Epilepsy medication side effects - hair loss and weight gain

And good morning to you Santosha! I appreciate your comments about a seizure dog. I have read about this and since I am a huge animal lover did consider; however I gave 2 older cats who would make it impossible at this time (also in small apt with limits on pets).
Such a lovely translation of the story of Ubuntu. This brought tears to my eyes as I remember the precious children in Ethiopia I was blessed to spend time with in my life. I still dream of the times I was blessed to spend with them - how they shared all they had, and were so loving. How different we are in this country. So thank you for sharing. It truly touched my heart!

@santosha

@baa expressed my sentiments about the story.
Although it would be difficult for me not joining the children for the race to the sweets and harder still joining hands.
But everyone needs sweets and I suppose I could forgo one time for the children.
One day when I nearly bought out the store of candy this little kid kept asking his mom for some candy and she refused. I wanted to call child protective services right then. But after she left and the little boy followed sadly looking back at all my candy I snuck him some. I said, don’t let mom catch you eating it he said I won’t, I have a good hiding place. It made us both happy.
It was indeed a touching story.
You should share it elsewhere on Connect so more people can enjoy it. Not sure where, maybe
“Just Want to Talk”
Thanks for sharing,
Jake

Hi @baa and @jakedduck1

My pleasure to share this story with this group 🙂 🙂 🙂

@baa, your experience in Ethiopia must have been an amazing experience, so amazing that it must the difficult to express all the feelings you still have on a piece of paper. I do hope that our world gets more Ubuntu in 2023. I got very interested in knowing more about this experience you had in your life. Perhaps we could exchange some private messages?
I do very much understand you, having a Golden Retriever (indicated race for seizure dogs) in a small space is complicated. I also do not have one yet because of the same reason.
@jakedduck1, nice story. Getting a child or another person a smile gives us a big smile! Thank you for your suggestion, I will share it “Just Want to Talk”.
A lovely evening!
Santosha

Yes, my times in Ethiopia truly changed my life. People said I would have a difficult time adjusting there but it was always coming back to this country I had trouble adjusting to. We have so much here and don’t like to share. The Ethiopians had little but graciously offered everything to a stranger. Such beautiful people. And the country, out in the mountains and countryside, such beauty. Sleeping on the ground and seeing those stars, I was overtaken with the beauty. Oh, don’t get me started. My last visit was in 2015 and I still dream of it. And I did see the hardship, the struggles, but life there is real. Not so much where I live. I am old - “technologically impaired” so not sure how to send message to just one person!

Good Morning @baac This is very beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing these nice experiences.
Do you enjoy reading? If so, I recommend the two books of Dr. Edith Eger: Choice and The Gift.
I wish you all a very nice weekend!
Santosha

And safe and blessed weekend to you also! Thank you for the reading recommendations. I will look for these books!

@baa
It always makes me sad that there are so many people who have epilepsy in Africa who can’t afford any medical or pharmaceutical treatment, especially the children. The children get to me. My motivation to donate platelets every two weeks is for the children who have cancer. I think it’s amazing how a few platelets can make the children feel so much better.
Have you been to other countries in Africa?
Jake

Jake, Good Morning (@jakedduck1)
Have you heard of Médecins sans Frontières? They do an amazing humanitarian work in Africa!
https://www.msf.org/who-we-are
Santosha

@santosha
I haven't. Thank you for the link.
All help is appreciated of course. Does this organization also cover the expensive long-term use of medications?
Stigma, discrimination and expulsion I imagine still exist. One reason because society still widely believe evil spirits cause it. Unfortunately, that belief is more common than one would think here in the United States, often perpetrated by religious institutions.
Thanks again,
Jake

A very wise Ethiopian said to me (after visiting the US for the first time) “you all are so covered up in Things you wouldn’t know the devil if he sat down on the front row of church next to you on Sunday morning dressed in fine clothes”. In his country, they aren’t covered up in clothes, cars, houses, movies, on and on, many distractions. In his country, it’s life and death. Nothing to hide behind. Just good and evil.