WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?
The audience will understand what it is like for people with epilepsy to strive for independence on many levels from Psychological, Physical, Financial, etc.
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Jeff and Danielle return to discuss the various types of independence issues that both have struggled with while they continue to treat their epilepsy condition and cope with the social, psychological and medical stressors that continue while they are managing their condition.
Instagram: @stagesofepilepsy
Tune in for this healthy conversation at TalkRadio.nyc.
On this episode of Frank About Health, Frank is joined by Jeffrey Demitrak and Danielle Swanson to talk about the issues that come with those who have epilepsy like themselves and how they have dealt with their struggles while continuing to manage and treat their condition. Some of the topics to be discussed as Frank shares are financial independence , psychological, physical and medical independence. Jeff talks about living with epilepsy, how uncertainty is involved and how it impacts your lifestyle especially with misinformation and stigma. When living with epilepsy, Jeff mentions how he sticks to his treatment and makes sure that he gets his rest as stress can be a trigger for seizures. Frank mentions that like himself, someone with epilepsy can maintain their independence by also being mindful of sensations that can be an oncoming seizure.
Jeff and Frank talk about the impact and struggle of being dependent on others when seizures occur in different environments because it can happen at random times.
Danielle talks about her experience of maintaining her independence in her life and in the workplace. One thing she says that she has learned over the years is that she tries to be very honest and open when going to interviews. She realized about the stigmas about her seizures when telling hiring managers about them. Danielle noticed that when not mentioned, she would be called back for a second interview or to be hired. More recently, she says that she had a great job that she had to leave due to her seizures and taking a new medication. Danielle talks about taking a test at her job in order to move up in the company and the difficulty that came with it such as knowing everything she needed but then having her mind go blank in the moment due to anxiety and/or stress. The difficulty comes especially when places aren’t equipped with accommodation for people with this condition. Some struggles she mentioned were being paid more and moving up in a higher position. Though, she mentions that all of her bosses have always been supportive and as helpful as they could be. Jeff relates to daniellee about whether to be honest or not when mentioning your condition at interviews or even regular interactions because of how people may react. Frank talks about being able to manage multiple tasks but even then, he also relates to Danielle when it comes to promotions, more pay in his career in his past. Fran says that one of the things to consider in the workplace is to always be looking for plan B whether it's your own entrepreneurial opportunity, saving financially, and as creatively as possible.
Jeff talks about independence in different relationships. Frank mentions the phrase, having a “sense of agency”, meaning trying to take ownership over situations where even if you're dependent on someone, you still have leverage over your life. Frank also mentions people with epilepsy being vulnerable around narcissists. Frank, Danielle, and Jeff discuss the feeling of shame, trust, and self esteem that they've experienced with people around them whether its workplace, friends or family. Collectively, they are learning from each other to do better in monitoring and resisting the negative influences that exist.
In this final segment, Frank reminds us of the challenge that people who live with epilepsy face and maintain their independence, though he addresses that it's still a medical condition. Because of this, people like Frank would still have to depend on one or several things like medicine, treatment plans, neurologists, therapists, etc. but everyone has different reactions to medication which is the main topic of this segment. Danielle shares her experience with different medicines and not being able to work with them as they had no positive effect. Over 10 years ago, she discovered yoga and meditation and fell in love with it. She found having fever seizures and eventually was able to be off her medication. Danielle also briefly talks about her experience with cannabis. Jeff talks about neurofeedback and how it helps with adhd, epilepsy and other disorders. He describes it as a guided meditation. Frank discovered acupuncture and talks about wanting to try a session. He also mentions other alternatives like meditation, music, and doing his podcast where he can talk about these topics. Remember to contact your doctors or primary care doctor for questions or concerns about your treatments , wanting to change or alter them.
00:00:46.940 --> 00:01:06.260 Frank R. Harrison: hey, everybody, and welcome to this episode of Frank about health today myself. Danielle Swanson and Jeff Demetrak are going to talk about epilepsy and the struggle for independence, as we've begun a new series at the end of each month, trying to go back to my roots on. How frank about health began as a show about
00:01:06.260 --> 00:01:22.980 Frank R. Harrison: trying to remove the stigmas of epilepsy and try to come up with other understandings of what the disorder can be as a lifestyle, or how to learn to live with it along with your treatment, methodology. In addition t0 0ther kinds of issues, you may be facing. We decided to be able to address each of those aspects
00:01:22.980 --> 00:01:38.070 Frank R. Harrison: every month. As you recall, we did a whole segment on Narcissism last month, and then we had for the holidays. Jeff come in and discuss his book on relationships and try to understand how much people living with epilepsy have their mental health impacted.
00:01:38.070 --> 00:01:52.950 Frank R. Harrison: So part of that mental health is adjusted, based on the quality of your life. And if you are finding yourself struggling from independence on various levels. We want to be able to address them on today's show. Now all 3 0f us are living our lives with epilepsy.
00:01:52.950 --> 00:02:00.800 Frank R. Harrison: and we are living with various treatment methodologies, as well as different medications and other alternatives. And so we're going to devote
00:02:00.800 --> 00:02:20.110 Frank R. Harrison: this time to be able to hear our individual stories, and how we have dealt with our struggles in the various levels of independence that we are trying to maintain while continuing to also maintain our seizure control. I have to issue my disclaimer, and that is that these are not the views and opinions of talk, radio and Nyc.
00:02:20.110 --> 00:02:31.600 Frank R. Harrison: Or a Frank about health, nor any of the medical centers that myself, Danielle and Jeff have dealt with. In addition, they may have the views of some of the details in Jeff's book
00:02:31.700 --> 00:02:46.910 Frank R. Harrison: which you can quote the title after I get back to you, and at the same time they may also be remnant of ideas and treatments that you can pursue at a later date, if you are living your life with epilepsy. And again, if you are dealing with it.
00:02:47.200 --> 00:02:52.770 Frank R. Harrison: just remember that any changes you want to make should be consulted with your neurologist or primary care physician
00:02:52.780 --> 00:03:12.730 Frank R. Harrison: prior to make any and changes so that way. It is your decision and not something that we are trying to provide as enabling material. It is information for thought and for useful conversation, so that, all being said, all of you both welcome back to Frank about health, and before we go into the topics of independence, Jeff, can you quote your book again?
00:03:13.140 --> 00:03:22.920 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yes, it's a dating in the dark. It's a a memoir about dating disasters with epilepsy, anxiety, and psychotic breaks
00:03:23.340 --> 00:03:38.230 Frank R. Harrison: exactly either way it it it does the overview of neurological and psychological trauma that is related to living your life with epilepsy. But, as we have learned already, and as we will learn again some more today.
00:03:38.230 --> 00:03:58.060 Frank R. Harrison: you have been mastering it in your own way, and and that's why I find you. And of course you, Danielle, to be very valuable to this show at the end of each month. So i'm looking forward to discussing the whole aspect of independence, because it is a generic word unless we break it down into specifics. So that being said, let me share the screen with all of you
00:03:58.060 --> 00:04:03.270 Frank R. Harrison: to really go into the specifics of of of independence
00:04:03.330 --> 00:04:10.350 Frank R. Harrison: that we will cover on today's show, and in the first segment we will discuss about financial independence.
00:04:10.390 --> 00:04:18.880 Frank R. Harrison: psychological independence, physical independence, and medical independence, and that in itself is definitely a 360.
