I keep forgetting that it’s almost Christmas, likely because I recently got back from the vacation I can’t shut up about and have been preoccupied with other stuff that my mind is conflating to seem much more important than it probably is. This Christmas apathy is both a problem, since I haven’t done any shopping … Continue reading Christmas “Spirit”
And now, a final trip update and some self-reflection. First, a quick summary of the last two days of the vacation. December 6 As had become our custom, my mother and I woke up much later than we intended to. If I lived in Iceland, I'd invest in a king-size bed and fourteen pairs of … Continue reading A “Person with Epilepsy” Abroad: This Is It
I'm set to go back to my program and start teaching in January, which is a little exciting but mostly terrifying. To be honest, I know that I'm capable, but I'm not sure if I'm completely ready. I'm not totally not ready, though, so I feel like I should push ahead. There are, however, a … Continue reading Back to Real Life: Hard Decisions
As I write this, I’m on the plane heading back to Toronto watching Home Alone (’tis the season) and eating a smuggled orange. I said goodbye to my mom at the Keflavik airport a little over an hour ago. It was sad. As is usually the case with farewells, I don’t want to talk about … Continue reading A “Person with Epilepsy” Abroad: Penultimate Update You with Any Luck Care About (Adventuring)
I'm pleased to report that our Northern Lights experience was a major success despite beginning on a rather unfortunate note: Icelandair failed to deliver my mother's bag as promised, and in our flustered hurry to leave with enough time, having waited until the last minute in the delusional hope that they'd follow through, we left … Continue reading A “Person with Epilepsy” Abroad: Fourth Update You Don’t Care About (City and Lights)
Another overly detailed update, first backtracking a bit. Upon arrival at Heathrow yesterday, I was told that due to weather issues, the evening flight to Reykjavik would almost definitely be cancelled. They were hoping mine would "beat the storm." Comforting. Because of texts from my poor mother, who had already arrived in Iceland sans baggage … Continue reading A “Person with Epilepsy” Abroad: Third Update You Don’t Care About (London to Reykjavik)
I'm now at Heathrow, having spent yesterday in London. I'm again writing this from my phone, so bear with me. Overly detailed updates for November 29 I said goodbye to Cambridge Friend, who had to leave early to teach a workshop. It was hard. I don't want to talk about it. Before departing for the … Continue reading A “Person with Epilepsy” Abroad: Second Update You Don’t Care About
I'm now in Cambridge seeing a friend whom I consider an aunt/second mother. Cambridge is my happy place; I feel uncharacteristically relaxed here. On the plane from Reykjavik to Heathrow, I was trying to figure our how many times I've visited. I estimated ten. Kinda crazy to think that this is my eleventh. And now … Continue reading A “Person with Epilepsy” Abroad: First Update You Don’t Care About
I had an appointment with my epileptologist last Wednesday. I make this weird assumption that specialists are going to be angry about something that I did or didn't do or about the fact that I haven't made better "progress," even if the lack thereof isn't my fault. And so I was incredibly anxious on Tuesday … Continue reading Six-Month Checkup: Ugh (Positivity!)
Featured Questionnaire #4 comes from a fellow PhDer and one of the most genuinely nice people I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering. Although we’re enough years apart in our program that I haven’t spent a lot of time with her (I’ve also been pitifully absent from my department since my epilepsy diagnosis … I … Continue reading Thinking about Epilepsy: Featured Questionnaire #4 (The “You Never Know What Other People Are Going Through, so Always Be Nice to Them/Flattery Totally Works—I’m Blushing and Feel So Good about Myself” Edition)
De Morbo Sacro: Life and/with Epilepsy 