May 24 2008
For My Friend, Sherry & Her Daughter, Kate
Last summer, at a small gathering of stampers in Salado, TX, I met Sherry Cheever (a.k.a. BadSherry). A talented stamper? You bet she is! Quick-witted? Absolutely! But she’s also a Mom. It’s the “Mom” side of Sherry that I came to know a little bit better today, and she has given permission to share a special story with you. She tells the story herself on her blog, “Walkin’ on the Bad Side”. Rather than try to re-tell her story, here’s the link to “Kate’s Story“, as told by her mom, Sherry Cheever.
I have copied just the brief definition of the disease known as ‘epilepsy’ from Sherry’s blog, as printed on the brochure for their2008 Walk Around Kentuckiana.
A seizure is a brief, temporary disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain resulting in altered or loss of awareness, shaking, convulsing, confusion or sensory experiences. Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurring seizures, also called a seizure disorder.
More than 3 million people in the United States, including more than 90,000 children and adults in Kentuckiana, live with epilepsy. This year alone, 200,000 will be diagnosed with epilepsy.
For 70% of people with epilepsy the cause is unknown.
Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition among children and the third most common in the United States among adults.
Epilepsy is more common than cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease combined.
There are currently as many seniors with epilepsy who are 60 and over as there are children with epilepsy who are 10 and younger.
Thank you, Sherry, for sharing this heartfelt story. And thanks to my readers for taking the time to read, and to become aware of the magnitude of this disease.
Have a sweet weekend!
5 responses so far
Thanks for telling us the story, Bev!
Thank you for sharing. When I do bills today I will be heading over to BUG BUG WALKERS and making a pledge. I tutored a boy who began having seizures in 6th grade. By 9th grade he couldn’t remembe how to write his name. He is graduating high school this year – on time – and has made a miraculous turn-around. Epilepsy is a scary disease in that you never know when it will strike.
Thanks for sharing the story, I have already went and made my donation!! You are so sweet to do this though!!
Bev,
I had the pleasure of meeting Sherry this past weekend at the Collinsville, IL stamp convention. She was demo’ing for Rubbernecker Stamps. I have been reading Sherry’s blog so it was exciting to meet her in person. She is such a hoot and made me feel like I’ve known her forever. She’s my new best friend! I made a small donation this morning – wish it could have been more. Hopefully, Kate will remain seizure free! Bless you for sharing her story.
I just made the trek over to Sherry’s blog and posted. I, too, suffer from seizures – up to 60 a day in my worst stages. But thankfully God has brought me through that and medications keep them pretty much at bay. Thank you for posting here to help bring more attention. When it comes down to it, the nervous system is really one of the least understood in our bodies.
Have a wonderful day!
Jennifer