00:04:18.940 --> 00:04:24.230 I call it 360, because there's alternative treatments as well as traditional treatments.
00:04:25.630 --> 00:04:42.660 Frank R. Harrison: Okay. Now, the other thing that I wanted to maintain is the understanding that financial independence is not about managing your money alone. It's also about managing your type of work and the work environments you are existing in. So I know, Danielle, you're going to really cover that a lot in segment 2,
00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:49.030 Frank R. Harrison: but that, all being said, I am now going to go right into the conversation and say.
00:04:49.100 --> 00:04:55.910 Frank R. Harrison: what would be Jeff? Your definition of maintaining independence while living your life with epilepsy
00:04:56.750 --> 00:05:11.600 Jeffrey Demitrack: well living with epilepsy, is a unpredictable, and there are many unknowns. So this is Uncertainty is involved with the frequency of seizures, and it impacts both the
00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:27.430 Jeffrey Demitrack: workplace and interpersonal independence. The location of a tax and impacting your physical freedom and the feeling of being isolated and disrupting overall lifestyle. So
00:05:27.430 --> 00:05:34.130 Jeffrey Demitrack: the efficacy of your your medications, the true availability of your treatment.
00:05:34.130 --> 00:05:47.770 Jeffrey Demitrack: and sometimes the medical community leaves individuals vulnerable to misinformation and and neglect. And I know you were going to touch on some of those subjects, but I also wanted to mention some of that myself. So
00:05:48.020 --> 00:06:02.900 Frank R. Harrison: Oh, no, absolutely. I mean I I know that you are still currently dealing with it. It's more aggressively based on all the examples you've told in the past, where you still are undergoing with your medications and other treatments.
00:06:11.330 --> 00:06:37.690 Jeffrey Demitrack: It can be a a a big burden on your whole life. Here you have. You have to get the rest that you need. You have to get to the you know just the you know, stay to a routine. I think that's a very important for people to realize that they they need to stick to to the team when it comes to not only their sleep, but their medication, and you know the people in their lives as well
00:06:38.150 --> 00:06:59.400 Frank R. Harrison: Correct, correct. I mean it's very interesting, though, Jeff, because while you've mentioned aspects of sticking to a routine or sticking to an understanding of your schedule and your commitments, and trying to prioritize every day, each activity you need to engage in doesn't that sound ironic, that it's a form of dependency. Actually.
00:06:59.490 --> 00:07:18.750 Frank R. Harrison: it's like we're maintaining our independence by being Q dependent. We're trying to maintain our independent quality of life in the best way possible by also being mindful of any possible sensations we are experiencing inside. That could be an oncoming seizure, or at the same time.
00:07:18.750 --> 00:07:36.500 Frank R. Harrison: if you have a situation where you have stress going on in your life, it may actually make you forget what some of your priorities may be which in itself could trigger a seizure, or can make you mismatch what your goals are. So, as a result, you're not really as independent as you like to be.
00:07:36.710 --> 00:07:43.790 Frank R. Harrison: So I think that's why there is the ongoing struggle for independence on those who will live with this neurological condition.
00:07:44.690 --> 00:07:54.280 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah. And I I think that the you know, when you start to depend on other people, you know there there, isn't, and a
00:07:54.280 --> 00:08:22.920 Jeffrey Demitrack: appearance aspect to it. I think that you know there's an a acceptance aspect. There's a a credibility aspect, you know. A person with epilepsy, you know, might fear that they'll be called crazy, because you know that that's a part of the stigma and it but society we're hoping that society moves away from that. And these, you know we want our abilities to be shown.
00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:26.750 Jeffrey Demitrack: you know, to society, and we want to be looked at
00:08:26.750 --> 00:08:43.720 Jeffrey Demitrack: as as competent. So you know
00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:59.880 Jeffrey Demitrack: you. You could have a seizures at work, and you can also have a g0 0n disability. But there's consequences to both of those you know. So there, you know, you might have to depend on the the people in your life, and and put a burden on them.
00:08:59.880 --> 00:09:12.880 Jeffrey Demitrack: or you can have seizures at work, and to put a you know, a burden on yourself, and have a that stress of a oh, what should I do when I have a seizure at work? So there's a lot of aspects to think about.
00:09:13.770 --> 00:09:40.020 Frank R. Harrison: Incredible! Incredible. You know it's, and on on some level i'm listening to what you're saying, and it reminds me of all those years ago when I was first diagnosed, and I didn't believe it until I almost, and I've already announced this on the show before I almost drowned in my own bathtub when I was 17, because I had a seizure while taking a bath, and since then I haven't taken a bat. I've taken mainly showers, but I'm always dependent on the past to prevent myself from getting into a sticky situation in the future.
00:09:40.110 --> 00:09:58.650 Frank R. Harrison: you know. But I also see how you've been able to master it, even just writing your book as you had. That was definitely taking ownership over it and using it as an advocacy platform to be able to help people, especially those living with it, live their better type of life, especially in the relationships they're in, you know, so
00:09:58.650 --> 00:10:09.520 Frank R. Harrison: that in itself, I guess, is the overview of independence as a whole, and we decided to break it down into segments that are very critical. Especially work is one of the aspects. And so
00:10:09.520 --> 00:10:28.370 Frank R. Harrison: I know that in segment 2, Danny, you'll definitely have a lot to share on that aspect, because you have been a survivor of various work conflicts at the same time, while it has been a trigger for seizure activity, so i'm. Looking forward to learn more in the next segment as to how you've been able to maintain your quality of life and social independence as well.
00:10:28.370 --> 00:10:42.940 Frank R. Harrison: and I think I, I look in terms of my own situation, where I've been fortunate enough to be seizure free from my full-blown attacks pretty much now going on 17 years. But the partial seizures which are still ongoing.
00:10:42.970 --> 00:11:00.980 Frank R. Harrison: I mean it's not even an issue where i'm unconscious. It's just an issue of knowing that when I easily forget something, or I can't even process a full sentence. Something is going on, and it's like, okay. I forgot to take my medication, or I overdose on my medication or the stress or lack of boundaries that i'm around.
00:11:01.730 --> 00:11:14.870 Frank R. Harrison: you know, a couple. But narcissists, as we talked about on our last session sometimes shut me down, and i'm like, okay, something's going on here. So it's very interesting how you can live your life with epilepsy and the full-blown attacks.
00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:25.380 Frank R. Harrison: or why you're still conscious and that itself can create different types of stigmas and perceptions. S0 0, by the way, I just got a cue that
00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:45.460 Frank R. Harrison: all of you Facebook watchers out there that have not seen Frank about health or any of the other shows on talk, radio and and and Nyc for the last 6 months are back. Welcome back, and I hope you've been able to catch us on our Youtube Channel, and I want to welcome all of you in the Twitter Sphere that are now apparently watching this show.
00:11:45.460 --> 00:12:07.430 Frank R. Harrison: Frank, about health has been here since May 2021. There is a back catalog of shows on Facebook as well as on Youtube, and please, by all means. I I hope that the Twitter, Facebook and Youtube watchers out there are cross-pollinating with each other, and I think even Linkedin is involved. But I don't have confirmation on that as of yet.
00:12:07.430 --> 00:12:22.740 Frank R. Harrison: I just want to say that hopefully. You know, Jeff and Danny, we're gonna have a show tonight that's gonna get a larger audience than we even anticipated. So I see we're also about to go to break. So that being said, Yes, I agree with you, Jeff.
