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From: Donna.Siren@p19.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Donna Siren)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: hidden disabilities
Message-ID: <18964@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 23 Apr 91 22:23:17 GMT
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 CR> I would like to know if there is anyone on this echo who has a hidden
 CR> disability and would like to exchange views/experiences.

Hi, Carl.  Aside from my blindness which is very obvious, I have
petit mal epilepsy.  My seizures are very mild--I don't fall, in
fact I've had a few in the shower and nothing happened.  Luckily, I
have warnings and when I have the seizure, I just moan and if I'm
spoken to, could say a few words that don't make much sense.  When
I come out of the seizure, I'm confused for a minute or two,
depending on how bad the seizure is.  All my friends know about it,
so if I have a seizure in front of them, it's no big deal, but my
big fear is that it will happen in front of someone who doesn't
know and won't know what's wrong.  If I had an average of two
seizures a year, this wouldn't bother me so much, but if I go two
weeks without having one, that's good.  The doctor doesn't think
that it's safe for me to take busses or walk places alone, because
I could have a seizure and step out into the street and in front of
a car, so I go places in cabs and I've told a lot of the drivers
about the seizures and that they don't need to do anything for me,
to just continue driving.  Well, this message is getting rather
long, so I'll say good-by for now.
	       Donna

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