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!

SAFTY TIPS EVERY EPILEPTIC SHOULD FOLLOW

      Let’s Begin with Safety at Home

 The most common and dangerous place for Epileptics caused by seizure-related accidents. I myself have fallen in every single room from my own home to my parent’s much less enjoyable house I’m trapped in working though from the first floor, second or basement attached to the garage which is every families most dangerous part of the house. Cars, tools, lawn- mowers and such with blades on them to rip any ones face apart God forbid they fall on them. Very stupidly I came close recently on my cell phone because our basement for some reason gets no service, the call that came in was important yet myself more therefore do not do anything as stupid!

The first thing though you should know how to is the bathroom on how to take precautions, everything here I have done already and has helped me stay safe, mostly at home yet the house is not, it’s not mine to make safe yet is small enough to keep me in one spot or two. It’s odd but true but bathroom mirrors in front of sinks cause seizures when looked into which is why 90% of the time my hands get dried off on myself on the floor against the door. I look quick and then put my head down as I finish, tends to work well besides looking like a zombie into the mirror. Fallow these tips and you will do better keeping yourself safer in the most dangerous because of the most commonly used part of the house.     

To Give Some Privacy

 Place an occupied sign on the bathroom door instead of locking it. In your own home/apartment do not even close the door.

Hang the bathroom door so that it swings outward (into the hall or bedroom).  This prevents the door from being blocked if a person falls during a seizure. 

I would prefer that the door swings inward and closes behind you so that if you do fall against it you will not end up falling into the hallway behind you injuring yourself or anyone else so keep that rule switched around. It may work as is said in a much bigger hallways where it is safer to fall but I still would not prefer it.

Sing in the shower so people know you’re okay. If you don’t have any one to watch you or do not choose to then sing your heart out, just do not hurt yourself doing it by thinking to hardly.

Take showers instead of baths. This is a good tip and if you have bath-tubs in the house have one taken out for you and replaced with a stand-up shower, chair and curtain, no glass doors. This is very necessary from drop-attacks (Atomic seizures).  

Make sure shower and bath drains work properly so water doesn’t build up. Basically you don’t want to drown in a bath-tub, this is true for children mostly not being watched! 

Keep water temperature low to avoid burns. This is true for everyone bathing or showering as well as nonskid strips. Some showers have these built into them and work very well.

Use Tub Rods or Grab Bars

These bars I have put myself in as well and it helps me in getting in, sitting and becomes useful in having somewhere to hang my shower head while I am seated using my shampoo and soap. Outside of the shower I placed one onto the wall near the toilet bowl to grab onto the help with the rising or walking in long and wide bathrooms. This works well for everyone.

                               GENERAL HOME SAFETY TIPS

Sleep Deprivation and Stress

Two of the most major factors that cause seizures. If a shorter than 8 hour sleep is your sleep-habit then I strongly recommend you taking a nap for 1-3hrs a day at any given time that your body needs to shut down for a bit, you will know when. Don’t have someone tell you that it is time for a nap when you know that it’s not, will just make you more aggravated with them and yourself and seizures will occur. Some of us cannot close our eyes at times when we do not choose too and you will find yourself fighting them off and it just will not work for you that way so tell the person annoying you that now is not the time. Stress more than sleep deprivation will cause you to have a very hateful relationship with everyone in your life including your parents, family, friends and your personal relationship with your husband or wife. If you can figure out these issues in your lives and others not that they are always our fault because many families and husbands or wives especially cannot always deal with the flaws of an Epileptic or whatever you may be. Schooling is a problem and not a stress-free environment either. This is something that should be shared for all who have struggles with work especially and cannot get over the job that they hate and end up bringing their work home. That can make the most stress of all!

Daily Activities

For working Epileptics you are lucky to be still working, walking, talking to friends, going to the gymnasium and such as I did years ago and it was a much better then now life by experience you can say. However the possibilities of a more normal controlled life for an Epileptic is not as difficult as it may seem for some. For one as I told my own brothers when they asked me how I still get my work-outs in. I explained, with high tension exercise bands by Black Mountain for men and women for all types of performance. From yellow 2-4lbs for woman to 45-50 and 70-75 Purple and Atomic, which I use for every different type of exercise either standing for upper body work-outs to sitting for lower body work-outs keeping my legs strong from just sitting here all day long I told him. It’s simple to do and use as well as a rolling ball Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro by Perfect Fitness to complete my 40min work-out along with a daily protein shake which keeps me in pretty good shape for every third day. There isn’t anything wrong with a twice a week work-out compared to his everyday work-out. These products come with Door Anchors if needed, a Starter Guide and Videos on line. Go to amazon!

Do not use the most dangerous for an Epileptic to use, dumbbells, bar bells on a flat bench with or without a spotter for protection, medicine balls and cement kettlebells is okay for the normal exercising person, but not for us. I used to us some of these equipment’s in the past, those days are over and I am a smarter man now for it. 

