I was prescribed Keppra by a neurologist in Victoria during my latest sojourn in hospital. As I swallowed the first pills, I clearly recalled my Toronto epileptologist mentioning Keppra, specifically how he wasn’t going to put me on it because of the potentially severe emotional side effects. Curious about what separated this from the many … Continue reading Kepprage
It’s been a while. I was working on another post about seizures and injuries and pain, but I kept having seizures and hurting myself and wallowing in physical and emotional discomfort. Then I thought I’d write about the sense of emotional isolation—often only perceived and/or self-afflicted— that I’ve experienced since I started having seizures and … Continue reading Christmas
I indulged in some good old-fashioned sulking on Wednesday. My (truly lovely) in-laws were visiting from North Carolina, and we drove to Muskoka for a few nights, staying in a delightfully kitschy motel, exploring the surrounding area, and spending a day in Algonquin Park. The plan was to go canoeing. As we approached the portage … Continue reading Status
My default emotion for the last while has been a frustrating melding of sadness and anger. Maybe I can blame it on a recent concussion, on simultaneous medication changes, on anxiety, on the major depressive episode from which I can’t seem to emerge, on the headache that almost never eases, on seizures. Maybe it’s the … Continue reading Two Steps Forward
Just kidding. Please don't. A few days ago, a friend asked me what she should do if I have a seizure while we’re together. Her question—a good one, obviously—made me realize that I should be more proactive about volunteering that information, especially to people I spend significant amounts of time with, so I thought it … Continue reading OK, Now Everybody Panic!
In recent months, a few concerned parties have suggested that I consider getting a seizure response animal. I'm not opposed to the idea. In fact, I go through phases in which I wholeheartedly (and deludedly) assume that adopting a dog would drastically and instantaneously change my life for the better, though I'll admit that epilepsy-related … Continue reading Billy
Frequent travel has, for me, been a constant of the last ten or so years. Partly due to the nature of my academic work, but mostly driven by a combination of curiosity and restlessness, I’ve taken extensive trips, often enrolling in language courses abroad, sometimes consulting archives, occasionally just country-hopping. The personal and financial investment … Continue reading Going Places
I derive weird pleasure from devising theories about the cause of my epilepsy, which is supposedly idiopathic. As someone who values order and reason above almost everything else, I like to remind myself that just because medical professionals say that I spontaneously developed a seizure disorder doesn’t mean that they’re right. The idea that doctors … Continue reading Rock Tumbling
The only thing that unschooling has in common with epilepsy is the particular brand of self-conscious embarrassment it inflicts when a stranger/new acquaintance associates the word with me for the first time. But I figure that since I've been putting it all out there, I might as well write about the unconventional choice that my … Continue reading Confessions of a Former Unschooler