00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:33.820 Frank R. Harrison: I I just want to say again, when we return to this episode of Frank about health after the next couple minutes we're going to hear Danielle Swanson talk about
00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:53.810 Frank R. Harrison: financial independence in the workplace, as well as living her life with epilepsy in social circumstances that probably finds her questioning her sense of independence, and we want to hear more about that. And right here on not just talk radio, Nyc, but on our Youtube Channel talking alternative
00:12:53.810 --> 00:13:03.370 Frank R. Harrison: on Facebook. Live and on Twitter. Com. Talk Radio. Nyc: All right. Stay tuned. We'll be back in a few.
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00:15:15.790 --> 00:15:34.920 Frank R. Harrison: welcome back. By the way, I just got some data on the shows that we've last done together. Jeff. Our Our show that we did in December has 71 views on Youtube as of today, and then I think the show that we did last month has over 50 0n Youtube. But i'm interested to see what this particular show is going to bring, because we'll have numbers
00:15:34.920 --> 00:15:50.030 Frank R. Harrison: from Facebook, Youtube, Linkedin, and Twitter. All right, that all being, said i'm just looking forward to hearing Danny. I mean you have been a cornerstone of this show since it's beginning both in 2,016 as well as last, may not even last May, 2 years ago in May.
00:15:50.030 --> 00:16:00.000 Frank R. Harrison: and we were talking about epilepsy back then. But all about cannabis in this particular case. We want to know more about the experience of how you've been maintaining your life
00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:07.490 Frank R. Harrison: work and financial independence. So the floor is yours. Well, thank you, Frank.
00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:13.260 Danielle: Yeah. So a lot to say on there. So i'm going to try and
00:16:13.410 --> 00:16:19.230 Danielle: condense it, and to make it a concise as possible. S0 0ne thing I've learned over the past.
00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:35.000 Danielle: probably 7 years now is that whenever I do g0 0ut to like an interview or something. I try to be as like honest and open of a person as possible. So, initially, when I started interviewing jobs I had changed from an old job I had
00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:47.720 Danielle: when I got out of college. I had had it for several years. I was like, oh, yeah, by the way, you know, I have a seizure disorder. It's usually not a problem, though, and people would be like, oh, yeah, yeah, okay. Well, that's great. Thank you for telling us like
00:16:47.840 --> 00:17:00.960 Frank R. Harrison: we'll we'll get back to you, and you know it sounded good, and then they'd be like, yeah, we found something someone more qualified. But you were great, so I decided to do an experiment. And then I started applying. You know, same types of jobs
00:17:01.050 --> 00:17:12.410 Danielle: that I just didn't say anything about the seizures, that is. And I started being like the second interviews and the offers. And I was like, okay, so I just can't say anything about that? So much for honesty.
00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:37.690 Danielle: So that was that's been. That was an eye-opener more recently one of the thing I've really been. I don't want to say, yeah, I guess it's true struggling with, or I really opened my eyes. A lot is I had this great job that I really enjoyed.
00:17:37.790 --> 00:17:54.850 Danielle: and I've recently had to leave it because of the seizures, complications, trying new medicines. But during that time, in order to get promoted or to get paid more you have to like in so many jobs sort of prove your worth, or take an exam. In this case it was. Take an exam.
00:17:55.020 --> 00:18:05.790 Danielle: Part of it was physical. Part of it was written. Part of it was oral, and one of the things I had to do was memorize over 300 different patterns that I had to demonstrate.
00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:11.190 Danielle: You know. Fine, great. I studied. I did it. I knew I knew them.
00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:20.700 Danielle: but I went to take the exam, and it just all like fell out of my head. I don't know if that part was like anxious anxiety. Part of it was like
00:18:20.840 --> 00:18:27.460 Danielle: I had such a hard time recalling them. I had been having more seizures because I was stressed out about taking this exam.
00:18:29.250 --> 00:18:38.540 Danielle: Fortunately I had a very understanding boss, but she was like, you know. I I know that you know these things. So let's just pause this test right now.
00:18:38.690 --> 00:18:55.220 Danielle: right he's like, you know. I don't know what to do, because I know that you know this this stuff. But you still have to pass the test like everybody else. So she literally had to go up to like the headquarters and contact people who are above her, because they weren't set up for
00:18:55.300 --> 00:19:02.500 Danielle: people who have. I hate to say it, but like disabilities, I don't consider myself disabled. I prefer, like to say, differently able. But
00:19:03.600 --> 00:19:11.440 Danielle: yes, they they just weren't set up for someone who needed like special accommodations for for testing right or extra time, or
00:19:11.650 --> 00:19:14.750 Danielle: in my case, like the slow, slower recall i'm.
00:19:15.230 --> 00:19:20.640 Danielle: Fortunately we did come up with like a plan. so that that worked out. But
00:19:20.860 --> 00:19:24.540 over the course of I'd say, probably about 6 months.
00:19:26.350 --> 00:19:38.940 Danielle: We've struggled together to try and find a way to make it work, and it really, every time we talked about it opened my eyes to how, at at what level. there was no preparation. There is no
00:19:39.820 --> 00:19:50.240 Danielle: awareness. There's No, nothing is set up for people who have like seizure disorders. I don't know about other conditions, but it's. Most places are not well equipped for that
00:19:50.290 --> 00:19:57.520 Danielle: versus someone, for instance, who maybe needs to use a wheelchair. There's laws like you have to have handicap access and whatnot
00:19:57.540 --> 00:20:10.690 Danielle: it's. This is sort of like the invisible disability. So there's nothing really required, so it's it's hard. It's hard to take the exams. Therefore it's hard to get promoted. Therefore it's harder to get paid more, which
00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:22.600 Danielle: would be nice.
00:20:23.020 --> 00:20:25.340 Danielle: I don't know if you guys have ever had.
00:20:32.310 --> 00:20:42.280 Danielle: And yeah, and then I think there's been other times where there is sort of like a cap of how how you could go within the
00:20:48.360 --> 00:21:03.460 Danielle: to like almost an assistant manager, type, position, for example. But there would only be 2 employees in the in the studio at one time, and basically their stance was oh, well, you can't really be promoted past this point because we can't
00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:15.710 Danielle: like trust you or trust that like you can do things alone. Or if you have a seizure and you're the one in charge, then it's a problematic. And I
00:21:16.150 --> 00:21:23.360 Danielle: So yeah, it's it's very disappointing. It's hard to find a a job that you can stick with and really make it with, because there's No.
00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:24.750 Danielle: there's very little
00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:32.110 Danielle: set up to help do that, and I've been fortunate. I've had very supportive bosses and coworkers, but
00:21:34.190 --> 00:21:47.050 Danielle: and the in the grander scheme of like functionality and and finances. It's there's just like oh, well, I guess i'll just be stuck here, then, or like, do I g0 0n disability? What do I do? And as Jeff said earlier, there's there's consequences to both
00:21:47.570 --> 00:21:49.080 Frank R. Harrison: correct, correct.
00:21:49.090 --> 00:21:52.790 Frank R. Harrison: I mean. But, Jeff, do you have something similar related?
00:21:53.160 --> 00:22:06.380 Jeffrey Demitrack: Well, I I can definitely relate to when the interview process, you know, and not being honest about my epilepsy, because people change their tune.
