Epilepsy Awareness Aluminum Ornaments

http://www.cafepress.com/+epilepsy-awareness+ornaments?cat=202940

I found a great link at cafepress which has Epilepsy Awareness Ornaments. What  a great idea!

Gratitude

Community Corner: November 20, 2014

Thursday, November 20, 2014

As the holiday season approaches, it may be hard to get in the holiday spirit if you or a loved one are struggling with the challenges of epilepsy. You may not feel well enough to participate or feel emotionally overwhelmed, unhappy or down. Is there a way to change this?  

Often, how we act influences how we feel and how we feel contributes to how we act. What if we changed how we act? Instead of thinking about what is not going right or what bothers us, consider focusing on what is going right or what we do have. Giving thanks for what we have is one way of changing how we feel and act. In other words, use gratitude to help your attitude!

What are some things we can show gratitude for?

• Family - who have shown support in good times and bad. Epilepsy is a family affair. It’s as hard on family members as it is on an individual, just in a different way.  We don’t say thank you often enough to you. Or maybe we take frustration out on you.  Sorry for that and thank you for being there!

• Friends and acquaintances who may fill a void for people without immediate family.  And who support families without question or hesitation. You may not realize how important the little acts of kindness are. They mean so much.

• School nurses, teachers and other school personnel – your impact is immeasurable. How you act and treat students with seizures lets others know what to do. Helping a student reach their potential and not let epilepsy stand in their way is even more important. You are role models for your students and other adults. Thank you!

• People who help during or after a seizure- by holding hands, offering reassuring words, keeping us safe, or calling for help. It’s so important to come to after a seizure and see a kind face and hear kind words. Ambulance drivers, emergency medical technicians, emergency room staff – people with seizures hate to see you, but are so thankful that you are there.

• People who give us rides if we can’t drive, do errands for us, or go with us to appointments. This can take a lot of time and we realize you don’t have to do it, but you do. Thank you.

• People who let us vent and cry on a bad day, or laugh and celebrate a day without seizures. Just being there is so important. You don’t need to fix things, just listen and be there.

• Counselors and caregivers. You give so much to children and adults with seizures. You are on the “front line,” helping us learn life skills. Or just helping us at home on daily activities. What would we do without you? Thank you!

• Health care professionals – the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals who see us at our most difficult times and help us get stronger. Thank you for listening and trying to make sense of an unpredictable and confusing illness. Don’t give up when a treatment isn’t working. We need you to stick with us and help us find a better treatment. Thank you for pushing us too – to not settle for the “status quo” and for encouraging us to take steps that may be outside of our comfort zone.

• Researchers – you continue to seek answers to what causes epilepsy, what is going on in the brain, how to stop seizures and other problems that may occur because of epilepsy. Thank you for doing this! Thank you to the researchers who develop new therapies, devices, and other kinds of help for people with epilepsy. It’s an exciting time with so much potential. Thank you for your new ideas and willingness to try new things!

• People who educate and advocate for epilepsy and seizures. Do you know how important you are? Your willingness to speak up and make a difference is desperately needed and appreciated! You truly make a difference by raising awareness about epilepsy so it’s no longer hidden from public view. For raising funds for care and research and for fighting to end discrimination and improve access to care and all aspects of life for people with epilepsy and other disabilities.

• The Epilepsy Foundation and all the organizations – nonprofit, state and federal – that support people with epilepsy. A huge thank you for all you do.  Don’t stop. There is so much more to do.

• People living with epilepsy – thank you for your courage, patience, and strength. You teach so much by example.  You are an inspiration to all!

Thank you for being part of the epilepsy.com community and sharing your support with so many.

With best wishes and gratitude,

Patty Osborne Shafer RN, MN
Associate Editor/Community Manager

Authored by: Patricia O. Shafer RN, MN on 11/2014

Fun Fun fun

I have had a great birthday week! no seizures and lots of fun. Monday we were going to the movies but 

We had Tornado warnings here so we cancelled. It was wild here. We had 67 mph winds! 

Tuesday I got to go to dinner. Wednesday we had a party. Thursday We had a party at bowling for Thanksgiving and my team mates gave me the fruit that I asked for! wow I was not expecting a tray so big.

Friday had fun at the book club. Fun fun week.

Too fun someone sent me a card with all of the changes in the past 50 years it is amazing the changes in just the past 25 years!

Goals

release 70 more lbs

get a home in San Marco

get an electric bike

get a basset hound

time for romance

time for abundance

time for being seizure free

I did start looking back and starting giving myself credit for what I have done

1. went to college on my money , loans, scholarships

2. 18 years as a respiratory therapist

yes not the most stress free job! lol

3. did buy a home

4. taken care of Dad after his strokes from 7 years

5. kept my friends some for 25 years

6. keep my word

National Walk for Epilepsy

There is tons of info on this page about the walk! you can donate if you can't go.


http://walkforepilepsy.org/event-info

We are introducing a new online fundraising tool this year and as with any new thing, the first time can be a little confusing. We’ve created video tutorials to help walk you through the process. Personal fundraising pages are vital to the success of your efforts and we strongly encourage you to utilize all they offer. If you have further questions about how to register or personalize your page, please contact your Team Captain or our National Office at WalkInfo@efa.org.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

• T-Shirt Pickup: 7:30 a.m.
• Opening Program Begins: 8:30 a.m.
• 5K Walk Begins: 9:00 a.m.