Daily walks for 20mins a day helps or if not like me, get yourself if there is space a stationary bike to site and grab onto for the falling. I use a Schwinn digital bike and tells me everything I need to now about how far I biked which is distance, calories I burned, my miles per hour, heart rate by handle and many other routine work-outs. As far as anything else goes in my daily activity life, it doesn’t. Unless if you think that staying and typing behind this computer for you is an activity then I suppose so.    

Use an Electric Razor to Avoid Cuts

This is a very good safety tip because we Epileptics know that a seizure can easily slice off the wrong part of any body part, easily an earlobe, nose or throat which can cause death for men as well as legs for women. The number one option is for the use of a Phillips Norelco electric razor for both men and women and can be used in or out of the shower. It is simple and doesn’t require any shaving cream, just a clean and dry warm face or legs. You spin the razor not up and down, but in a round counter clockwise motion with 3 shaving heads each pulling the hear up and collecting all of the remains. There is rarely any bleeding if it is done right and a cleaning machine which collects all of the remains with it’s soap compartment and drying off mechanism as well, ready for the next shave. This is done by me seated on a white leather chair with a back and arms in front of a 6-inch vanity mirror, round and lite up and swivels around at 8x greater magnification.

Avoid Glass Tables

Anything from a large dining room table to a family room coffee table can be very dangerous to be around. The chairs of this or any table are very easy to slide off of so for that matter buy yourself or just use a chair with arms that one may have, sturdy! Fake wooden chairs made from compressed wood chips by cheap manufactures are very easy to break by anyone sitting on them, table as well.

Avoid Scatter Rugs

Wall-to-wall carpeting or soft flooring may reduce injuries for individuals who fall. Wall-to-wall carpeting is not as popular from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s so large rugs in rooms where falls occurred most with floor padding underneath along with floor runners in hallways can be very helpful. I fall in all rooms from kitchens to Living rooms and bedrooms with floor runners and a large micro-fiber memory foam rug in the bathroom all work well in keeping me safe.    

Use Protective or Padded Covers

On faucet handles, nozzles, or the edges of countertops to help cushion falls and reduce injuries. This is very helpful technique, every corner in my home, every piece of furniture is padded and my entire bathroom as well. The padding comes in large rolls which can be cut as needed and corner pieces comes as ordered.  

Use covers or enclosed heating units or radiators. A floor unit I have covered with the same padding because where the unit is covered from side to side and the center where the cover splits and is covered can still cause problems from falling individuals like myself. Before we covered mine I fell right onto it cutting my ear pretty nicely but not deep.  

Electrical equipment such as hair dryers or razors should be used away from any water source. This is not just a tip for Epileptics but for everybody!

Secure Televisions, Computers or Other Things That Could Fall off Tables

Televisions can be kept far from you on a wall in a kitchen or on a wall unit in a family room or in the corner of any bedroom on a stand away from yourself or others. Computers, phones, books and such as plates, cups and utensils are things that I can only say good luck to you because there aren’t any tips I can give other than that. Things fall all of the time, just hope that it doesn’t break or get lost and isn’t too expensive, as a computer. One tip, don’t place your computer in front of you on a folding coffee table because it will get knocked off by kicking it more than once so for that a sturdy table or desk will work better if need be.    

Use Fireplace Screens at All Times

Yes fireplace screens are necessary at all times for everyone especially with children. Open flame fireplaces are fun to have hearing the wood crack but sparks fly out of them, even from fake wood starters placed underneath dry wood to lite them. Sitting on fireplace ledge is not a good idea either for anyone. I know myself about these open flames because I had them in the past yet, my mother very stupidly had set her shirt on fire by sitting next to one in the past. She is fine, we put it out before it caused any serious burns! Now about electric fireplaces my parents have through two rooms, centered on each side with glass screens can be seen through either as a pretty fake burning image or with heat out of the bottom of them into each room, but the heat can build up quit quickly so we don’t put it on. These glass screens though can be fallen into as well which I did myself sitting in front of them on the ledge while I was petting Sammy, no damage was caused there but gets my parents crazy by sitting there whenever so I don’t.

Avoid Clutter in Rooms

Also look around and make sure there is room to fall safely. This is something I see more that would cause problems for the clumsy, girls, the young and older who seem to bump into everything in their way with legs in such pain they don’t know how it happened. Sad but true. We have no clutter in our open rooms, not hoarders, just things to bump into with sharp corners around bad for children to smack into and myself.  

Have an Enclosed Yard

for children to play and prevent wandering during a seizure. This is a funny, but true story so yes enclose the yard for all children. A couple a years ago in my uncle’s yard up on a hill in Manhasset fenced in the back so that we can play and not lose anything or fall off of down the hill rolling onto a street. But while playing volley ball in the summer I was told this by my family laughing. They said as I was sitting at the table, “Bruno” ‘Yeah what’s up’ “Do you see that hole there in the fence” ‘Yeah’ “well that’s from you when you were playing there running, falling and ramming you head down into it”.

End of Story.

Have a way to call for help if you are alone. Look into alarm systems, medical alerts and other safety devices! If you need help with any of this, give me a call, you all have my number or email me.

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