00:22:06.490 --> 00:22:25.880 Jeffrey Demitrack: you know, and that goes for interpersonal relationships, too. you know, and I think that when it comes to say public transportation, I know Danielle. You mentioned this before the show, but you know people with seizures that can be a a
00:22:25.880 --> 00:22:45.760 Jeffrey Demitrack: a trigger for their seizures, so they they need to be close to something like that, because they don't drive. But then, you know, once they start using it, the heat, and they all these people around them, they they feel suffocated. So it it might be a trigger for them, too. So it's a catch. 22.
00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:47.500 Frank R. Harrison: Yeah, and definitely
00:22:47.900 --> 00:23:05.470 Frank R. Harrison: for for for me the way that it's been is that you know it's kind of interesting on one level. I've been both fortunate and unfortunate, living my life in the workplace with epilepsy. My biggest job, meaning the one that I was at the longest was at Sony, music for 10 years, 92 t0 2003.
00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:20.260 Frank R. Harrison: And the reason why I lost my job was not because of my epilepsy, but because I was the last one standing, and they were getting rid of the music Club. you know. So, as a result, I guess I survived while living with it, while also having seizures there, and I was lucky to have a boss that also suffered from seizures.
00:23:20.330 --> 00:23:40.150 Frank R. Harrison: So, as a result, the empathy that he had allowed me to be able to still coexist in the workplace. But I did notice promotions were not coming as fast. The raises were very marginal at best, and at the same time, whenever business trips were going around, I was always asked to stay behind and manage the store
00:23:40.460 --> 00:23:41.410 Frank R. Harrison: per se.
00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:58.350 Frank R. Harrison: But yet, when it came down to big artists at Sony, Michael Jackson and his scandals destiny, his child, when they broke out, and all of a sudden they were doing a soundtrack with Columbia pictures for Charlie's angels, even other artists that were from non- sony labels that died.
00:23:58.620 --> 00:24:12.930 Frank R. Harrison: Guess who was there to promote their inventory, or to produce their inventory, or to be on the pulse of what was going on in the industry to help the revenue and bottom line at either the music club or the retail stores
00:24:12.930 --> 00:24:20.250 Frank R. Harrison: me. I even remember label people coming to meet me on days when people were leaving with their moving boxes because they were laid off that day.
00:24:20.710 --> 00:24:29.010 Frank R. Harrison: but I was the one taking the label executives out to lunch. An hour after I said goodbye to maybe 5 0f my closest coworkers that i'd known for 5 0r 6 years.
00:24:29.190 --> 00:24:43.890 Frank R. Harrison: you know. So I don't know if it was the job itself that was nuts, or if my brainwave activity was in itself always volatile, so I was able to kind of do the dance with living with epilepsy, and at the same time have it, have a decent career for 10 years.
00:24:43.970 --> 00:24:59.910 Frank R. Harrison: Yet there was the social limitations that both of you outlined, such as not getting the raises, not getting the promotions, not getting the recognition, especially when I was the one coming up with innovative marketing strategies that they decided to defer t0 0ther people because they had an Mba
00:25:00.430 --> 00:25:04.670 Frank R. Harrison: from another university versus the one I went t0 0r probably
00:25:04.670 --> 00:25:21.780 Frank R. Harrison: they wanted someone who was younger, or someone who was older or some other excuse, so I always felt the scapegoat based on their knowledge that yes, I was living with epilepsy, especially when I would have seizures in front of them, because during the interview I made no mention of it either. But
00:25:21.780 --> 00:25:34.000 Frank R. Harrison: it's like what they say with everything that you don't say. It eventually comes out in one way, shape or form, and for us, if we are prone to having seizure activity, it's bound to happen. It's bound to come out, You know.
00:25:34.050 --> 00:25:36.090 Jeffrey Demitrack: I think it's issues like for
00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:43.680 Danielle: both as a person who has seizures and isn't trying to be in the workforce, or is in the workforce and the people I've worked for
00:25:43.750 --> 00:25:56.570 Danielle: or with is that though they may want to help, there's always that unknown factor. So I've had my my bosses Ask me. Oh, Well, what can we do to help you like? How can we try and predict this? And i'm like, Well.
00:25:57.080 --> 00:26:03.010 Danielle: you can't. I mean, we can try, as Jeff said, having a a routine or some sort of like
00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:10.320 Danielle: discipline of taking your medicine at exactly the right times or getting enough sleep, managing stress all that
00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:13.570 Frank R. Harrison: can help right creating a structure. But
00:26:13.670 --> 00:26:20.340 Danielle: otherwise, even if you're doing all that perfectly, there's still sometimes just breakthroughs, and
00:26:21.010 --> 00:26:22.210 Frank R. Harrison: it's not
00:26:22.850 --> 00:26:35.500 so. I I guess if anything, the lesson learned in terms of financial independence or workplace independence is to realize the value that epilepsy does provide when you need to use it to your advantage or your leverage.
00:26:35.570 --> 00:26:39.330 with the limitations that our social structure can sometimes
00:26:39.490 --> 00:26:46.200 Frank R. Harrison: provide to us as a result of being, quote unquote disabled, even though I like your preference differently abled.
00:26:46.310 --> 00:27:01.020 Frank R. Harrison: But and like I was once told that the reason why they won't give me the promotion is because I'm differently skilled. Yeah, beautiful either way. What is the matter is is that it did teach me that people like us are more entrepreneurial in nature.
00:27:01.020 --> 00:27:18.780 Frank R. Harrison: E. C.
00:27:18.780 --> 00:27:37.070 Frank R. Harrison: Better opportunity. Your own entrepreneurial opportunity, saving a lot of whatever money you make into special investment or savings accounts that could be used in case you lose the job because of your disability, or because the company is laying off point blank, not to mention the fact that at the end of the day, I think.
00:27:37.070 --> 00:27:45.480 Frank R. Harrison: in order for us to reduce our stress, since we want to have a sense of control, especially when understanding that we can have a seizure at any time.
00:27:45.530 --> 00:28:04.430 Frank R. Harrison: we should always be planning to do something innovative and of our own. At the end of the day. I think a lot of people who don't suffer from epilepsy follow the pattern of the workplace, Retire if you can, with the organization. See, you know that's all great for those people who want that kind of life. But in our case I think it's a necessary evil
00:28:04.490 --> 00:28:06.640 Frank R. Harrison: to really be thinking independently.
00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:13.800 Frank R. Harrison: I mean, that's the topic of Today's show by thinking independently in our careers, and it's creatively as possible.
00:28:13.820 --> 00:28:22.400 Frank R. Harrison: All right. We're about 1 min to break. I hope that the people listeners and viewers out there understand that to be financially independent
00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:27.310 Frank R. Harrison: while living with epilepsy is to be entrepreneurial in nature.
00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:38.950 Frank R. Harrison: that all being said for all you Facebook listeners, Youtube listeners and twitter listeners out there and talk radio and nyc listeners. We will be back in a few.
00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:54.890 Are you passionate about the conversation around racism? Hi! I'm Reverend Dr. Tlc. Host of the Dismantle Racism show which airs every Thursday at 11 a. M. Eastern on talk, Radio and Nyc.
00:28:54.890 --> 00:29:07.450 Join me and my amazing guest as we discussed ways to uncover, dismantle and eradicate racism. That's Thursdays at 11 0'clock a. M. On talk, radio and Nyc.
