Try This for 2016!

It may change your life for the better, Forever!

This may be the greatest New Year’s resolution of your life, even though it's March. It is quite harsh and drastic but, if you choose as I have to stop your seizures from destroying the rest of your life, you may want to give it a shot. I can almost promise you that it does work. It has stopped many of my seizures from occurring, almost all!    

The #1 thing that causes the brain to go out of control especially for epileptics are Cell Phones. Put the cell phone down. Every time you put a cell phone over your ear you are losing the battle already. If you must, put the phone on speaker mode and keep in in front of you, away from your head. Your brain waves will act up like you are frying your brain cells while using a cell phone. The longer you are on your phone, whether close to your head or not, the closer you are to having a seizure. Looking at the screen of your smart phone 100 times a day or more causes the same. If you think that this is not true, talk to an epileptic because, although we have our problems, most of us like myself can see in our heads through our own eyes what is happening.

Never a good thing.

House phones however, even the wireless ones, do not ever come close to the effect of a cell phone. I have never dropped a house phone when on one nor have I ever had a problem using one either. A cell phone has a 100% chance of falling to the ground, sometimes taking you with it. The power of a cell phone can burn the brain and yet we wonder where brain cancer comes from. Not that brain cancer started when cell phones came into our lives but, it isn’t helping the the situation. The lights and flashes that we epileptics see everyday are ungodly, even through text messages. Most of us see flashes of light in our heads that others do not through our own eyes, yet difficult to figure out what it is we are seeing time and time again. This is something very common but, luckily, does not kill us once it stops.

Second to cell phones are laptops and office computers with giant monitors in our faces being stared at all day. Close the laptop or shut the computer off, give yourself a break, if it is allowed, time on your computer with more time off of your computer. I had a job for ten years behind a computer and just wished that someone would have given me a heads up on them as to what it might do. I had to stare into a monitor which I kept changing, keeping it further away from my face with screen covers on them as well and yet, nothing worked. Every year, working got worse, worse and worse for me. I just wish that I could go back in time to change what happened but, if it wasn’t going to happen there, it would have happened somewhere else. Although I never wanted to use a computer, my dream job had always been out on the field working as a carpenter or construction worker, and I do believe to this day that I would be better off then I am now.

Third after cell phones and computers are televisions. Do yourself a favor and just don’t turn them on, ever. This can be easy to do for yourself but, when you are living with a family it can become very difficult, yet if they have any feelings for you at all, will let you be and go into another room to turn the television on. Almost everyone has more than a few these days, it’s not the 50's anymore with a black and white television on wheels like a piece of furniture, although a black and white television would not cause such problems and, can be black and white if you choose to make any TV screen put on that way. Personally I cannot stand them and yet, I have every premium channel, go figure. It just makes it easier for someone else to watch something else somewhere else! With a large collection of DVD’s and Blu Rays just because.    

Forth on my list are eReaders. Reading off of a tablet such as Apple IPads, Samsung Galaxy S’, Barnes and Noble’s Nook or Amazon’s Kindle Fire; the most popular of these tablets to read off of. Every one of these tablets can cause the same as any of the above by staring into these colored screens for minutes or hours even of every day. Staring at these screens is more like, staring into the abyss of Epilepsy! So for that matter, put the tablet down and grab a book instead. An actual real page turning book which causes no problems while being stared at. It is easy to get to a local library or book store even and if not it is simple to buy one off of Amazon, eBay or Barnes and Noble on line. Anything that you want can be found. Even some libraries make pick-ups and deliveries. However, audio books are fine as well and cause no harm although are more expensive to purchase if wanted or needed. 

Fifth, store shopping, bright ones such as jewelry stores mostly but, these days every store will cause an epileptic problems. Not that you shouldn’t go but, try to keep yourself on a timed schedule, basically know what you want, find what you want, pay and get out. Strolling slowly all stores such as Macy's per say, like most people do on escalators and such will only cause you problems that you do not need! Would you like to go back to the store one day, for sure you do and will, so my best advise is to just get what you went for, pay and get out.

