New Epileptics 4 Christ Blog

Besides me being an Epileptic, I am also a Christian. That is why I have launched my Epileptics 4 Christ blog.  This is an outreach to people with epilepsy to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. On my new blog you will find my personal testimony.

   My relationship with Christ is a testimony to those who don't know the grace and love of a living God. I just want to share what Jesus has done in my life, as well as showing my knowledge of His word.

   I also would like to share the testimonies  of others who have epilepsy and other brain disorders who were touched by Jesus. So if you have a story please email it to me and I will share it on my new blog.
  brotherjohnspeaks@gmail.com 

    I will also be launching an new series on my YouTube channel soon in 2013 sharing my faith.

  There are a lot of new things the Lord has for me and I will keep you updated on the blog what I am up to. As far as this blog I will continue bringing you posts about epilepsy, product reviews, and epilepsy safety.

Epileptics 4 Christ

Hello it's brother John once again with another post. I just wanted to share something with my readers. Some of you who actually know me know that I am a Christian. Well anyways I had a vision from God to start group to outreach to Christians who have epilepsy both online and off. For fellow ship and prayer and also to outreach to those who don't know Christ. I also wan't to start a publication news letter from people who have epilepsy to others who have epilepsy to help give comfort to those suffering from the disease as well as sharing the gospel. Besides having epilepsy I am a very strong believer in the Gospel of Christ. My Lord and Savior Jesus is the only reason that I'm here today. With the form of epilepsy I have I'm not even supposed to be here, believe it or not I should be dead. That is why God has called me to write this blog, and to start this outreach.

  If anybody is interested in helping with this outreach please e-mail me brotherjohnspeaks@gmail.com please use the subject Epileptics 4 Christ

Electric Brain Shock

Well it's been about three months now since my VNS surgery. I have had three  adjustments to my implant for the stimulation. With each time I go the electric stimulation seems more and more intense. I am really hoping that they get the dose to where it needs to be soon. I was just in the ER for seizures this last weekend and today I had to go back for another adjustment. This time the stimulation was so strong it literally floored me. Later on I had to use the magnet to stop a seizure and it felt like my brain was being completely electrocuted and cooked inside my head.  I almost wanted to cry it was that bad. I have felt tired and dizzy all day. Now the maximum level of stimulation is about 5 and I'm not even there yet. I'm only at about 2.5 and it's almost unbearable now. Now because the seizure activity I am wearing the helmet again.

Living Day to Day with Epilepsy

Living with epilepsy has been quite a challenge for me simply because every day is never the same. I never know if I'm gonna have a good day or a bad day, or if I'm gonna have 1 seizure or 20 seizures in a day. I have days when I feel great and other days when I feel crappy, every day is different. 

  There are several things I deal with on a daily basis. I have a VNS implant that sends an electrical current to my brain every five minutes. My sleeping patterns are all messed up so sometimes I get up on time or sometimes I sleep all day. A lot of times I have seizures during sleep, so when I get up in the morning I feel dizzy and disoriented. Because I have had so much seizure activity for so many years, my nerves are all messed up and I have urinary incontinence. Every day I have to wear adult diapers, I have to change them about  once every 
2-3 hours a day.

    I really enjoy the good days. On good days I clean house, do a little reading from my Bible, and take a long walk with my dog.
   
Epilepsy is a struggle, but I just try to take everything one day at a time.

      

Product Review: Nu-Fit by First Quality (Adult Briefs)

This week I am reviewing another product in the category of incontinence. The product I am reviewing is Nu-Fit Adult Briefs by First Quality. The way I acquired this product is from my local Goodwill Store. This is a great way to get incontinence products for very cheap if you don't have the money to purchase them from major retailers, but these products go are not always available every day.

    I would like to say that after trying this product that the comfort of this brief is great. I have used other products and after trying this one I may change to this one. This brief doesn't fall down like most briefs I have tried, I stays securely in place for hours. The clothe like feel makes it as comfortable as wearing underwear and not a diaper.
On a scale of 1-10 I give it an 8, it's Tena is still my favorite product, but if Tena wasn't an option I would go with this brief. 

 For Moderate to Heavy Incontinence Protection The NU-FIT Diaper features: Cloth-like back sheet Breathable zones for air circulation Easy Lock Fastener (ELF) tabs grip without being sticky

      

   

The Scars Left Behind

Scar on my chest from VNS surgery

One thing a person must consider when getting any kind of surgery for epilepsy is scars weather it be brain surgery or VNS. Once you've had a procedure   

Neck scar after VNS surgery

done your stuck with not only the physical scars but also the scars of the outcome results. I will tell you that in my opinion there is no cure for epilepsy or any other seizure disorder. These types of procedures just makes it easier for people with seizures to make it through life. I had the VNS implant  surgery just this year, and my experience has been that I have less seizures, but I do feel burned out and tiered from the stimulation. So even though my seizures are less frequent I still have to deal with a few seizures still and fatigue from the stimulation of the VNS. So sometimes I wounder if this was worth the physical scars left behind on my chest and neck. I've only had this device  for about a mounth or two so only time will tell.      