00:29:10.090 --> 00:29:37.880 You know post the moment world You may have many unanswered questions regarding your health. Are you looking to live a healthier lifestyle? Do you have a desire to learn more about mental health and enhance your quality of life? Or do you just want to participate in self-understanding and awareness? I'm Frank r Harrison host of Frank about health? And each Thursday I will tackle these questions and work to enlighten you. Tune in every Thursday 5 P. M. On talk radio and Nyc. And I will be frank about help to advocate for all of us
00:29:43.140 --> 00:30:07.030 everybody. It's Tommy deed and non-profit sector connector coming at you from my attic each week here on talk radio and Nyc I hosted program for Lambda in focus. Non-profits impact us each and every day, and it's my focus to help them amplify their message and tell their story. Listen: Each week at 10 a. M. Eastern Standard time until 11 a. M. Is from standing time right here on talk radio at Myc.
00:30:08.270 --> 00:30:18.700 You're listening to talk radio and Yc. At Ww: talk, radio and livec, now broadcasting hours a day.
00:30:39.040 --> 00:30:54.470 Frank R. Harrison: Welcome back, everybody. We just spent the last 15 min discussing about workplace and financial independence. And I guess, Jeff, that's now your time to talk about relationship, independence. But at the same time one can qualify that the workplace is in itself a type of relationship.
00:30:55.440 --> 00:31:12.390 Jeffrey Demitrack: Oh, yes, definitely. And I I I remember speaking to a woman that you know she was, you know, struggling whether she should g0 0n disability or not, and she was, you know, wondering whether I should depend on my husband
00:31:12.390 --> 00:31:29.050 Jeffrey Demitrack: and and she was a really. It was a real dilemma for her, because so really she wanted to be independent, you know, financially, and you know, going and depending on her husband that that took that all away from her.
00:31:30.020 --> 00:31:30.980 Frank R. Harrison: Wow.
00:31:30.980 --> 00:31:53.000 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah. So I I it's a lot to think about, you know, giving up a career like that. And then, you know. Now you know, when you have to rely on you a spouse or a family member for groceries and for for driving it's a it's a a real. You have to sacrifice your pride, for
00:31:53.770 --> 00:31:55.700 Frank R. Harrison: you know actually I
00:31:56.410 --> 00:32:08.300 Frank R. Harrison: Oh, I heard a little echo, I was told actually from a therapist of mine. Yes, out there for those of you living with epilepsy. Besides a neurologist, you also need a therapist in order to cope
00:32:08.300 --> 00:32:20.430 Frank R. Harrison: mit ctl. And with the mental issues, social issues and other stress issues to help manage your health, physical and emotional health, at the same time that, all being said, one of my therapists that I spoke to last week 3
00:32:20.540 --> 00:32:26.710 Frank R. Harrison: indicated that probably one of the things that I had learned to give up in order to cope
00:32:26.750 --> 00:32:39.200 Frank R. Harrison: with my life while living with epilepsy was my sense of agency. I'm not referring to like advertising agency agency in terms of management of your own life.
00:32:39.230 --> 00:32:58.960 Frank R. Harrison: that you are more dependent on your spouse, like the woman's case you just mentioned, or a family member, or the environment you're in. Maybe it's not the preferred environment that you that you want to be in, but it's the only thing you have at the moment. The workplace can sometimes fit that that whole schema. But the thing is is that it's a matter of trying to
00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:03.780 Frank R. Harrison: take ownership over those situations, and therefore you have a sense of agency
00:33:03.910 --> 00:33:10.420 Frank R. Harrison: that can make you feel that even if you are dependent on someone that you still have leverage over your own life.
00:33:10.470 --> 00:33:14.920 And I guess what you just described there is. She gave up her agency
00:33:15.020 --> 00:33:17.020 Frank R. Harrison: to her spouse. Basically
00:33:17.270 --> 00:33:25.250 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah. And you also have to have a level of detachment when it comes to their issues.
00:33:25.250 --> 00:33:40.710 Jeffrey Demitrack: They might be dealing with other issues in their life, and they might well be want to project it on you, because you know they think they can, because now you're relying so much on them. So there's a codependency aspect.
00:33:41.110 --> 00:33:46.630 Frank R. Harrison: Yes, yes, and it's also like we said on our last show. It could be
00:33:46.680 --> 00:34:01.500 Frank R. Harrison: dangerous, especially if your partner, or probably your friend, or or the person that you're dependent on, is also a narcissist. Yeah. And that's why this show came after that that show. Because a they're they're related.
00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:15.770 Frank R. Harrison: Oh, yeah, yeah, I mean that, all being said, I guess I can ask this to both of you. Can we say? Well, I think we did say on the last show that the most vulnerable, that we, the most people, that we are most vulnerable to
00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:24.760 Frank R. Harrison: our narcissistic people. But would you say that there's some other element that i'm not bringing to the forefront that maybe even i'm missing
00:34:24.949 --> 00:34:33.260 Frank R. Harrison: that we are most vulnerable to. I mean, maybe just being vulnerable if we give up our freedom if we give up our like. I said earlier, our sense of agency.
00:34:33.780 --> 00:34:39.639 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah, I I think that's a a huge aspect of our lives. You know we
00:34:39.639 --> 00:35:03.260 Jeffrey Demitrack: once we become vulnerable, giving up sacrificing. You know your driver's license, sacrificing your job, sacrificing just so so many freedoms. You know. Then you'll people get it in their minds that they can, just to depend on you for everything. You know whether it's a emotional support.
00:35:03.290 --> 00:35:18.160 Jeffrey Demitrack: whether it's a just to, you know. Do this around the house. Do that around the house, you know. Just so. They it. They have it in their minds that they can do just the you're there for them, no matter what.
00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:19.240 Jeffrey Demitrack: So
00:35:19.690 --> 00:35:35.210 Frank R. Harrison: So what what do you think it is that red? Whether the person that the person suffering from epilepsy or seizure disorder. whether they're dependent on a narcissist or not. What do you think it is that gives them the innate desire to give up
00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:48.340 Frank R. Harrison: their own sense of. I call it agency. But let's just say their sense of independence for the person having seizures or for the person. Yeah. And you just want to avoid the seizures, or is it something deeper that they want to resist being part of?
00:35:50.580 --> 00:36:02.010 Danielle: Well, I think and you guys can tell me what you think this is probably for me. I feel like self-esteem is als0 0ne of the things that is hugely impacted, because there's so many things you can no longer d0 0r
00:36:02.050 --> 00:36:04.820 Danielle: it. Maybe you could never do if you've had seizures since you were
00:36:04.970 --> 00:36:07.370 Frank R. Harrison: born, or something right? Or
00:36:07.540 --> 00:36:16.610 Jeffrey Demitrack: I was gonna tell a story here, and this has to do with self-esteem. I mean this when it comes to the victim. Mentality.
00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:34.770 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah, so it's a.
00:36:34.770 --> 00:36:48.160 Jeffrey Demitrack: So I remember his warning of how he went directly to my parents, as he was not going to be my doctor, and focused on cases that he had a good hope for seizure control because
00:36:48.190 --> 00:36:50.760 Jeffrey Demitrack: he had a reputation to live up to.
