Messages

16

Films and TV shows about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: list of WWI movies

« on: October 06, 2011, 12:06:18 AM »

I am surprised that no one has mentioned "Dr. Zhivago"...........one of my favorites.  Not a whole lot about the war itself, but a good picture of the Bolshevik Revolution and how the war and revolution changed life in Russia.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Her Accent

« on: July 24, 2011, 05:59:44 PM »

A. P------------I am very interested in learning the Russian language and my next trip abroad I hope will be Russia.  I have been trying to teach myself Russian for about 5 years now but still cannot understand it well when being spoken.  The grammar and word order are a good bit different from English.  I get frustrated.  I need to take a formal course in it.  I became interested in all things Russian after reading "Nicholas and Alexandra" by Robert Massie.  A very interesting period of history and a very interesting family.                                                                           

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Her Accent

« on: July 24, 2011, 01:26:58 AM »

I apologize for any hurt feelings over my description of the way German sounds.  I meant no disrespect to the German people.  And I have often wondered what English may sound like to the foreign ear.  Don't worry......no matter what you say, it will not hurt my feelings.  I want to hear honest answers.  lBy the way.....my ancestors came from Germany and I am very proud of that.  : )

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Her Accent

« on: July 22, 2011, 09:13:56 PM »

I have often thought the same thing about German.  It is such a harsh, gutteral language.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Her Accent

« on: July 22, 2011, 07:22:22 PM »

I recently spent some time in Europe and the middle East.  I was amazed at how a lot of the people that I met very easily went from one language to another.  For instance, our tour guides would speak to us in very easily understood English and then speak to the bus driver or fellow tour guides in another language without even thinking twice about it.  I have always had an interest in being multilingual.  I can understand some French and a smattering of Russian.  I took 3 years of French in highschool and I have been trying to teach myself Russian for about 5 years.  I am nowhere near fluent in either of those foreign languages yet.  What is the most helpful method at becoming even partially fluent in a foreign language, short of going there to live for a while?

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Alexandra's embroidery techniques

« on: July 19, 2011, 09:50:34 PM »

In every photo that I have seen of Alexandra (or her daughters) embroidering, I notice that it does not look like she used an embroidery hoop.  Was this the way everyone embroidered back then?  It seems like it would be difficult to maintain the proper tension of the stitches without using a hoop.  Then I thought maybe she just used a small hoop which you would not necessarily see in the photos......does anyone know about the embroidery techniques of her day and whether or not she used a hoop when she embroidered.  Also, I know that she was an avid knitter......I wonder if she ever crocheted?  I am curious about these things because I, too, am a person who loves to do needlework.  Thanks for any info anyone may have.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Re: Alexandra and her Health Part 2

« on: December 31, 2008, 07:56:59 AM »

I have a 1999 copy (the publisher is Corgi Books).  Chapter 11 is titled, "Alexandra, Russia's Tragic Tsarina" and it includes pages 270-292.  The author leaves the theory open to speculation.....but I believe the evidence is strong that she did have porphyria.  Doctors of her day did not often make official diagnoses of depression and paranoia preferring instead to call it "suspiciousness" and "melancholia".  Psychiatry was not as refined and specific as it is today.  I am a registered psychiatric nurse......and I can honestly say that psychiatry is not an exact science due to the fact that we deal with things that are not able to be seen on an xray.  Today, I am certain that depression would be in her diagnosis along with a lot of psychotic features.  Just my educated opinion..........I am always open to debate.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Re: Alexandra and her Health Part 2

« on: December 31, 2008, 04:43:37 AM »

"Purple Secret" mentions the DNA tests performed to identify the remains found in Siberia, but does not provide any evidence that Alexandra suffered from porphyria; I think it does not even discuss the question whether her various health problems might have been caused by porphyria. And for good reasons, I think: Alexandra suffered from back problems, headaches, fatigue, anxiety at public functions, and an 'enlarged heart' (cardiomegaly?), but not from symptoms common in porphyria patients such as abdominal pains, vomiting, seizures, hallucinationsepression, etc.; the clinical picture of her health problems does not seem to fit that of porphyria.                                                                                                                                                   



 She did have abdominal pains, paranoia, and depression.  One does not have to have every symptom of porphyria in order to be diagnosed with it.  And there are several forms of porphyria...one in particular being porphyria variegate which presents with a variety of symptoms.  I do not think porphyria can be eliminated.  Also the book devotes a whole chapter on the possibility of Alexandra having porphyria.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Re: Alexandra and her Health Part 2

« on: December 28, 2008, 01:40:34 AM »

I am having trouble believing that she had an "eyesight" problem due to aging in 1911.  She would have been only 39 years old.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Re: Alexandra and her Health Part 2

« on: December 25, 2008, 09:32:49 PM »

I just received "Purple Secret" as a Christmas gift which is a book about the genetic illnesses in the British Royal family.  It presents a strong case for the existence of porphyria in many of the descendants of King George III which would include Alexandra.  I stand by my previous statement, that I think she had porphyria.  It is an excellent read for anyone interested in further studying the illnesses of the Empress.

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The Imperial Family / Re: Photos and showing teeth

« on: December 22, 2008, 04:42:56 AM »

I was beginning to think that I had seen every group picture there is of the Imperial family........but the above one is new to me.  Thanks for posting it, Irina.

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Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Re: Alexandra and her Health Part 2

« on: December 11, 2008, 06:49:43 AM »

I was always under the impression that she exhibited many symptoms of porphyria.  It would explain the blotchy skin, the "heart" symptoms, and the pains in her legs.  Lots has been written and speculated on the possibility of porphyria being in her family.

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The Windsors / Re: Diana's resemblace with Sissi

« on: December 11, 2008, 01:43:48 AM »

While Diana and Sissi may have led similarly tragic lives.......they in no way resemble each other physically.

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Forum Announcements / Greetings

« on: November 27, 2008, 05:17:42 AM »

Happy Thanksgiving to all Americans.........and also to all who would like to share in the spirit of this holiday!  God has blessed us in many ways and I am thankful.

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The Imperial Family / Re: OTMA - smoking and make up ?

« on: November 25, 2008, 04:42:36 PM »

what is arsenic supposed to do for you?