Friday, January 05, 2007

Wes Autry and Invisible Epilepsy

I watched an interview by David Letterman with Wes Autry last night. Evidently, the subway rescue incident did not start with the young man falling, but with him having a seizure on the platform. Autry and two other ladies helped the young man, Hollowpeter, because he had a seizure. Excepting the pen that Autry said they stuck in his mouth, his description of the methods they used when caring for him were quite good. After the seizure eneded, Hollowpeter recovered some, but then had a second seizure which caused him to fall off the platform.

It is interesting that the news coverage really doesn't mention any details about epilepsy. Call me bitter, cynical, or just plain grumpy, but if it was any other disease or condition, CNN would have Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the tube telling us all about it... for days on end.

3 comments:

Winston said...

I noticed the exact same thing!

swill said...

I am so glad I found your site!!! I wrote to the Epilepsy Foundation regarding Wes Autry in the hopes they would publicly recognize him and raise awarness. They could have also used the incident as an opprotunity to educate the public NOT to put things in peoples mouths while they are having a seizure.

Now people will remember what they heard Autry say on Letterman about putting something in the mouth - and never be publicly corrected. He's a hero none the less.

Kate Bradwin said...

I just had an 1/8th of my brain removed and am now on a mission to educate the educators of our public schools about recognising epilepsy as a learning disorder in children. I will be loud, I will be heard. I also have the head of the epilepsy program at Brigham and Womens Boston interested in coming with me to be the medical expert bhind my words. I hope you are doing well. Kate- KGBradwin@gmail.com