Gaming and Seizures

One thing that I have found out during my time being and epileptic is that playing video games during a long period of  time can cause seizures. The flashing lights and bright colors can cause over stimulation in the brain causing a seizure.There are however  ways to prevent seizures during game play, one thing I have found is things to do during game play to prevent seizure activity is to limit your game play time. Don't play any games with flashing or  bright lights. One other thing I have heard is that wearing sunglasses are a good idea during game play. Not everyone has this problem with seizures during gaming. So my  advice to you is be very careful if you have epilepsy and play video games. If you do have seizures don't play games by yourself. Always have someone around just in case of an emergency.

Even if you have epilepsy.

I have had epilepsy all my life, ever since birth, and ever since then even though I have struggled, I have never let anyone tell me that I can't do what my heart desires. That is the topic of this article, that even if you have epilepsy you can still do it. There are many things I have accomplished in my life that I would like to share with you. I am 37 years old, I am a husband, and a father. I am well respected by my family, friends and others who know me. Things I am very good at are writing, blogging, and short film making on YouTube. I also have Pastors certificate and License to Preach after taking an online course a few years ago.

  Well I'm not trying to gloat about myself, just trying to show that just because you have a disability it doesn't mean you can't do anything with your life. Plus I know that there are other, that think epileptics are helpless, wich is far from the truth. I had a friend in High School who had seizures really bad, she was in a wheel chair, and even though she had the option to stay home because she was so bad, she came to School every day and even graduated with honors. Unfortunately about a year or two later she passed away, but she never let her condition control her life. 

   Just to end this article I just want to say that I hope this has encouraged those who have epilepsy, and I also hope this has opened the eyes of those who may think that epileptics, and others with disabilities are helpless because we are not. It may take us more time to accomplish tasks, but overall we can still do it.

Product Review: Cloth Incontinence Brief

Here we go again with another product review in the category of incontinence. Today I will be reviewing Cloth Incontinence Brief from idiaper.com now this product is rather unique because it is a re-washable re-usable brief wich saves you money and it's perfect for those who want to go green. This product also has better comfort than a traditional brief. Finally it is also great for a cover up for the traditional brief to hold brief in place from sliding down.

Product Features: Super fitted adult briefs are made with two ply 50/50 poly/cotton Twill. They feature an extra absorbent double-ply soaker which provides further absorbency. The outside of the brief is entirely covered with a vinyl-knit barrier for increased durability and fluid containment. Elastic at the waistband and leg openings provide a more secure fit and added protection against leaking. Multiple stainless steel snaps permit adjustment to a wide range of waist/hip sizes. Each size features a different color barrier for easy identification and is machine washable. Product will shrink some after washing. Latex Free 

There are also similar products for any type of incontinence from light, moderate and heavy. Go Here All are different styles as well, and different from the one pictured in this post.

If you have a medical product you would like me to review please let me know in the description below.

If you would like to donate a medical product. Please send it to me and I will mention your business and website in the review. It can be anything from roller walkers, shower chairs, bed safety rails, bed rail pads, terry cloth bibs, special dining utensils and of course incontinence supplies.

I am a epileptic so I'm sure I will have use for them to apply these to life with people who have epilepsy.

Please send items to:
Brother John Speaks
1950 S. 13th 
Lot # 118
Niles, MI 49120

Note: If you send these items you will not receive these back.
They are donated for product reviews for this blog. 

Earning a living from home.

Hello once again, today I want to talk about working from home. During this period in my life I have decided to work out of my home bring my audience helpful content here on my blog. Ever since my surgery I have found it very hard to stay active and awake at times. I want to maybe someday go back to work at McDonald's but at this moment it seems impossible with me always feeling dizzy     
and disoriented. I have started an online T-Shirt shop that features Christian shirts and also shirts that promote epilepsy awareness.
Please Go Here to see all my shirts I have available.  I have many designs to chose from besides the one you see above. As you can see I have many design options, not just for shirts though. I have sweat shirts woman's shits buttons and hats for some designs. This is what I do for a living now. So this is how I keep myself online, pay my hospital bills, and take care of my family. I'm not the type of person who asks for donations, so that is why I chose to have the T-Shirt business. I will now give you a list of all the designs I have available in my store

1. Wear Purple

2. Prayer

3. Subscribe to Jesus

4. Missing Fruit

5. spaceforjesus.com

6.Free Hugs

7. John 3:16 (XBOX)

Please check these out, and if you don't like anything you see here, please share it with someone that you think may enjoy these shirts.



  

Product Review: Tena Protective Underwear

Here is another review of another product that I stand by 100%.
Tena Protective Underwear is a great incontinent product, and this is another product that I myself use on a regular basis. This is a great product to used when going out in public. The reason I use this product is because after wearing a brief when going out can be uncomfortable after several hours. It is also a very hard thing to do if you need a change during your time out. When changing the underwear all you have to do is tear the seams and slip another one on quickly.

Product Features: 
• PATENTED BODY-CLOSE FIT TECHNOLOGY uses more elastic threads than previous TENA Protective Underwear throughout the pant for greater discretion and worry free security. 
• INSTADRI SKIN-CARING SYSTEM™ improves surface dryness, promoting healthier skin. 
• SOFT, CLOTH-LIKE MATERIAL feels as comfortable as underwear. 
• HEAVY PROTECTION UNDERWEAR with Superabsorbent microbeads for advanced leakage protection where it’s needed most. 
• ADVANCED LEAKAGE PROTECTION with premium absorbent core promotes dryness. • STANDING GATHERS for effective leakage protection provide wearer security and comfort. 
• GENTLE WAIST ELASTIC allows pants to pull on and off just like underwear. No buttons or belts. 
• TEAR AWAY SIDES for easy, convenient removal. 
• LEG CUFFS ensure a comfortable, body-close fit. UPGRADE: New Body-Close Fit™ design moves with the body for more comfort and greater wearer dignity. 
• Latex free 

    

Bedroom Safety For Epileptics

One thing that is a big concern for epileptics is bedroom safety, simply because a numerous amount of injuries can be caused if someone has a seizure in bed. There are things to do to prevent such injuries.  One thing you can do is by bed rails that attach to your existing be frame to prevent falls. A fall from bed could result in you hitting your head leading to a seizure. Another great idea is to buy padding for the rails to prevent you from injuring yourself if you have a seizure in bed. If you have ever had to go to the ER for seizures you know about the safety measures that are taken to ensure that you don't hurt yourself during a seizure. These same bed rails pads can be purchased online. For very reasonable prices. Another great thing to have if you don't want to go the rout of buying bed rails and padding is bed fall mats.
These are great protection for if you fall out of bed to ensure that you don't hit your head on the floor. One thing I have found interesting is that there are mats that have fall alarms to alert anyone care for you in the home that you have fallen.

   The main reason for this article is that I know first hand about injuries in bed. Injuries that I've had bruised arms and legs, banged head, neck pain,  
and back pain. So I hope this article has been helpful. So if you or anyone you know has epilepsy, please share this article with them to help stop bedroom injuries during seizures in bed.


     

Product Review: Tena Ultra Briefs

Once again it's time for another product review, in the category of incontinent products. This product that I'm about to review is my personal favorite, simply because it's the product I have used ever since becoming incontinent myself. This product has the features of being both absorbent and comfortable. 

Features include:  A cloth-like outer cover that is extra soft, providing greater comfort and discretion, allowing wearers to go about their normal daily routine. For moderate to heavy bladder control protection. Velcro-like Hook Tab Fasteners attach anywhere on the brief Better fitting options Easier, faster application for caregivers Hook Tab Fasteners offer UNLIMITED refastenability- and don't stick to unwanted surfaces InstaDri Skin-Caring System to help fluid almost instantly enter the dual core, to help promote skin dryness. OdaSorb Plus helps to minimize the growth of odor causing bacteria.
  
Overall I highly recommend this product it's great for overnight wear. I have tried many other great product and I will agree that this product is worth the money. 

The best places to buy these products for a great price is:

wayfair.com 

Magic Medical

        

(VNS) A Long Recovery

Recovering from my VNS procedure has been a lone and hard road. At first when the device was turned on it didn't bother me that much. The stimulation was at a minimum level that I could tolerate.

  Unfortunately I was still having a lot of seizures. So when I went back to see the doctor recently, he had to up the dose of stimulation. 

I have recently been suffering from dizziness, disorientation, feeling lightheaded, shortness of breath, hoarseness of voice, and more seizures.

  I'm not saying just yet that the VNS is not effective. I'm just saying that there is a long time to recover from the surgery, and all the adjustments from the device. I am very sure that everything will work out in the end.
   I am just writing this article so epileptics who want this procedure will know what to expect. So far there has been a lot of pain with the healing, and a lot of dizziness with the adjustments of the VNS device.