00:36:50.760 --> 00:37:14.620 Jeffrey Demitrack: And they, he said, You, you cannot make your son feel like a victim. You cannot coddle. You know your son, and you cannot have him feel shame for these seizure situations. There's going to be too many situations where plenty of situations where there will be an influx of emotions and and negative emotions at that. So.
00:37:19.210 --> 00:37:19.950 Frank R. Harrison: Yeah.
00:37:20.270 --> 00:37:38.480 Frank R. Harrison: wow, no, it's funny. I I guess the reason why i'm acting more like a student, and listening to this conversation with the 3 0f us between the 3 0f us is because I, you know, I still to this day am struggling with issues of understanding whom to trust in the workplace or in business situations.
00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:54.080 Frank R. Harrison: while simultaneously, even in family and personal situations, because it's an issue of whatever past traumas that have occurred through seizures or through other related experiences, that you find yourself almost like a magnet being triggered instantly
00:37:54.080 --> 00:38:10.120 Frank R. Harrison: because it's, or subtle reminder of a previous event, Whether it was a seizure event, or whether it was being betrayed by a by a friend or family member, or especially like, I guess, the resistance to after being in the music industry for 10 years. The resistance to work again
00:38:10.120 --> 00:38:20.270 Frank R. Harrison: for an entertainment company that breeds Narcissism is just. It's 150,000. I think that's why I fell into health care. Because at least I was in control
00:38:20.270 --> 00:38:36.220 Frank R. Harrison: of my of my regulating my state, my stress levels, and my state of mind rather than focused on which artist was going to make it top its charts, you know. But if anything, I do like the value of understanding how I can do what I can to improve someone's life.
00:38:36.250 --> 00:38:41.670 which is why this show has been very therapeutic for me to do. Maybe this may be frank about health
00:38:41.700 --> 00:39:00.690 Frank R. Harrison: is a measure of controlling my agency or my sense of independence, because that way I can talk about my conditions, whether it is epilepsy or otherwise, but at the same time I can share in dialogue with others like yourselves, and we can learn from each other, and and I think collectively, at the end of the day.
00:39:00.690 --> 00:39:05.700 Frank R. Harrison: when we all are, I guess you could say network together under the same circumstances.
00:39:05.720 --> 00:39:17.640 Frank R. Harrison: we're able to do better and and monitoring and resisting the negative influences that can sometimes exist, especially whether it's in the workplace or in relationships.
00:39:18.260 --> 00:39:45.250 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah. And and I think that you know, once you are depending on someone, it's also you're isolated, your I. You have an isolation from from normalcy, and you and you enjoyed a a time to you. Think you're gonna enjoy a time to think about you a whole lot of things you like your life, and and a a quiet room doesn't mean necessarily mean a a quiet mind
00:39:45.800 --> 00:39:51.080 the hence rumination.
00:39:51.550 --> 00:40:00.730 Frank R. Harrison: No, no, that that's very interesting that you said that I don't know, I I guess, what all of us probably went through that during Covid, especially because
00:40:00.770 --> 00:40:11.330 Frank R. Harrison: we were all locked in, you know, in quarantine, whether with our families or friends, or maybe by ourselves. But at the same time we were trying to prevent getting another disease that could in self
00:40:11.510 --> 00:40:29.300 Jeffrey Demitrack: kill us isn't it interesting how epilepsy was not considered a comorbidity. You had to have another condition in order to get the vaccines earlier, or even do what you can to make sure that you are maintaining your health and preventing seizures at the same time.
00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:30.440 Jeffrey Demitrack: Sorry, Daniel.
00:40:30.500 --> 00:40:37.320 Danielle: Oh, no, it's just gonna say I was relieved to hear that epilepsy wasn't considered like a high-risk category. I was like, okay, then, I don't
00:40:58.720 --> 00:41:08.870 Frank R. Harrison: No, I would say predominantly, living life with epilepsy and correct me based on your own experiences, if if i'm missing anything, or if i'm getting it wrong, but
00:41:08.880 --> 00:41:14.510 Frank R. Harrison: predominantly, I would say the comorbidities are that related to mental health like Ptsd.
00:41:14.540 --> 00:41:28.090 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah. Dramatic thinking, cognitive deficits also the the autism population. It's huge when it comes to the them also having epilepsy.
00:41:28.810 --> 00:41:48.440 Jeffrey Demitrack: Oh, so, but but not epilepsy becoming autistic. You're saying the other way around. Yeah. Oh, yes, that that's true.
00:41:48.440 --> 00:41:52.850 Jeffrey Demitrack: It's a hard to say how it ends up in the stats, you know.
00:41:53.420 --> 00:42:05.550 Frank R. Harrison: Well, that's true. At least, if anything, the the mental health professionals got it right in some of our medications like for anyone out there who ever took the Miguel like me? I think you, Danny, as well, did I?
00:42:05.570 --> 00:42:13.740 Frank R. Harrison: Oh, exactly. They. They originally prescribed that to people with bipolar disorder. and they just figured out as a side effect. It was controlling seizure activity.
00:42:13.790 --> 00:42:28.830 Frank R. Harrison: just like, and for those of you out there who take Viagra. It was originally a cardiac medication, and we know what other kind of a consequences. But but I think actually lamecto was also provided by Pfizer. So Pfizer is the winner in a lot of categories.
00:42:35.860 --> 00:42:43.020 Frank R. Harrison: Toka Mix. Oh, I I heard that Toka Max. I I never took top of Max, but I also heard it made you lose weight.
00:42:43.440 --> 00:42:54.740 Jeffrey Demitrack: Oh, yes, yeah, but I it was used for something else. I I I know that. Yeah. So it was used for migraines, I know, but it was also used for another mental illness. Yeah.
00:42:55.180 --> 00:43:11.420 Frank R. Harrison: all right. So, ladies and gentlemen, before we g0 0n our our final break, and I just want to recap a little bit about what we've talked about today. We started the show, understanding that there are 4 major segments of independence that those living with epilepsy continue to struggle with, and
00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:23.750 Frank R. Harrison: I think the 3 0f us have been lucky enough to manage or maintain it on a on a respectable level. We still have our demons that come back to us, and when we learn to either manage them or get defeated by them, I like to think we all 150
00:43:23.750 --> 00:43:51.190 Frank R. Harrison: have learned to manage them. Then we heard from Danny to discuss about the workplace scenarios like how much is good enough to tell during an interview as well as during the workplace situation. If you start exhibiting seizure activity, what consequences do you have to be mindful of in terms of? If you lose your job, or if they don't give you the promotion that you deserve. So the thing is as I had close that segment by mentioning always keep an entrepreneurial and vigilant mindset
00:43:51.190 --> 00:44:09.820 Frank R. Harrison: whether you're working or not at the end of the day. The only resources, especially on the financial case, to maintain your independence are the ones that you yourself can manage. So always have an accountant, a lawyer, a banker, and any other kind of necessary professionals, especially on the medical side to keep you in the loop.
00:44:09.820 --> 00:44:15.340 Frank R. Harrison: and then we just close this segment by talking about relationships and how people can be
00:44:15.340 --> 00:44:39.670 Frank R. Harrison: easily sub, not subdued. What's the right word led to be codependent, or lose their sense of agency at the end of the day it's part of the vigilance it's just trying to maintain any piece of yourself that is unique and independent, to keep yourself outstanding and outstanding from from being completely dependent upon, so that you can move forward in whatever goals you have for your life.
