make it more complex. I double-dog dare anyone over the age of 30 to try that hip-grinding move she did from a prone position on the stairs...wow! And have you noticed how she's slimmed down? She looks fantastic!
This post is not about a medical mystery contained within Dancing with the Stars. It is, however, a celebration of Marie Osmond's example when it comes to overcoming grief and depression.
No matter how old someone is, losing a parent is painful, even when that parent is aging and in poor health. George Osmond was suffering from dementia and was living in a nursing home. Last week the entire Osmond family -- over 100 of them -- had been booked to appear on the Oprah Show. He was thrilled. He was looking forward to seeing it on TV, but sadly, he died before that show was taped. Still, the family did appear as a tribute to him last Friday, and Marie Osmond came back to DWTS this week with two new dances, her dazzling smile, and a marvelously positive outlook.
It hasn't always been this way for Marie Osmond. In 1999 she wrote a book recounting her struggle with postpartum depression (PPD) following the birth of her son, Matthew. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey following the book's release, she described what postpartum depression was like:
Marie danced, and danced well. It was her time.
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Technorati Tags: Marie Osmond, Dancing with the Stars, entertainment, postpartum depression, aging parents, dementia, grief, loss
Despite the death of her father last week, Marie Osmond's night on Dancing with the Stars wasn't all love and roses. The judges keep putting pressure on her to dance like a 20-year old, ignoring the fact that she's not. I only wish that I could do half of what she's doing, but it doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy the judges -- they keep telling her to give more, do more, make it more complex. I double-dog dare anyone over the age of 30 to try that hip-grinding move she did from a prone position on the stairs...wow! And have you noticed how she's slimmed down? She looks fantastic!
This post is not about a medical mystery contained within Dancing with the Stars. It is, however, a celebration of Marie Osmond's example when it comes to overcoming grief and depression.
No matter how old someone is, losing a parent is painful, even when that parent is aging and in poor health. George Osmond was suffering from dementia and was living in a nursing home. Last week the entire Osmond family -- over 100 of them -- had been booked to appear on the Oprah Show. He was thrilled. He was looking forward to seeing it on TV, but sadly, he died before that show was taped. Still, the family did appear as a tribute to him last Friday, and Marie Osmond came back to DWTS this week with two new dances, her dazzling smile, and a marvelously positive outlook.
It hasn't always been this way for Marie Osmond. In 1999 she wrote a book recounting her struggle with postpartum depression (PPD) following the birth of her son, Matthew. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey following the book's release, she described what postpartum depression was like:
...it's like your eyes are in the back of your head and you just want to close them and never open them. You're so incredibly tired. Not only do you have a new baby to take care of, but I have six other children as well. One of the first times I noticed it was everybody said, `Oh, leave her alone. Give her a few minutes to herself.' I went downstairs to get something to eat. There was nothing that I could eat offhand except a jar of peanut butter. I opened up this peanut butter and I sat on the floor and I started eating it and I just started sobbing.And this:
And what happened was you just--you start sobbing uncontrollably. You question your mother skills. You don't want your children to see you.Postpartum depression can be a dangerous and difficult condition. Our own Dr. Pat Farrell has this advice for anyone who is depressed following childbirth:
The symptoms of postpartum depression, which in its more common form, affects anywhere from 50-80% of women, include mood changes, insomnia, fear of harming your child, an overwhelming feeling of inability to cope, hopelessness and sadness, irritability and crying, fear of being alone, poor self-care, loss of interest in activities, social isolation, problems concentrating or thinking, decreased energy. For most women these will last a few days to a few weeks and, for some, as long as a year.In her backstage interview tonight, Marie was asked how she felt about coming back to the show so soon after her father's passing. She quoted this passage from Ecclesiastes 3: "To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven...a time to weep, and a time to heal; a time to mourn, and a time to dance..."
What to do? Talk to your doctor and understand that others are there to help and support you. This is biology, not you being a bad mother.
Marie danced, and danced well. It was her time.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: Marie Osmond, Dancing with the Stars, entertainment, postpartum depression, aging parents, dementia, grief, loss
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