Epileptic Dancer  (10)

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking up at the stars"

I'm surprised from the point of, if someone does withdraw from meds, there is no guarantee the same dosage will be effective at controlling future fitting.

Also voyeuristically I can't see where the artistic merit lays, other than for shock value, sadly I hate to think what's next?

Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn! You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into a giant oak! Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay!" —George Bernard Shaw
http://press-photos.net/Good_Causes.html

Edited 23 Nov 09, 6:45 PM by Stallen

You're right, it may be a return to Victorian freak show values, but she is risking her life as well. I'm not sure that I would want to watch even if I knew that she would definitely be okay.

Having said that, her premise of voluntarily submitting to be filmed, rather than people with epilepsy being filmed without permission during seizures, makes me think that she may have a point worth exploring.

Is it worth exploring that point at the risk of her own death, maybe not in my mind, but it obviously is in hers. Ultimately the choice is hers to make, we do own our own bodies and if she is informed about the risks should we have the right to stop her?

As for the 'Art' component, how do we define art? For me, some of the best photo-journalism I have seen has involved the death or injury of others, which is perhaps what makes the images so powerful as art. The power of those images never seems to fade. Thinking about this, will her voluntary act of trying to induce a seizure actually cheapen it?

I suppose I'm trying to be fair here, to see both sides, yet the more I think about it, the less I think she should do it. But the ultimate decision is down to her and her sponsors, the Arts Council

It is an interesting subject to discuss though, in wider terms, of how do we depict disability in ways that don't cheapen it.

Actually, that's not correct at all. Some people who come off epilepsy meds may later have trouble remaining well controlled when they resume medication but most won't have any problems at all. I know because I have epilepsy and I was weaned off a drug by my consultant and stayed off medication for over three years before going back on it and having no seizures at all when I resumed the drug.

I've written a well-received book on living with epilepsy, which I researched thoroughly, including medication issues, and it's had good reviews from the main epilepsy charities in the UK so I do talk with some expertise.

About the show, my personal view is that I think she's really stupid to do this. Epilepsy can kill - and does kill 1000 people a year in the UK. Tinkering with her meds like this and trying to deliberately induce a convulsive seizure is very high risk. I wouldn't pay to watch it, I wouldn't even watch it on TV. I hope she survives this stupid experiment but I really do think she's barking for wanting to attempt it.

Aut disce aut discede. Manet sors tertia caedi

Aut disce aut discede. Manet sors tertia caedi

I don't get it.

I was also trying to think of how it fits (excuse the pun!) into the art grouping too. If she was dancing and then fitted to show how the body can move controlled and then uncontrolled.....then maybe. After all it is her choice and her body.

I'm not sure of the reasoning behind it though. It could be an artistic motive or it could be a way just to make the headlines.

N x

It's physically impossible to control the body during a seizure. There are different types of seizures,some of which you don't lose consciousness while they are taking place but even if you remain conscious during a seizure you cannot control any aspect of what is happening to you. For example, if I have a simple partial I lose the power of speech temporarily - people can see something is wrong but I'm not physically able to tell them. Once, I was asked if I was having a heart attack but I was not even able to shake my head to indicate no, let alone form any words. I occasionally have myoclonic jerks while conscious and I can't control these either. Plus, in the recovery phase after a seizure (which might last hours) you still don't really have full control - how long for depends, of course. The brain can take a fair while to unscramble itself afterwards.

Aut disce aut discede. Manet sors tertia caedi

Hi, I wouldn't doubt your research or your own experiences, my comments were from my own experience after stopping carbamazepine for six months and then resuming, it resulted in carbamazepine being ineffective except for a nasty affect on my liver, I was then switched to sodium valproate which did the trick in controlling my seizures.

I've not had any daytime Tonic clonic seizures since 1998 although a few night time incidents have occurred within the last few years I'm currently non medicated and more importantly stress free which was thought to be one of the main trigger for me.

For me the combination of drugs and the impact injuries sustained over the years has left me feeling in a semi punch drunk fighter state of mind, thankfully none of which is physically evident other than a few minor facial scars.

I'd be interest in the title of your book,as I may have read it at some stage depending on when it was released. I was diagnosed in 89 and read a lot on epilepsy during the early years.

All the best

steve

Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn! You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into a giant oak! Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay!" —George Bernard Shaw
http://press-photos.net/Good_Causes.html

I used suffer minor absences during secondary school, teachers back then were not trained in picking up medical problems, so my report book was riddled comments a bright boy but 'doesn't pay attention in class' maths was the worst for my screwing up 2+2 = I'd do a short mental absence and find a teacher had moved on to something else so i'd be 2+2= a triangle.

Work was slightly better I'd been there a year before being diagnosed, my manager then realised he had no 1st aiders, so guess who he asked? me of course, so off I went along to a course, I informed those running the course of my condition....when the subject of epilepsy came to be covered, one of the other attendees expressed that all epileptics have criminal mindsets I politely raised my hand and excused myself from the room whilst the tutors explained why I'd probably left.

after 5 mins i returned to a hushed silence and an apology from the lady in question, fair play to her I think we both learned a lesson that day.

some of lifes lessons can far out weigh those you learn at school, and I have no idea why I've babbled on....

Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn! You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into a giant oak! Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay!" —George Bernard Shaw
http://press-photos.net/Good_Causes.html

I know all this, I think you misunderstood. I meant the movement of body when it is controlled ie not fitting, then uncontrolled ie fitting. The difference, the comparison.

N x