00:44:39.670 --> 00:44:58.330 Frank R. Harrison: When we return. We're going to now turn the tables on the alternatives that are available to all of us out there, including those that don't suffer from epilepsy, whether it is cannabis which we've spoken about in the past. There are other alternatives that I know, Danny, that you have discussed in the past, that you want to probably share with us a little bit more.
00:44:58.330 --> 00:45:13.480 Frank R. Harrison: And I think, Jeff, you mentioned to me on our on our other show, as well as other conversations. We've had, that there are resources of doctors, or even websites or solutions that people can turn to, and I guess i'd also like to share some
00:45:13.480 --> 00:45:31.740 Frank R. Harrison: of my thoughts about how we can all move forward in our struggle for independence, epilepsy or no epilepsy. That is the question that all being said, stay tuned right here on talk Radio and Nyc. Facebook live our Youtube Channel and on Twitter, and we'll be back in a few.
00:45:34.760 --> 00:45:58.680 Hey, everybody! It's Tommy. Gee, the nonprofit sector connector coming at you from my attic each week here on talk radio and Nyc: I hosted program for the land of game focus nonprofits in cockroach each and every day, and it's my focus to help them amplify their message and tell their story. Listen: Each week at 10 a. M. Eastern standing time right here on talk radio, Dot Nyc.
00:45:59.710 --> 00:46:27.510 www.TalkRadio.nyc: In that post movement world you may have many unanswered questions regarding your health. Are you looking to live a healthier lifestyle? Do you have a desire to learn more about mental health, and enhance your quality of life. Or do you just want to participate in self-understanding and awareness? I'm. Frank R. Harrison host of Frank about health, and each Thursday I will tackle these questions and work to enlighten you. Tune in every Thursday 5 P. M. On talk radio and Nyc. And I will be frank about help to advocate for all of us.
00:46:29.990 --> 00:46:37.440 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Are you a conscious Co-creator? Are you on a quest to raise your vibration and your consciousness
00:46:37.450 --> 00:47:01.310 i'm, Sam Leibowitz, your conscious consultant. and on my show, the conscious consultant hour awakening humanity. We will touch upon all these topics and more. Listen. Live at our new time on Thursdays, at 12 noon. Eastern time. That's the conscious consultant hour awakening humanity. Thursday's 12 noon on Talk Radio Nyc.
00:47:05.690 --> 00:47:15.610 You're listening to talk radio, Nyc: at Ww: talk radio and Yc. Now broadcasting 24 h a day.
00:47:35.440 --> 00:47:40.520 Frank R. Harrison: Welcome back, everybody. We've had the chance over the last 45 min to talk about
00:47:40.620 --> 00:47:57.630 Frank R. Harrison: the whole challenge of living your life with epilepsy and maintaining your independence. But nevertheless, and this is the final segment of the episode we need to still address. It is still a medical condition. So that being said, we will always be dependent on our medicines
00:47:57.630 --> 00:48:17.440 Frank R. Harrison: on our treatment plan, on our neurologist or epileptologists. If that's the case, or if you suffer from post-traumatic epilepsy due to traumatic brain injury, you may have psychiatrists. You may even have surgeons that you're dealing with but one of the fundamental common threads that we all deal with is medicines.
00:48:17.440 --> 00:48:32.600 Frank R. Harrison: So I think one of the aspect of medicines that we're all aware of is every medicine has side effects, and we're lucky. I think the 3 0f us have been lucky to have medicines with minimal side effects, and I know in certain cases we've had alternatives to supplement
00:48:32.600 --> 00:48:50.550 Frank R. Harrison: management of those side effects, as well as probably even do what we can to take alternatives to reduce the influx of medications. So that's what I wanted to vote. This final segment of the show to understanding what choices are out there for all of you, listening as well as what choices have
00:48:50.550 --> 00:49:07.180 Frank R. Harrison: myself. Danielle and Jeff taken over the many several years that we've been living with this condition, so I think the first thing I want to do is to find advocacy. Frank about health has been here for the last 2 years, starting as predominantly an epilepsy-related show.
00:49:07.180 --> 00:49:23.850 Frank R. Harrison: and then it moved to the whole spectrum of Covid. And then over the last year. It's been a lot about mental health and awareness. Now that being said I, I, I heard my commercial during our commercial break. I think i'm gonna change the commercial jingle and the announcement probably in april or May, because
00:49:23.850 --> 00:49:37.920 Frank R. Harrison: I think we're beyond a Post-covid world. Now we're trying to get back to the real world. And that being said, I just want to spend this next 15 min or so discussing about how collect collectively myself, Danielle and Jeff are going to do what we can
00:49:37.920 --> 00:49:51.190 Frank R. Harrison: to make the show as well as talk radio and mice and Nyc be more of an advocacy platform in the real world. And so advocacy is just about standing in your truth, knowing in the condition you're living with.
00:49:51.190 --> 00:49:57.950 Frank R. Harrison: trying to address the challenges you face, and trying to share that information out there to those that are probably facing them, and are unaware of them.
00:49:58.100 --> 00:50:01.890 you know, and I think we've done our best of that, especially in the workplace tonight.
00:50:01.910 --> 00:50:16.960 Frank R. Harrison: and relationships is always going to be a challenge, whether you suffer from epilepsy or not. We all figure that communication is the key to that one. So we all have to be mindful of how we communicate with each other, whether it's personal family, friends, professional whatever it is, or intimate partnerships.
00:50:16.960 --> 00:50:22.360 Frank R. Harrison: You just want to be able to minimize your seizures, but maximize the value in your relationships.
00:50:22.410 --> 00:50:36.740 Frank R. Harrison: So I think that was my narrative to enter this segment. But i'd like to know more from both of you in terms of the medical challenges that you both have faced, and alternatives that you have taken advantage of.
00:50:36.740 --> 00:50:47.470 Frank R. Harrison: What can you share with the audience about there, as you as the what you've done for yourself how it is improved on your life, and helped you maintain your sense of independence within the medical field.
00:50:50.690 --> 00:50:55.650 Danielle: I've been on pretty much every medicine
00:50:55.700 --> 00:51:06.170 Danielle: there is, and most of them Haven't worked. Some of them in combinations have worked the one that did work. They try not to prescribe to people anymore, which is kind of funny.
00:51:06.270 --> 00:51:09.020 Danielle: That's a story another time.
00:51:09.100 --> 00:51:17.620 Danielle: But yeah, that whole issue of like nothing really working and not really getting under control, really spurred me to seek out
00:51:17.650 --> 00:51:20.420 Danielle: alternatives like. What else can I do about this?
00:51:20.500 --> 00:51:22.390 So
00:51:22.830 --> 00:51:29.060 Danielle: years ago, probably about over 10 years ago now, I I decided to explore yoga and meditation
00:51:29.210 --> 00:51:46.830 Danielle: and long story short, I I got pretty into it, and I started doing. I promised myself I was gonna do just 10 min of meditation every day, because any more than that seemed kind of intimidating like, oh, my God, that's so much time for over a year. I did 10 min of of of meditation
00:51:46.940 --> 00:52:03.410 Danielle: every day without fail. And sometimes I would do yoga on top of that, sometimes for a long time, sometimes like 5 min. Yeah. And what I found was, I had fewer and fewer seizures to the point of having no more, and they took me off of one of my medications.
