I grew up in a small farming community. Where there are three towns together, side by side. Arcadia Valley, Ironton, & Pilot Knob. I grew up in the town Ironton,MO specifically. At the age of about 1 my parents found out I was having seizures. They knew something was wrong but just didn't know what it was. I went to school, played, rode bikes did everything that other kids did (except ride horses), it was just that my day started a little different. It almost always started with a seizure.
I had seen numerous other doctors, but when I started going to Dr. Lee in Cape Girardeau, MO, things started looking a little better to me. I had seen Dr. Moden in the past up in St. Louis but for some reason I was always scared of him. Dr Moden was huge, way over weight. Here I am a little bitty thing(1st grader or younger average size) going to a doctor that is easily over 200 lbs, now tell me that's not scary.
I must have tried every medicine in the book...Depakote, Depakine, Tegretol(helped but didn't control my seizures), Zoneagrane,Topamax,Carbatrol,Clonazepam, and the list goes on and on and on. When Dr. Lee heard that St. Francious Hospital was getting an MRI, he was sooo excited (this was back in 1995). He called and scheduled a time for me to have an MRI done on my brain. It was small and loud, but what I really remember was Dr. Lee being so excited when I was finished. He had found an abnormality in my brain, that at first look could be the reason for all my seizures. He talked to me about testing and possible surgery. Well talk turned into reality. I went up to St. Louis to Barnes for testing, a lot of it. I got situated with Dr. Miller (Dr. Lee really thought he knew his stuff). He was extremely nice and actually listen to me (unlike Dr. Lee). I could tell he really cared and really knew his stuff. Well we talked, not once or twice but numerous times about what surgery would entail. Ultimately no one person could make my mind up for me. I eventually did agree to it. But not before a lot of prayer. The one thing that sticks out more than anything else is hearing my parents argue while I was suppose to be sleeping. Little did they know I was listen by the railing up stairs. My dad believed that the decision should be left to me. Where as my mom didn't want me to have it done at ALL! No questions about it. Well like I say I had numerous testing done then came the big day. I had to get up super early(lived about 2 hrs away), since I had to be there at 5 am. Yes that is right A.M. not pm. Well we got there got checked in, gown on and all my rad hospital get up. Before I went in to surgery there are two things that I will never forget. First is them (doctors and nurses) putting my halo on screwing it in and being able to feel the blood run down the sides and back of my head. Second, Bro. Ron finding his way down to me when only doctors and nurses are suppose to have access to the elevator he came out of. He talked to me for a while, not to long, he was starting to get some odd looks from the staff.
Surgery lasted longer than anticipated because when Dr. Silbergeld got in there he had to use the MRI scans to find his way around. Surgery took around 12 hrs. I went 3 months without a seizure before they came back and came back worse. My senior year in high school I was an insomniac. I would go for days on end unable to sleep. Then my mom would keep me home just so I could sleep. That was fine with me. Any day I had to miss school was a good day.
Well,I had other problems besides seizures. My mom wanted me to go to college and I didn't want to. She wouldn't let me take riding (horse) lessons but here she is wanting me to go to college. So, I gave in, or she gave in, one of the two. I had more than I could take so finally, I said to her 'I'll go to college if you let me ride horses'. She was frustrated and didn't know what to say. She eventually agreed to let me go to William Woods University in Fulton, MO (at the time they had over 100 horses on campus). My plan was to major in equine science and minor in art. Just because I had started taking riding lessons in July of 1997 and planned going to college in Aug of 1997 didn't matter to me. It ended up that I actually majored in art and minored equine science. My plan was to work in the racehorse industry. I just flip flopped my major and minor to graduate.
Well life happened and after college in 2001, right after the terrorist attack on the twin towers, I went in for another brain surgery. This time I was little more reluctant to have it. I prayed about it and eventually did decide to have it. God pulled me into His will kicking and screaming, I guess up could say.This time it (surgery)didn't last so long, but I didn't come out of it as good. Because of the tissue they took out I woke up unable to read, tell time, know what day it is was, do math and unable to use my whole right side. To bad no one told me so before I tried walking to the bathroom on my own. Oh well I guess a person lives and learns. I was doped up anyway so I really doubt I cared at the time.
I started rehab right away. The one thing I will never forget is getting out of bed. My left side I could manage fine, but my right side took a little more initiative. I had to literally pick up my right side and move it to where I needed it to go. Sounds pretty funny, and it was probably even funnier to watch. Over the next couple months I learned to walk again. I even managed to walk down the aisle at my sisters wedding in December. Everything is back to where it should be, but my math skills have suffered as well as my concentration and comprehension.
I moved around so much it would fill a book. Missouri, Kentucky, back to Missouri over to Cheyenne, WY and back to Missouri. I should be certified as a professional mover I've moved so much. Or maybe a travel agent.I haven't been able to hold down a regular job because I get stressed and stress causes my seizure to act up.
I have this past May (2020) bought a house. A little house only 777 sqft. I have my art studio in one room and am real excited about getting back to my art. I believe God gives everyone a gift. One of mine is my art. I work in many mediums. I don't restrict myself to just one. If I feel like doing something tedious, I do pen and ink. If I feel like not being restricted I have fun doing multimedia. I have done collages of stamps, material or even candy wrappers and painted on top of them. I love Max Scharfs work, I have even practiced by duplicating one of his pieces. I have worked in acrylic, oil, watercolor, linoleum block printing, etc Some of my most current work is in acrylics. I haven't been able to really sit down and paint in years. I look so forward to doing that.
If you are interested in helping me raise funds for my second service dog please visit my gofundme page https://www.gofundme.com/f/qvtder-service-dog to find out more about my story or donate.
Jennifer Pollock joined Pixels.com Licensing on July 31st, 2020.
