Thank you for your comments and happy new year to you and the group. Great information
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-----Original Message-----
From: Tristin Seagraves <tristinspike26@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:17:14
To: <epilepsy@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: RE: [epilepsy] Re: Post Surgery Memory
Hi Brian,
When someone is having a seizure, as a bystander, you should never put anything (objects, hands, fingers, etc) in his/her mouth. No one can swallow their tongue. That theory is a thing of the past. During a seizure (tonic clonic), you can bite your tongue, lip, and/or cheek. Everytime I have a tonic clonic seizure, I bite my lower lip. It usually ends up black and blue for about a week. There's really not much you can to for someone having a tonic clonic seizure except to make sure he/she is in a safe place and is clear of potentially harmful objects. Protect his/her head, and try to keep the person on his/her side to keep the airway clear of saliva. A tonic clonic seizure usually passes within 2 minutes. If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, it's time to go to the hospital.
Most of my seizures were partial and complex partial. During a partial seizure, you just have an aura/warning and that's it. You stay responsive and aware of what's happening. A complex partial seizure starts with a partial seizure (aura/warning) but becomes more than that. The person becomes unresponsive and automatisms usually occur (lip smacking, pinching, scratching, walking around, etc.). When you witness someone having a partial or complex partial seizure, you should stay calm, talk to the person, and just keep him/her out of harms way until the seizure passes.
As far as the idea of transferring the energy goes, there are alot of exercises that can "relax" the brain's energy (yoga, simple meditation, tai chi, etc), but I'm not sure about shifting the energy.
Happy new year,
Tristin :)
--- On Thu, 12/31/09, Brian Morse <brianamorse@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Brian Morse <brianamorse@gmail.com>
Subject: RE: [epilepsy] Re: Post Surgery Memory
To: epilepsy@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, December 31, 2009, 6:55 PM
Tristin, After reading a lot of your emails, this is a balancing act with foods, water, drugs and surgery to control the Seizures from happening. My brother developed this when he was in High school and almost died from several seizures. I have been reading about how to prevent them, so what do you do when it does happen. My experience with my brother was when it happened all hell broke loose and if you if could open his jaws opem to reach back into his throat to pull his tongue forward that was a miracle back then 1972 time frame. My brother and I shared a room having two other brothers we had to share rooms. What I do remember sleeping with one eye open to making sure he did not have a seizure when he was sleeping. Have you heard about changing the energy around the body to correct the activity in the brain, I look at this like these seizures are a short circuit in the brain and by shifting the energy in the brain might reduce or subdue or even get rid
of seizures. This is not a very complicated process to do so I hope you are aware of this process, science can't even begin to put their hands around this.
Look forward to your comments on this subject.
Happy New Year and God bless all of you on your journey.
Brian
From: epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com [mailto:epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com] On Behalf Of Tristin Seagraves
Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2009 3:33 PM
To: epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com
Subject: Re: [epilepsy] Re: Post Surgery Memory
The object of seizure surgery is to remove the part of the brain that seizures are coming from, as long as that part of the brain is not being used and/or controls functions that are transferrable.
I had the surgery because AEDs (anti-epilepsy drugs) weren't working, and I was sick and tired of juggling AED combination after AED combination. I read that once you've tried more than two AED combinations, chances are that AEDs aren't going to control your seizures (intractable epilepsy). Also, it was always a goal for me to drive. Up until 4 months ago, I never had a driver's license (I'm 26 years old :O ). I was determined to gain my independence and win the fight against epilepsy. I requested a referral from my regular neurologist to a neurosurgeon to find out if I was a candidate for surgery. That piece of paper totally changed my life!
I had to go through 6 months worth of testing to make sure surgery wouldn't do more harm than good. Epilepsy surgery is very detailed. They monitor you 24/7 (with video EEG, depth electrodes, and mesh grid electrodes placed on the surface of the brain) and pin-point the exact location(s) that the seizures are coming from. For me, my seizures were coming from the left temporal lobe (85%) and the right temporal lobe (15%). If/when seizures are bilateral, like mine, surgery usually isn't an option. But because the majority of my seizures was coming from the left and I'm right-brain dominant, surgery was doable.
I was hospitalized for 3 weeks (Nov 08). I had 4 different surgeries during those three weeks (depth electrode placement, grid electrode placement, brain mapping, and the removal of my left temporal lobe).
Hope this helps,
Tristin Seagraves :)
(seizure-free since surgery!)
--- On Thu, 12/31/09, brianamorse@ gmail.com <mailto:brianamorse %40gmail. com> <brianamorse@ gmail.com <mailto:brianamorse %40gmail. com> > wrote:
From: brianamorse@ gmail.com <mailto:brianamorse %40gmail. com> <brianamorse@ gmail.com <mailto:brianamorse %40gmail. com> >
Subject: Re: [epilepsy] Re: Post Surgery Memory
To: epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com <mailto:epilepsy% 40yahoogroups. com>
Date: Thursday, December 31, 2009, 5:36 PM
Hello, please educate me on why you had this surgery, was it to prevent seizures. Just trying to understand what my brother might have go through.
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-----Original Message-----
From: "Steve" <stephenpales@ yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:56:12
To: <epilepsy@yahoogrou p s.com>
Subject: [epilepsy] Re: Post Surgery Memory
Hi Doris,
Remember, age doesn't help your memory (big smile)? And anyway, if you had a left temporal lobectomy, I would guess you use the right side of the brain not so much the left side. Your left temproal lobe has been shriveling up since your epilepsy began (big smile). Hey, take a look at your MRI to see it! So surgery 11 years ago, I don't think would cause the change. But what would I know, I'm missing part of my brain (giant giant smiling ear to ear)! I'm right brained, had my left temporal lobectomy 3 1/2 years ago. My WADA test showed my left side of the brain is worth diddlysquat (hmmm, never tried spelling that before). That's why my surgery didn't harm my memory. But I've notice a memory change lately, but most people my age have notice changes in that. I'm still young though, I'm just 52 years young. Take care, keep a smile on your face!
Steve
--- In epilepsy@yahoogroup s.com, "DorisY" <dorisellen@ ...> wrote:
>
> I wonder what your situation is concerning current memory post
> brain surgery. I had left temporal 11 years ago, and I am
> definately having increased trouble with current memory. It scars
> me to wonder if this has any possible connection to alzenheim.
> I fear the option of even getting tested for that.
>
> If you might have experienced anything similar, please advise.
>
> Happy New Year 2010 to you and yours.
>
> Doris
>
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