00:52:04.900 --> 00:52:08.850 Danielle: and that was really the only thing I had changed at that point in time. Was
00:52:08.930 --> 00:52:19.660 Danielle: it's making that time for mindfulness that really worked well for me some other life. Circumstances happened, and I kind of undid that. A long story short. But
00:52:19.730 --> 00:52:32.430 I am a big believer in that that that can help. I don't want to promise that that's going to like cure epilepsy or anything, but it can certainly help. And I did also try experimenting a little bit with
00:52:33.600 --> 00:52:34.520 Danielle: cannabis.
00:52:34.660 --> 00:52:48.690 Danielle: not probably to the extent that I should have. I was very I. I still have all those like messages they set in like high school and elementary school and middle school, like drugs, are bad. Don't do them very like afraid. Still to like. Try too much of it.
00:52:49.280 --> 00:52:56.940 Danielle: and I didn't even know the differences indicate. Cvd Sativa. All these different things right? I'm still learning, but
00:52:58.230 --> 00:53:02.850 Danielle: they didn't really help stop my seizures, at least to the amount that I was on.
00:53:03.120 --> 00:53:06.870 Frank R. Harrison: But there's the tivo strain. Did help me
00:53:07.630 --> 00:53:17.140 Danielle: that for those of you that don't know anti-seizure medications create a lot of tiredness and fogginess, and like slowness, and I really hate the effect that they have.
00:53:17.250 --> 00:53:19.390 Danielle: I don't know about you guys, but
00:53:19.450 --> 00:53:33.010 Danielle: it's very frustrating. But this strain of Sativa that I tried, actually like, cleared through all that, and helped me think more clearly and be more effective and productive than I had been in a very, very long time.
00:53:33.080 --> 00:53:36.360 Danielle: while not interfering with the the medications purpose.
00:53:36.560 --> 00:53:37.480 Frank R. Harrison: Right?
00:53:37.570 --> 00:53:41.360 Danielle: That was very beneficial. Those are the the most beneficial things I found
00:53:41.810 --> 00:53:48.960 Frank R. Harrison: awesome. And I know, Jeff, you wanted to talk a little bit about mindfulness and that mindfulness some neuro feedback.
00:53:49.100 --> 00:54:09.460 Jeffrey Demitrack: Yeah, i'm a advocate of, Eg: Bio feedback, or what you said. It's also known as no feedback, and it could be helpful for a lot of problems like adhd migraine, sleep disorders and ep and epilepsy and other neurological disorders. And I like to describe it as a guided meditation.
00:54:09.520 --> 00:54:20.860 Jeffrey Demitrack: You know, I I think that's the best way to describe it, and the technology is advancing, so it's it improving constantly, and the great thing about it is that
00:54:20.860 --> 00:54:34.510 Jeffrey Demitrack: there are a number of different protocols as settings that can be placed, and and the brain is continued, is conditioned with auditory and visual stimuli; and
00:54:34.510 --> 00:54:47.680 Jeffrey Demitrack: and not only can one reduce the severity of one seizures or migraines, but it it can be a therapy for enhancement, like memory, improvement, or or cognitive ability so
00:54:48.420 --> 00:54:56.480 Frank R. Harrison: awesome, awesome, I think I think, for me what I discovered, which I unfortunately had not been able to do, especially during the Covid pandemic was acupuncture.
00:54:56.600 --> 00:55:13.490 Frank R. Harrison: and I really want it bad back back badly, you know. I think that'll be something that I'll probably have to explore in the next coming months if I can. But the thing is is that I I know that during the whole acupuncture session. I think it's about 45 min to an hour long.
00:55:13.490 --> 00:55:19.100 Frank R. Harrison: You're having everything regulated from your neurological brain waves to your stress levels, to your cholesterol, to
00:55:19.100 --> 00:55:38.530 Frank R. Harrison: even your libido. For all you know, the thing is, is that what you what you're finding is that you're you're able to get back to your normal resting state, and then take in all of the environment after the fact and try to process it more effectively with focus and energy and awareness. And I, and I think I would recommend it highly to those that can can
00:55:38.530 --> 00:55:50.870 Frank R. Harrison: mit ctl, and either afford it, or at the same time, if they are already doing it, maintain it as part of their life, as well as the alternatives of finding the various amounts of treatments that are gonna work for the type of seizure condition. You may have 150
00:55:50.870 --> 00:56:06.420 Frank R. Harrison: Now I I know that there's also exercise, and there's also understanding that maybe your seizures are being provoked by another condition altogether, whether it's like we've had over the last 3 weeks the discussion of cardiac care. Sometimes your heart condition, if you have one might be triggering seizures.
00:56:06.420 --> 00:56:18.790 Frank R. Harrison: or if you have diabetic circumstances, or if you obviously have mental health issues, or if you're recovering from a surgical procedure, especially if it happened on your brain sometimes that could be triggering seizures as well.
00:56:18.790 --> 00:56:26.760 I think you know. Sometimes music itself is therapy. Sometimes it's just like like you do the yoga and meditation, Danny.
00:56:26.770 --> 00:56:35.320 Frank R. Harrison: I'm sure you probably do it with music as well. You know I I would highly recommend that everybody continued to seek all the alternatives out there
00:56:35.370 --> 00:56:45.150 Frank R. Harrison: Doing a podcast can be therapeutic, and I know that I haven't had a seizure once since I started the show 2 years ago. Maybe I can't say there's a correlation, but
00:56:45.310 --> 00:56:47.920 Frank R. Harrison: I can say I feel very relaxed, although
00:56:47.920 --> 00:57:16.080 Frank R. Harrison: for those of you out there I can see we're almost about to end the show. So i'm a little bit nervous, because I want to get all my thoughts out there before we conclude. And one of the things that I have to give a big shout out to, and i'm a grey's anatomy fan. So i'm sorry i'm going to take the time right now to just promote that today is the final episode of Mash had over over 50 years ag0 0r 40 years ago.
00:57:16.080 --> 00:57:34.590 Frank R. Harrison: But I can say to you that it's going to be a whole culmination of 20 years of understanding. Even though it was a medical drama. It was basically the understanding of the value of collective identity with various people, depending on whatever their conditions or circumstances were.
00:57:34.590 --> 00:57:51.160 Frank R. Harrison: And even though it is again a drama, it can be a prototype for how to live. Your best quality of life going forward, so I highly recommend, especially since we have a larger platform of Listers tonight. If you are going to turn on to ABC. At 9 P. M. Stay tuned as Meredith leave Seattle.
00:57:51.160 --> 00:58:11.650 Frank R. Harrison: but more importantly, stay tuned t0 0ur Friday slate of shows right here on talk radio and Nyc, which are Tommy D's philanthropy and focus and Stephen Fries always Friday, and then we will be back right here on Frank about health next Thursday at our usual time for a new episode, and I just want to say both to you, Danny and Jeff, we are going to be here one month from now.
00:58:11.650 --> 00:58:23.140 Frank R. Harrison: Mit.
00:58:23.140 --> 00:58:37.280 Frank R. Harrison: and I want to thank you again always, Sam, for everything that you've done for me, and the show, and for our various guests that have been on it, and I guess to both of you we're signing off. But I thank you for being here, and I will be speaking to you pretty shortly.
00:58:37.380 --> 00:58:47.130 www.TalkRadio.nyc: All right. Have a good night.
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