Gratitude

It is going to be my birthday next Wednesday. The big 50! I have been thinking and I am starting to give myself a lot more credit for things I have done. I did finish college. I did get a degree. I did work in respiratory therapy and the more I think about it I am not sure how I did it. I would have seizures call in and go to work the next day. I was able to work night shift the whole time. I have been able to learn the computer and learn how to do blogs and newsletters. I did buy  a home but it was too much for me. I want a townhouse or condo next time. I do want a bassett hound again. I had a dog named Sam that I got from the SunCoastBasset Hound Rescue. http://suncoastbassetrescue.org/ He was the best. He could tell I was going to have a seizure and was not trained to do so! I think it was the change in smell from the hormones. He would not leave me! He was really funny also. He LOOOOVED Blondes. I am not one. He loved women so I had no problem taking him to the vet. He thought it was a singles bar. lol. Unfortunately, He ended up with cancer and died. It was very hard. Lot to think about today. Friend of mine had just had emergency heart surgery. Everyone is in shock! Makes you think about what is important. 

Tie between Epilepsy and Hormones

Here is a great article about the tie between Epilepsy and Hormones. 

Yes it does exist! Time for the Doctors to pay attention.

http://www.healthywomen.org/content/blog-entry/epilepsy-and-your-hormones.

THURSDAY, Oct 14th 2010

Epilepsy and Your Hormones

authored by Sheryl Kraft

Epilepsy had always been a topic that was very foreign to me—until it hit a bit close to home.

About five years ago, when she was 52, my sister found out she had epilepsy. She was at work and had just hung up the phone with me after a brief conversation. She remembers feeling a bit "funny"—and the next thing she knew, she woke up in an ambulance, confused and frightened. Lynne had suffered a "grand mal" seizure, the most common type, falling from her chair to the floor, her limbs at first stiffening, then jerking wildly.

Her doctors were not able to pinpoint the exact cause of her condition and I'm happy to report that since the initial episode, my sister has been seizure-free with the help of the two antiseizure drugs she takes each day.

Could it have been set off by stress? Perhaps. But we all have stress in our lives—yet we all don't have epilepsy. Could it have been the change of hormone levels that occur around this time? Perhaps.

One thing that is known for sure is that epilepsy affects—and is affected by—hormones. Estrogen andprogesterone, with all their fluctuations, can have a profound effect on seizures, either increasing their frequency and/or changing their patterns.

And around midlife, hormones are changing at lightning speed. That's why it's so important for women with epilepsy to be aware of these important facts and keep an open dialogue with their health care team even before menopause hits. Here's what you need to know, from birth control through to menopause and beyond:

• Birth control: If you use it, be aware that some antiepileptic drugs (or AEDs) can make your birth control less effective. Uh-oh … unintended pregnancy. Conversely, some birth control pills can mess with your AED levels. Uh-oh … uncontrolled seizures.
• Pregnancy: If you have epilepsy and want children, you can have them. But it's important to let your health providers know in advance. Your epilepsy meds may need to be adjusted to make sure you are getting consistent levels.
• Menopause: It may come three to five years earlier for women who experience frequent seizures. Menopause may also change the frequency of your seizures; about 40 percent of women experience their seizures worsening. 
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): HRT can also increase seizure frequency. Is it worth it? Discuss your options with your health care provider.
• Bone density: Your bone density can be negatively affected by long-term use of some AEDs, potentially increasing your risk of fractures, osteoporosis and osteomalacia (a softening of the bones due to a lack of Vitamin D). It's important for all women to have bone density monitored regularly and practice other bone-strengthening measures, like weight-bearing exercises and intake of calcium and Vitamin D—and it's even more important for you.
• Sleep and stress: Too little sleep and too much stress can trigger a seizure. Make sure you get enough—and not too much—of each.
• Alcohol: Drinking alcohol may worsen seizures.
• Other medications: Taking other meds (as in the case of birth control, mentioned above) can interfere with the levels of AEDs in your body. The same goes for taking AEDs: They can alter the levels of other medications you take for other conditions.
• Exercise: Use it! It can help counteract the bone loss that may come with medication. It can also help reduce stress, keep your weight balanced and keep your energy levels at their peak.

http://www.candlelightconcert.org/


Here is a link to a great website showing a concert series to help Epilepsy Awareness. amazing what you can find online!

Candlelight Concert Series for Epilepsy Awareness

The Candlelight Concert Series for Epilepsy Awareness is a concert series in Pennington, NJ designed to raise awareness about epilepsy. It's grown out of a very popular house concert series and is now held at Trinity United Methodist at 1985 Pennington Rd, Ewing NJ. When you purchase your ticket using Paypal below, you will be added to the list; no physical tickets are printed or sent. You can bring you receipt to be safe. All shows are general admission. For more on this series, check out this article from The Times of Trenton here. The Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey will be on-hand for most of these events to provide information and accept donations.