Over the years I have heard many stories of how caretakers can tell if their loved one is having or is about to have a seizure. Jack's story is the first of which I have heard where a lack of playing a video game has been cited. Now, through the combined power of Jacks experience, your post, and Google searches, you may make it possible for hundreds of children living with epilepsy to convince their parents to let them play more XBox games. Any time there is a pause in the sound of Covenant aliens (Halo) being destroyed, their moms should check on them!
It is really amazing that he is able to play. When I was younger, my refexes were so slowed from the Tegretol I was taking, that I was completely unable to play action games. It was not that I couldn't move the controls, but my reflexes were too slow. Like Jack, I now take Lamictal, and my reflexes are not impaired... in fact, so drastic is the difference that I often wonder if the medicine improves my dexterity.
This just hit me... If Jack can do well with one hand on an XBox control, I bet he could do wonders with the Wii controller - you only need one hand to use it!
2 comments:
So I have to buy a Wii now? Darn.
We had an old Nintendo 64 which we weren't using anymore, so we decided to donate it to the Epilepsy Unit at Wake Forest. Fortunately, Dr. Bell was working the EMU that day and he's head of the department. He said that my concern that it would be inappropriate for people with Epilepsy to play the video game was unfounded, that it is rare indeed that seizures are triggered by playing video games.
And he was grateful for the donation. I realized that photosensitive seizures must indeed be rare when I noticed the use of strobe lights to alert EMU staff that someone was having a seizure.
Hey Emeriol,
I want to wish you a happy holiday. Your blog means a lot to folks out there, and reaches a whole new group every day through SharingOurDays.com. I honestly believe that the time we take to communicate our lives is having a big effect on people around the world. You are making a difference.
All the best (however we need to define that) today and every day.
- sean
Sean Spence
www.SharingOurDays.com
www.MissouriToManhattan.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
Post a Comment