Pops

I’m writing this for my dad on Father’s Day, but it might be a while before he sees it. It’s the weekend, and he manages to confine his usage of the internet (including checking his e-mail) mostly to working hours. Although the fact that he’s a M–F, 9–5 technology guy can be inconvenient from time … Continue reading Pops →

I’m Home, Getting Better, and Really Cranky

I was discharged from the neuro ward last Monday evening (appropriately, I guess, the date of my release coincided with Purple Day [for epilepsy awareness]). Except for an appointment a few days ago and a ten-minute walk yesterday afternoon, I've been more or less chilling ever since. I hate chilling. Although I'm super happy to … Continue reading I’m Home, Getting Better, and Really Cranky →

Graduation!

As of last Thursday, and after two rounds of treatment, I'm officially finished my neuro day-hospital program. It feels super good. Time to reflect! Given my tendency to worry that I've plateaued or am plateauing in my recovery, I've found it important, especially over the past month or so, to keep reminding myself that I've made … Continue reading Graduation! →

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!

As the self-explanatory title of this blog post makes clear, it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Though 2017 has been difficult in ways that are sometimes hard for me to articulate, my Year of the Disobedient Brain has, in many respects, allowed me to better recognize my privilege and focus on the things for which … Continue reading Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving! →

It’s the End of September, and I’m Not Freaking Out

Over the course of two days, it's abruptly turned from sundress-and-Birkenstocks weather to sweater-and-sneakers season. The change hasn't been entirely unwelcome; there's only so much late-September sweating I can do before agonizing over global warming starts to interfere with my enjoyment of the sunshine. It has, however, resulted in some interesting-to-me (almost definitely boring-to-you) reflections. … Continue reading It’s the End of September, and I’m Not Freaking Out →

Forty-Five Seconds

Forty-five seconds. A blip, and likely an inevitable one, after which I rolled over and went to sleep. I'm making a real effort to convince myself that forty-five seconds mean nothing, but they keep tossing around my head, unwilling to simply be what they were—one complex partial seizure among dozens I've had this calendar year. … Continue reading Forty-Five Seconds →

What’s Been Happening (ICU, Etc.)

This will be short: my brain still isn’t working at top capacity, and I don’t want to look back at my blog posts at some future date and be embarrassed by an entry with an abundance of typos and scattered thoughts. At the same time, I feel it’s important to provide an update since lots … Continue reading What’s Been Happening (ICU, Etc.) →

Eyebrows and Epilepsy: Things That Are Only Tangentially Related

I got my eyebrows waxed yesterday. Lest you think that I've decided to experiment with beauty blogging, let me immediately assure you that this particular eyebrow-maintenance experience is, indeed, relevant to the theme of my blog. You can also rest assured that my brows are now "on fleek," as the kids of today, or maybe … Continue reading Eyebrows and Epilepsy: Things That Are Only Tangentially Related →

Same-Day Appointment with My Epileptologist: Success/the Beginning of a Multi-Month Pregabalin Breakup

I woke up yesterday morning to two missed calls and a voicemail from an "unknown" number. I've been doing this chronic-illness thing long enough to know that 95% of the time, if you're a heavy user of the health-care system, an unknown caller means a medical office, usually one in a hospital. Sure enough, it … Continue reading Same-Day Appointment with My Epileptologist: Success/the Beginning of a Multi-Month Pregabalin Breakup →

Inspiration Expectation: Why It’s Not OK to Want Me to “Perform” for You

On Monday, a friend sent me an illustration from an Instagram account that I'd never heard of (I'm now hooked). Though the artist's life experience is, of course, different from my own, I was struck by how deeply her sentiment—one that I didn't realize I shared—resonated with me. I'm guessing that a visual would be … Continue reading Inspiration Expectation: Why It’s Not OK to Want Me to “Perform” for You →