Sixth problem for epileptics and seizures is a big deal! Bigger then you may think.  Being driven around everyday from here to there can cause you problems, especially at night. During the day you only have the sun to worry about so put sunglasses on and done, but at night everything can and will affect you more from stoplights, street lights to break lights on cars in front of you but, mostly cars and trucks coming at you in on-coming lanes blinding you with their high beams on. Keep the sun visor down blocking the stoplights and your head turned down or away from on-coming cars. You do not want to have a seizure on the highway scaring the driver half to death or causing accidents. Personally, I have been pulled over to the side of the road many times by my wife, the side roads only though luckily for us both. Many nights leaving from one house to another I have had a seizure, then asking Michelle, “where are we”. “we haven’t even moved yet” she goes. Wearing your sunglasses at night is not a bad thing to do either, whatever keeps the lights on the road from causing you problems and protecting yourself and others, is a good thing to do.

So we understand now how to keep yourself well from seizures caused by cell phones, computers, televisions, tablets, shopping and every night out on the street and what to do about it!

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE EPILEPTIC

On Saturday, November 14th after a late brunch in Bayside, we took a 4:28pm LIRR for 20 minutes to Penn Station and went to some places that Michelle wanted to show me like Bryant Park, which during this month and next for Christmas has about 30 to 40 booths, lots of sellers of ornaments mostly for tourists and an ice skating rink with a line of children wrapped around it. There is no Christmas tree yet there or in Rockefeller Center which made it easier to walk around without the over-crowded sidewalks and streets for a tree that is decorated the same every year. We walked around the Park and then to Lord & Taylor’s Christmas window displays under their gold lights which was beautiful.

After that Michelle knew a place that is open all year long, Christmas on 5th which is a very wide, long and Holy store with beautiful ornaments small and large as well as Nativity Scenes I do plan on purchasing, but we were short on time. Directly across the street was my favorite store - Barnes & Noble with a lot of movies and music - and vinyl’s on the second floor. I grabbed some books on the way out and onto St. Patrick’s Cathedral which had just been renovated beautifully all around, Michelle and I lit a few candles, said a few prayers and made some donations on its soon to be completion and then I noticed something on the right side of the church near the back - a Pieta’.

  A replica of Michelangelo’s who is widely regarded as the most famous artist of the Italian Renaissance. Among his works are the "David" and "Pieta" statues and the Sistine Chapel. Most of his work was done there in Rome where he passed away at the age of 88 in 1564. This one shone here though in New York is a little different and far less famous.

I purchased four prayer books in the gift shop and left. It was now 7:30 and we were off to our 8 o’clock dinner reservation at Ted’s Montana Grill, we reserved a booth because Michelle and I noticed from the past that there are only 6 booths and a reservation is necessary which I remembered and told her to call earlier. At 7:45 we were there and the booth was ready for us. After all of that walking I had not one problem from early in the day to Ted Turner’s Montana Grill when I noticed a saying from Ted Turner himself on the wall above us which reads: Do something. Either lead, follow or get out of the way. Funny, but true as well.

And then this happened on our way back home in Penn Station...

A problem which has happened 2 times before at different times and days, both in Penn Station. It was about 9:45pm and we were waiting for a 10:18pm train home that Michelle and I were trying to catch with hopes that this time, since the day had gone so well already walking around town – even though we were tired after leaving the restaurant, but not so much that we couldn’t walk back to walk off the food we had just ate.

We reached the station escalator fine, but as soon as we got on with people all around, I had a drop attack seizure and it seemed like I was up against a wall. More of a dream really; rather a nightmare. As I opened my eyes again finally I found 4 people, 2 couples - Good Samaritans - who had pulled me off of the escalator with my 200 pounds of dead weight which then felt like much more (a body soaked in water so to speak). Michelle could not have done it alone.

A woman had asked my wife, “Is he okay, he looks like he’s falling down” she grabbed her husbands’ arm across the escalator and Michelle told them I was having a seizure. I was then grabbed along by his friend/family member and they pulled off and sat me down on the ground. There were at that time people Michelle and I remember walking on by around me, they would have walked on me not caring if I was dead or not, just kicking me aside.

As I finally woke up I started to speak to them, dazed at what had just happened and yet being in Penn Station it was no surprise, more like a curse destined to happen. As I started to say thank you to them the first woman looking down at me, after Michelle had told them that I was ok, "he’s had a seizure, he’s been Epileptic for about 30yrs", said to me that she has family members with seizures too so they understood my problem, no need to explain. They had also called some cops over to help me up, 6 Officers arrived and they wanted to call an ambulance for me, but I told them to hold on and give me a minute.

As I stood up and took off my now dirty leather jacket I handed it over to Michelle and they had a stunned look on their faces, I recall. They looked me over and saw that I was not hurt and I said thank you anyway but I’ll be fine. Although not 100% and still a bit shaken-up an officer asked us where we were headed and walked us over to the seating area about 300ft away and asked the gentleman at the front-desk about our train time and what track we would be on. Michelle and I sat as the officer pointed and we waited for our train to come.

