During my language teacher years, in another life, I used this drama technique in class called "freeze" in order to work on my students' listening comprehension as well as to cater to the language learning styles of my kinesthetic learners. I read a text out loud that I had carefully prepared in advance, making sure that it was appropriate for my student's comprehension level, yet it was challenging enough to facilitate improvement in their listening skills. Then I asked my students to act out the text while marching around in a circle. Periodically, I interrupted the narrative by yelling out "FREEZE, an indication to my students that they had to stop and hold the position in which they were at the moment. It was a favorite among high school students and extraverted goofballs of any age. Another popular activity also involved freezing, except during that one, I was freezing the frames of a video, or DVD as we entered the 21st century, and my students had to answer questions or make predictions concerning the movie or the clip we were watching. It was fun for language learning, but to watch a program while constantly pausing it without the ulterior motive of a language teacher, now that would be extremely annoying and utterly unenjoyable. How much more annoying it must be to watch life that way, constantly being put on pause, coming in and out of a trance due to different seizures that make you lose all your muscle tone or compromise your consciousness. And you can't even tackle the culprit and forcibly remove the remote out of their hands. I watched Izzy seize about a thousand times yesterday. I didn't actually count her attacks, I just calculated and averaged them, but considering that at times she had a seizure every 5 to 10 seconds, I rounded way down. The occurrence of a seizure is a tragedy, the occurrence of a million is a statistic, to massively misquote the misquotation. I'm fully aware that a 1000+++ seizures a day fall way out of most people's reality zone and I don't expect them to comprehend it. Jeez, I can't even comprehend it. "Can they give her some medication for her seizures?"- a nice lady asked me sweetly just today. I watch Izzy fight the seizures every day, smiling, playing, vocalizing between them and I wonder how many seizures one can endure, how long can she go on like this before her body gives up and the pauses become a full stop.
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14 comments:
I wish I could make the seizures stop, I know you and others wish the same. Izzy is a fighter! She's strong! She's Izzy, the Invincible! And she is loved very dearly as are you!
Oh Erika, you are right, I am not able to comprehend this but just trying to do so leaves me sad and angry and full of bewilderment of what Izzy has to go through every day. I really really wish something will be found that can help her!! :-(
Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. I have likened Sophie, at times, TO a seizure. As if she is a seizure, embodied. We have had periods of that for nearly seventeen years. Unbelievable. It breaks my heart that you are going through it, and I pray that it will stop soon. The seizures will stop. Until they do, those spaces between them will sustain Izzy; she will learn in those spaces and grow and smile. She will.
How strong we have to be to endure seeing what our children go through. Yet they smile and seem unfazed - while we tear ourselves apart with worry and frustration over the unfairness of their plight. Then their happy little interludes cheer us up and keep our stamina going. Nothing really makes sense - just our enduring love.
Everyone speaks better than I...((((hugs)))) Erika.
Constantly hoping for that respite that you both need and so deserve...It will come.
It's quite unbelievable what is happening.If only I could do something to help you!! Reading your post I felt embracing Izzy and trying to protect her while tears were blurring my eyes. Hope things improve!!
Always thinking of Izzy and you and Phil.
And always, always learn from your insights.
((hugs))
"I wonder how many seizures one can endure, how long can she go on like this before her body gives up and the pauses become a full stop. "
...to infinity and beyond, Erika. But this reminds me of an alcoholic friend who counts the days that he is sober. For an alcoholic each day must be a restart, as if it's the first day sober; just as you can be uplifted by the accomplishment so can you be pulled down by the pressure of maintaining the drink free run.
With seizures, where you have little if any control, the real danger lies in the progression to status epilepticus, which must be recognized and treated immediately. Like your daughter, as long as Izzy in a tizzy resets after, is able to continue conscious activity, you have to as well.
I've come back to this post several times now, wishing I had something useful to offer. All I can do is witness, with sorrow and admiration.
Thank you for sharing.
You are amazing. Praying for you, Phil & sweet Izzy.
It's been a while since this post, how are things? Hoping you are all well, sending my love, Emma
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