This category contains stories about Karl and his sister’s medical issues.
by Karl’s Mom If you have a dog with epilepsy you already know that the seizure itself is not always the hardest part. The hardest part is learning to read your dog. That takes time and it takes paying attention, and even then you will not always get it right. But when you do, […]
How We Recognize Karl’s Pre-Seizure Symptoms Read More »
Howdy everybody. It’s me, Karl. Master of the sea, land, and sky. Today we are talking about Green Turtle Cay. It was the day after Turkey Day. Well. We had chicken. So it was the day after Chicken Day, which I have decided is a real holiday now, and Captain Dad said we needed to
I Am Not a Backseat Shepherd Read More »
My name doesn’t matter much in this story. Karl calls me Dad, and that pretty much covers it. I want to tell you about my mornings, because I think it will help you understand who this guy is. Somewhere between two and three in the morning, I will feel it. A cold, wet
Nose. Toes. You Up? Read More »
Hi. I am Karl’s mom. He lets me borrow his page sometimes. I want to tell you about my boy. Karl is seven years old. He has severe epilepsy and has had grand mal seizures since he was two. In those five years we have tried medications, adjusted doses, monitored, worried, and spent
He Wakes up Wagging Every Single Time Read More »
I am a brave boy, but I am also very sensitive. I stay close to my people because I care about them, and I always know what they are feeling. When they are sick, sad, or happy, I feel it too. Sometimes I even pick up on things before they do. I have always been
Ears Too Big for My Own Good Read More »
The Quiet Signs In the days leading up to Karl’s first cluster attack, things felt slightly off in ways I couldn’t fully explain. Even then, I knew something wasn’t right. I told his dad more than once that Karl seemed different, but I struggled to put my finger on why. It was a quiet, uneasy
Through the Storm and Back Home: Karl’s Story Read More »
It was about five months after Karl’s first seizures. He had not had a single one since those initial two, and the medicine had been working perfectly. I had allowed myself to believe we were past it. But in the middle of the night it happened again, just like before. A grand mal seizure, violent
The second seizure came almost exactly twenty-four hours after the first one. We hadn’t slept well that night. Even though I had tried to convince myself the first seizure might have been a one-time event, caused by something benign like fever or stress, my mind wouldn’t settle. I kept replaying the night before, reminding myself
Karl’s Second Seizure Read More »
It all started one night in December around 1 a.m. I woke up to a loud sound. Karl was thrashing against the wall, and I knew what was happening. As I pulled him away, he began foaming at the mouth and gasping for air. What followed was a journey I could never have anticipated.
Two Minutes That Changed Everything Read More »
Hi, I am Karl’s mom. I want to tell you about the Loopies, otherwise known as Discoid Lupus. When people meet Karl and his sister, they are often very impressed by them. Both are quite attractive, and Karl is well-behaved. Sister doesn’t spend much time in public because she is rather vocal (AKA she has
Two Shepherds and a Crime Scene Read More »