The two times prior this year, the second was after going to a NY Ranger game in Madisen Square Garden as we leaned against a wall away from everybody else that could get hurt from me I still dropped what I was holding and slid down the wall to my right, Michelle was to my left, as I had gotten up there was one cop there asking us if we wanted any help and we both said no. As I probably looked like a drunken fool, which I was not - I was all scuffed up from the dirty floor from my face to shoes, yet nobody this time cared to stop and lend a hand, just stepped away from me.

Not everybody is as generous all the time but there were a few the time before that when Michelle went to get our tickets home as I stayed standing behind her against the giant center pillars near the ticket booths when I slid off of that too. Michelle saw and ran over to me as well as some other people who stayed around me so that I did not get trampled over by a crowd rushing to a train that had been called until I got myself up again. I remember that those ladies that found me there had themselves or family members with the same issues. In Penn Station when a train is called, if you don’t know it is like – All hell breaks loose for a seat and death would have come of it!       

On the train home now that night I found us two seats opposite from each other, didn’t care as long as we had somewhere to sit and put our bags down.

Michelle and I learned something after that last dreadful fall, to never take the LIRR home again because it seems no matter what time of night it is or what great day we had in the city, it will not end well in Penn. So for that matter we will be taking an UBER Car Service home, which is beginning to replace NY Taxi cabs in the city, which I have no problem with. Something tells me that a $40 car/cab service is safer than injuring myself or others because people like the ones that found me lying on the ground will not always be there!

There will be more bad than good in your life - unfortunately. Just try to stay positive about your life and you just might get through the hell you may be living in, if it hasn’t found you yet!               

Rosemary, The Hidden Kennedy

My mother handed me an article this week from her People Magazine, dated September 14, 2015 that I found very interesting and sad. The reason I wish to share this story is because it is very similar to my life and what could have happened. Most people know that JFK had a sister that was mentally ill, but the actual story was hidden from the public for decades.

Rosemary Kennedy, one of Rose and Joseph Kennedy’s 9 children was born on September 13, 1918. For some strange reason the nurses were fighting with Rose not to push her out during labor and insisted she wait, causing the child to not get enough oxygen, exposing her to brain damage. For two hours the child was laying in the birth canal and the nurse held her head, forcing it back. Finally the doctors arrived, delivered the child who at the time looked healthy, yet showed many signs of problems when compared to the other children.

Schooling was difficult of course and the kindergarten teacher would not promote her to the first grade calling her “Retarded”. The mental illness had caused her some growth problems and the intellectual disabilities masked the seriousness of her condition. At 11 years old her suffering seemed to be from seizures and she was prone to tantrums, and sent to a boarding school. Unfortunately, she never made it past a fourth grade reading level. Rosemary was strikingly beautiful with lovely, but sexual features, was attracting many men and her parents found her sexuality dangerous.

Rosemary and her sister Eunice were extremely close in 1938. To cut the story short, in 1941 at the age of 23 with mental problems, her father Joe ,without informing Rose, her mother, rushed his daughter into having a Lobotomy, a brain surgery that includes drilling holes on both sides of Rosemary’s head and using a flexible spatula to scrape away deeper and deeper from the front to the back of the brain, removing all the good parts.

When the surgery was complete poor Rosemary was incoherent and stopped speaking as well as almost going completely immobile. She never recovered the full use of her limbs. She walked with one leg and foot and partial use of one of her arms with a handful of words. Now Eunice credited Rosemary with inspiring her to founding the Special Olympics for athletes with disabilities decades later.

Rosemary survived until 2005, a horrible way to live all those years after that surgery and her family put her into hiding for 20 years.

She had become The Hidden Kennedy.   

My story is similar in what would have happened to me if the Neuro-Surgeon hadn’t found a problem on the left side of my brain as well as the right. I almost went through a brain surgery that would remove part of my brain, leaving me with tunnel vision and the possibility of STILL having seizures! I also would still have to be on medication for the rest of my life.

These days are different in how they treat disabilities, especially those of the brain, but if it’s not necessary, no doctor is scraping parts of my brain away.   

You can find the full story about Rosemary Kennedy In People Magazine here.

Check out these books coming soon from Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

And

The Missing Kennedy: Rosemary Kennedy and the Secret Bonds of Four Woman by Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff