Friday, April 18, 2008

Dog Trained To Get Help For Epileptics

April 17, 2008


Eight-year-old Spencer Wyatt says having epilepsy doesn't interfere much with his day-to-day activities. But for his mother, Amy Wyatt, it's a constant source of stress, not knowing when Spencer's next seizure will come.
Says Wyatt: "I feel like I constantly need to be near him, because he can't call out for help."


Spencer's dog was a gift from Canine Assistants, a non-profit group that trains dogs to assist people with disabilities. There's been little research to prove that dogs can sense seizures in advance. But even the ones who don't have this skill can give their owners a sense of independence, Canine Assistants founder Jennifer Arnold said.


"I don't have to have other people staying with me all the time anymore, keeping an eye on me," said Mitch Peterson, of Downstate Monmouth. who has a seizure response dog named London. Peterson, who once fell down a flight of stairs during a seizure, said London is "right on top of it" when it comes to warning him about an episode.


The dogs take 18 months to train and would cost about $18,500. But Canine Assistants provides them for free. Spencer will go to a two-week training camp, where he will meet and then learn how to care for his "new best friend."


Source: http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/899443,CST-NWS-dog17.article

Wednesday, April 16, 2008


Drawn on 8 April 08 using Oil Pastel

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL LIKE FRANGIPANI


The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share knowledge and it becomes another’s, help someone and receive help in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises. PWE (People With Epilepsy) are an interesting lot of people. Try interacting with them and you will be amazed at how normal or maybe even extraordinary they are. Explore their world for it is a world very much unknown, untapped and investigated.

There is a tendency that people in public shun PWE. On the other hand PWE mostly would not reveal their medical condition. So how can there possibly be any interaction between both the above. It is common sense that IT TAKES TWO. There ought to be probing and disclosure by both.

I discovered that a lecturer in New Zealand has epilepsy. In spite of his condition he travels to Asian countries to give talks about epilepsy. A PWE in US flew five different types of private planes last month. Another PWE in Canada had his own art exhibition for a month. His drawings sold into hundreds of thousands. A PWE had wanted to climb Mt Everest for epilepsy awareness.


Its amazing. Serene's Believe It Or Not.

IF YOU EVER MEET A PWE IT’S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVERY

Monday, April 14, 2008

PAIN TRIGGERS SEIZURES


Renee, my good and supportive friend whom I have come to know from an epilepsy forum has had seizures from the age of one. She has lived with seizures for 30 years. Renee’s seizures happen only when she suffers pain. It is rare to hear of pain triggering seizures. She is perfectly normal and doesn’t have seizures when not in pain. She puts in lots of efforts and time to visit her neurologist about her condition. Her medical tests results turned out normal and her doctor’s conclusion is she suffers from epilepsy. She is on AEDs ( Anti Epileptic Drug ) and the medications have helped her condition in a small way. The best way for her to be seizure free is to avoid pain by being extra careful in her life about everything and anything that could cause her pain.


Ever heard of such a trigger before? Renee will be very keen to hear from you if you happen to have the same type of trigger as hers. There could be more rare triggers out there that are unknown to us. Care to share your opinions?

Monday, April 7, 2008

It's All About Choice

You have choices to make everyday and how you feel about yourself and others is one of them. Why not start the day in a positive frame of mind by choice? Here's a few suggestion to get you going:

  • Start the day off by saying thank you, first thing, to whatever higher power you believe in. Be thankful and grateful for all that you are, for all that you have, for all that you have experienced.

  • Decide that today is going to be a great day and make it one. Remember it's your choice and always is.

  • At the end of the day, say thank you again for all of the experiences you had today and the people you interacted with.

You see each day we get to decide how we want our life to be. In spite of all the tragedies in the world, I choose to be positive. I choose to believe in everyone's goodness. I choose to believe in me. I choose to believe in GOD.

You can too - all you have to do is choose.

If you do this each day for a month, (remember it takes a minimum of 28 days to create a habit), your life is going to be different.

Saturday, April 5, 2008




A CANFUL OF HAPPINESS




Although many People With Epilepsy (PWE) are easily depressed, grouchy, bad tempered, suffer from migraine or even suicidal, I am certainly not one of those.

A happy epileptic, my day started with a visit to the annual “ Flower Show “ with my niece Joyce at Carlton Garden. It was an event I had counted down to. I love flowers. They are so beautiful, breathtaking and captivating to the sight. With the company of “JOY“ce who also shares my same liking for flowers my day was even happier and filled with JOY.

We spent half a day at the Flower Show. Then our tummies growled in hunger and we walked to China Town to have steaming hot wanton roast duck noodles. Mmmmmm.....the noodles were the tastiest I have ever eaten.

After lunch we adjourned to Swanston St for shopping. I was delighted to have stumbled upon a packet of paper napkins labelled under the brand name “SERENE”.
I bought the packet of napkins for $1 and happily told Joyce about my purchase.

Happiness exist everyday and everywhere and comes easily when we know
how to appreciate and acknowledge it in the plain and simplest ways.


DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY.