Interesting FND News

Wednesday began with a 3-hour clinic board meeting. We are facing amazing challenges, not just a battle finding a doctor. We need more space for the clinic and face having to raise a lot of money for expansion. But we are an amazing group. I still feel like a boy in a man’s world, but I will persevere.

After the board meeting, I walked with Her Highness, went to the pharmacy and got medicine for Jay who has Covid and then I came home to be with Bruno a bit, but more work came in emails and by 6:30 I was baked. I made myself a monster salad and a nice big batch of my new favourite recipe for vinaigrette (with puréed shallots) that I love. 

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I joined an FND group on Facebook where I saw a headline about psychogenic seizures and read it. It was very interesting. Here’s the paragraph that sums up the article:

There are just over 3 million Americans with epilepsy who experience seizures due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. A smaller group of people also have seizures not caused by epilepsy – known by many names, including functional seizures, psychogenic seizures, nonepileptic seizures, or even the pejorative term pseudoseizures. Scientists have long understood these as the body’s response to mental stressors, like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. But a new study finds that functional seizures are associated with structural changes in the brain that can be seen using MRI.

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This morning I have a meeting with Nancy to do clinic work, but I expect to have the afternoon to myself. Now that it’s fire season, I love sitting by the fireplace to read. When I settle in with Bruno, all the pets come to join me. I am so deeply fond of them. They are sure to join me today because even Sheba is huddling close to the fire because it’s a very wet morning. It was pouring rain when I got up.

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Another project: I’ve written to the Gabriola Arts Council proposing that I write short pithy articles for their newsletter about professional practice issues for visual artists. I sent one to them yesterday and I’m hoping they like the idea.

All this work, for the clinic, STAMMA, the monologue festival and now, the arts council, is making me feel like the old Chris is back.