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| Marcie, my alter ego |
So, I'm sort of embarrassed that I posted a video on my blog that was apparently viral well before I saw it. It reminds me of the time during the summer of 1985, when I was not quite 22, and I mentioned to a dear friend of mine that I loved that song where all the stars sang We are the World and had she heard it? Julia? Do you read this blog? Are you there to corroborate the darker bits of my history?
Once a bit of a geek, always a bit of a geek.
Today I took Sophie for her twice-yearly trip to The Neurologist. I love this neurologist, both personally and professionally. She tolerates my dark sense of humor and my forays into the World of Alternative Medicine. Today's visit included a bit of an interesting exchange about medical marijuana. While she can't write a prescription (and I have yet to pay a visit to Dr. Bullwinkle to get my card), she knows of several families who are using it and reporting good things. One of them is a young person with severe cerebral palsy who never sleeps. Now he does. She told me to go for it. We also talked about the Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation System or "epilepsy patch." The patch is a gel electrode that is worn on the forehead for twelve hours a day. Given that it's not invasive and has some compelling success stories, I'm looking into it. One of the lead researchers happens to be a neurologist at UCLA, so even though I like going to the neurology department at UCLA about as much as I like listening to a Catholic priest condemning homosexuality and abortion, we're getting a referral. If you want to read more about the Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation System, go here.
In the meantime, I'm imagining Sophie taking medical marijuana with the gel patch on her forehead while I read War and Peace and prancercise.
I had not heard of prancercise till you and ms moon so thank you for enlightening me. It felt a bit like an out of body experience. Your neurologist sounds dedicated.
ReplyDeleteSeveral people have sent me that prancercise video over the past few days, so it's clearly making the rounds again. As for being a geek, I hadn't seen it either, so I'm with you!
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to hear about your experiences with the medical marijuana. I only know a few people who have told me they use it, for a couple of different conditions, but they swear by it.
Whatever works, be it prancercising, medical marijuana or TNSS gel patches- that's what to do.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing- so, let me just make sure- you are not fond of going to the UCLA neurology department? I couldn't quite tell from what you said there about the Pope and all.
Haha!
I would start going to church again and my faith would be totally restored if my state of Ohio would start doing the medical Mary Jane thing...
ReplyDeleteWell, a man can dream...
Mr. Blogzilly, my heart leaped when I saw your comment! I've missed you terribly. As far as the medical Mary Jane, just say the word, and I'll be your drug mule, too.
DeleteGeek? I think not. There are some bandwagons one must leap onto, or prance, should I say.
ReplyDeleteThat Prancercise woman frightens me. I want to feed her, first of all. I think she needs more comfort food and meditation and less prancing.
ReplyDeleteHooray for doctors who understand dark humor and are willing to listen to new ideas. May this one live forever!
You introduced me to the wonders of prancercise!
ReplyDeleteThe prancercise and War and Peace part, scares me.
ReplyDeleteBut the other two things give me some hope for your beautiful girl.
We are way overdue for our UCLA visit. I need that hand holding for the wean thing that you promised. Just can't seem to do it. Just can't.
I wasn't aware of the gel patch but the research is anything but compelling. An initial responder rate of 40% which drops off to 30% for people who have so few seizures is rather a poor showing. Of course if there is an alternative to problematic drugs with their major side affects it could be a welcome adjunctive. I didn't understand the forehead placement though since that is not the location of the trigeminal nerve. If my son only had 8 seizures A DAY, I would be much happier; much, much more research is needed and long term affect of using the patch is completely unknown.
ReplyDelete