What Happened to Winnipeg’s Epilepsy Monitoring Unit – One Year Later and the Only Person to Benefit was Premier Stefanson

On May 10th, 2021, Manitoba's Health and Seniors Care Minister pledged $4 million for a "state-of-the-art," four bed "Enhanced Adult Epilepsy Monitoring Unit" at the Health Science Centre in Winnipeg. That was one year ago. Heather Stefanson said, “The expansion of the adult epilepsy monitoring unit at HSC Winnipeg is a pivotal step toward reducing …

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Help Me, hangTag – I’m Stuck in a Parkade with a Ten Dollar Bill

I prefer street parking. No concrete, minus the curb. Those quaint parking metres? Accepting all forms of payment. Impark's hangTag app. Love it. Forget the long lines. So long, waiters! But parkades? They're basically jails for vehicles. In a previous post, I wrote about my fears: tornadoes, bees, and underground parkades. It's parkades, period. Under …

For Alec Reid – A Junior Hockey Player Who Battled On and Off the Ice

On Sunday, March 3, Alec Reid died. Reid played right wing for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. But on and off the ice, Reid also battled epilepsy. And at 18 years old - he died from complications from the disease. Because epilepsy isn't a condition, an issue, or a disorder. It's …

I’m Exhausted – But It Was Worth It

I can’t shake this fog. I know my body’s been through a lot. My meds were lowered. I had two seizures within four days of each other. Then my meds were raised to normal levels, and I jumped on the ice two days after my release – I mean, discharge. It’s obvious this is an …

Moo Late Night Humour

Today was long. Yet it was short. I basically worked through a thick fog today. Here’s another crack at late night humour: Question: What do you call a cow with no legs? Answer: Ground beef. Aw, poor cow.

A Recap of a Golden Moment – Why I Thanked My Fellow Competitor

I hugged the silver medallist yesterday at the Stony Mountain on Ice Competition. Before the gold medal was strung around my neck, I embraced my competitor and said, “Thank you.” Those words probably left her baffled. In 1989, I won the Interlake Interpretive Competition. Music was chosen by the host committee – in this case …

An Exciting Day – Stony on Ice

Thanks for all your messages of congratulations! Obviously, today was exciting. Anytime you stand on top of the podium, it's exciting. And makes for a tiring evening. More to come tomorrow since a lot happened at the competition.

Stony Mountain on Ice – Let’s Give it a Try!

Tomorrow, I’m coming out of retirement. My epileptologist cleared me to compete in Stony Mountain on Ice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIhQuCugJlY Twenty-five years ago, I competed in my first Stony, and I won silver. In 1993, I added another silver. The next year, I tried for another medal, but I placed fourth in Juvenile freeskate after falling very …

Stepping Out of the EMU

I’m free! Well, almost. After 11 days in Winnipeg's Health Science Centre’s Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, I'm being released tomorrow. It seems like yesterday when I arrived at the EMU and a technician glued 37 nodules to my skull, and then I was led to my little room. I had two provoked seizures. My usual: awake, …

Making Waves in the EMU

I had my second event. I actually said, "Finally" as I entered it. I lost consciousness for the first time since 1991 - my first seizure. When I came to, my day nurse and my husband were by my side. They are putting me back on my regular dose. Tonight, I'm so weak my husband …

An Exhausted Joke about Bears

Question: What do you call a bear without an ear? Answer: "B." I thought it was funny.

Because We Know It’s All About the Food

“How’s the food.” It’s the most common question I’m asked during my stay at the Health Science Centre’s Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Or as I call it: Chez EMU. And it’s good. It actually is. Okay, the pork is awful. It’s like blubber. But for the most part, it’s been yummy. I know, weird way to …

A Tired Joke – aka, To Tired to Write

After yesterday, I'm exhausted. But I wanted to write everyday. So, here's a joke. Late night humour. Once upon a time there were three tomatoes. A Mama, Papa and a Baby. The Baby tomato lagged behind, which prompted the Papa tomato to turn and approach the Baby tomato. And the Papa tomato said "Catch up," …

Pop the Champagne Cork

I had my event. It was a two-minute long seizure. I talked halfway through. Then when it was over, I was a tad out of sorts. I'm good. Thank you to the awesome nurses who rushed by my side. And to my super strong husband for being by my side. And to Ativan. I want …

When There Are No Words – You Write Anyway

I wish I could express myself, But I just can’t today. I’m not sad. I’m not glad. I’m an in between. Sitting here blue-plaid. Watching an EEG screen. My brainwaves on a television. Instead of me. My voice is off-air. Yet a microphone’s installed above me. I wanted to prove them wrong. I would be a …

Wire, Cables, and the Orthopedic Ward – I Don’t Remember Breaking A Leg

Wire. Cables. Everywhere. At least you’re in the right ward. While I sat in the foyer of Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, I glanced at the television above the reception desk. A 42-inch television. If it was meant to relax patients, it wasn't the best idea to have it on CNN. In all fairness, the captions were …

I’d Rather Be Skating – But Here We Are

Twelve days before Stony Mountain on Ice. My first figure skating competition in 25 years. And here I am. Sitting in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Watching my brainwaves on the screen in front of me. With picture-in-picture, 24/7 video surveillance. Gazing at pigeons out my window. What is Winnipeg feeding them? They’re frickin’ huge! Cemented …

The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit – A Whole New World

“Bring some books and your laptop.” The nurse from the EMU made it sound like a vacation. Starting March 21, 2016 I’ll be spending five to 10 glorious days in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. During my stay, I’ll be hooked up to an EEG and EKG monitor while under 24-hour video surveillance. Complete with a …

The Good Stuff is on the Way – Just Wait for It

Sometimes you don’t know what to write, because the words don’t come to you. They don’t flow freely because your mind is cluttered with other things, and it’s hard to focus. And you’ve tried for the last three hours. Without success. And tomorrow’s another day. With hopefully less clutter. And more focus. Because, as my …

Happy Shiny News and the Watershed Phone Call – Good Luck with That

Phone calls. We usually associate early morning calls with negatives. And midnight calls with dire situations. A call at 9:30 p.m.? It's often, “Do you remember so-and-so?” Think back. When was the last time someone called before sunrise to say, “Hey, I’m chillin’ and drinkin’ a Bud. Thought I’d give you a shout.” If this …