MEMORIES OF A STUDENT

      Some kids we remember well and some kids it's hard to remember them at all. 

     One kid who's memory quite often pops into my head is Norm.

     Norm had severe epilepsy. He had grand mal seizures at any time. His seizures knocked him out and he was so exhausted that he did very little for the remainder of the day. Sometimes his parents came to school and took him home. Kids who had gone through elementary school with Norm were used to Norm and his seizures. They sat or stood quietly with him until the seizure was over. They seemed to know exactly what to do. The teacher could carry on with the class. I had other students with epilepsy and fellow students supported them as well. It's embarrassing for a teenager to have a seizure. The kids handled it well. They didn't make an issue of it. 

    Norm went to high school and did well. 

   Norm was not able to get a driver's license. We had a few talks about the driver's license. 

   At the back of Norm's epilepsy was brain surgery that might stop the  seizures. Some how the surgery couldn't be done until he was 18. I'm not sure if this was a medical rule or the parents did not want to decide on  the surgery without Norm's consent. What I know is that Norm looked forward in anticipation of the surgery. 

   When Norm turned 18 he got the surgery as soon as possible. The seizures were under control and Norm got his driver's license. 

   Norm went on to get his B.Ed and became a counsellor. 

   He is now in a doctorate program. 

   So other than a head with many surgical scars, life is good. Norm has been a leader in his field. 

   Since I had juvenile epilepsy , I had some knowledge and understanding of seizures. I certainly had sympathy for any of my students who had epilepsy. 

    I had juvenile epilepsy which ceased when I went through puberty and some forms of epilepsy do not cease.