So, I hit my head last Monday in the usual mid-seizure way, which resulted in a “mild” concussion (“mild” in quotation marks because I wasn’t told that it’s mild but just assume/decided it is to make myself feel better). I know, I know: it’s like every time I knock my brains around, they miraculously get … Continue reading Crash Course
When my brothers and I were kids, we tried to convince my parents that there should be mythical gift-bearing creatures associated with non-gift holidays: the Thanksgiving Rat, for example. With this history of attempting to cheat my way into extra toys, I casually suggested to my husband this morning that there should be a Purple … Continue reading Happy Purple Day! (And an Ill-Conceived Children’s Book Idea)
It’s Reading Week, the toned-down, much-colder, Canadian version of Spring Break and a much needed few days to focus on things like not obsessively planning lessons and figuring out who I am as a person when I’m not making PowerPoint presentations. I’ve settled into a bit of a groove now and started to remember why … Continue reading Special Skill(s): Reflections on Worst-Case-Scenario Thinking and How Teaching Is Taking Over My Life and Brain
Until three weeks ago, I was adamant that I'd never use PowerPoint as a classroom tool. As are many things I pretentiously reject, it was perfectly acceptable for other people, but I was happy with chalk and, you know, my voice. More to the point, I hate change and am technologically inept. And then I … Continue reading “Frazzled University Instructor with Epilepsy” and PowerPoint: A Love Story
This'll come as a shock to you, especially delivered by someone as "eternally positive" (hahahahahahaha) as I am, but life's full of disappointments. I've found, since developing epilepsy, that this is particularly true when one has a chronic illness that involves unpredictable brain malfunctions. So in an effort to combat how letdowns of all varieties affect my … Continue reading Seizures and the Search for Silver Linings
I realize that nobody cares about my food obsessions, but since this is my blog and, as a result, my little egotistical corner of the universe, I can write about whatever I want, whether related to epilepsy, OCD, depression, academia, etc. or not. Today I'm tired of my problems, so I will focus my energies … Continue reading Muffins: A Post about Nothing and Everything, but Mostly about Nothing
In what amounted to a grand romantic gesture, my husband surprised me by filling my long-abandoned pill organizer while I was on campus the other day. There've been a few times over the past month in which I've had a seizure in an unfortunate window that left unclear whether I'd already taken my evening meds. Of … Continue reading Pill Organization and Eternal Love
You know when you’re on the subway and hear those dreaded words, “attention, customers,” followed by an announcement that there’ll be a delay because of a medical emergency crackle over the PA system, and you can’t help but inwardly groan despite yourself since you’re in a rush/you already finished the stupidly easy Sudoku puzzle in … Continue reading I’m Now That Person You Secretly Resent: Delaying the TTC
While in the beginning stages of an impromptu dance party (an embarrassingly frequent event) with my husband in the privacy of our living room yesterday afternoon, I found myself reflecting on my signature moves. I’m the first to admit that my abilities in this area are pitifully limited: generally speaking, I’m capable of moving either … Continue reading Dance, Dance, Dance
In many respects, 2014 hasn't been a stellar year for me. That said, it's important to acknowledge the good along with the bad. In that spirit, here's a "balanced" overview of some of the events of the last twelve months of my life. The Good My teeth haven't fallen out. As some of you may … Continue reading Year in Review
De Morbo Sacro: Life and/with Epilepsy 