H1N1 (swine flu) and epilepsy

abc news posted an article today warning, no, claiming, that seizures are a possible symptom of swine flu. i contend that this is a bunch of hooey and this is why:

abc bases its claim on data that four kids in texas have reported seizures, where before they did not have seizures.

according to the cdc, 5151 texans have been infected with H1N1, which means approx 2500 kids, which means about 3 of them should have epilepsy. And statistically, one of there conditions started for unknown reasons, and another of there conditions was induced by a head wound, which in many cases is mistaken as for-unknown-reasons (like me, for nearly a decade, and they still aren't sure). The other one was born with epilepsy (rule that out) or came down with a related desease, or experienced a few other random possibilities.

The fact is, about 3 out of 2500 kids who go to the hospital and are watched closey are actually discovered to HAVE epilepsy, and didn't even know it. I was one of them. I thought i was having muscle spasms. Others with temporal lobe seizures stare into space and are thought to be day-dreamers.

four out of 2500 in dallas is no stretch. especially considering that there have been no reports elseware.

on the bright side, this might raise epilepsy awareness!

-p

i took some pictures

I took some pictures!

Here's my chili peppers. There's four plants. I didn't expect them to get so big. That's why it looks like there's one giant plant.













And here's one that's turning red. Yay!

There's my tomato plant, teetering on the brink of death.



Also, a self-portrait amongst eight-foot tall grass, ankle deep in a swamp.








And here's my new desktop background. Classy, no?

talking to myself on the internet

well, it's been a while, but i'm back. don't have a lot to say, though. a few updates are in order. my hot peppers have gone completely ape-shit. ive got 4 plants and there are two or three dozen fruits already turning red. did not expect that. good bargain for three bucks. maybe ill take a picture someday. my tomato plant turned yellow and has one measley tomato struggling for survival.

-p

stinky cheese

sometimes stinky cheese is expensive

sometimes youre supposed to throw it away



see you monday. im leaving town

well, thats enough bullshit for today

today, a handful of doctors met in a room to hammer out the details about my surgery. next week, im going to get a phone call. hopefully ill get good news about my surgery.

i moved my tomato to a bigger pot. i need to take pictures, but i havent really had the chance to get new batteries for my camera. the peppers are doing okay. some of them got sunburnt so i had to move them out of the direct sun.

medicaid won't pay for speech pathology. $200. >:-(

michael jackson is dead. on the first day, suddenly the whole media swithed their usual perspective of him and decided that they abosuletey love him, and all that matters is his musical legacy. Then, the next day, the same people in the media, were all saying they were "surprised" that he was being remembered this way. as if the public, people, had changed their opinions. the only people remembering any differently are the talking heads. fucking media. can't remember what they said yesterday.

well, thats enough bullshit for today

-p