Nancy Figueroa Writes

I've got 30 people--all family--coming to my house tomorrow...and I'm ready to go! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and I'm not swearing under my breath, wondering whose stupid idea this was. Something is different this Christmas. The house is spotless, the presents wrapped and the baking waiting to be devoured. My sons have offered to come over early tomorrow to help, but there's nothing for them to do. Wish I could tell you what I've done differently this year, but I haven't got a clue. Please tell me I haven't forgotten something huge!!! Me, and my younger sisters, Lisa on Santa's lap. Four of my five sisters, my favourite brother and their families will all be here to help celebrate another Figueroa Family Christmas. The second youngest in the family, Lisa, lives in the Interior of B.C. and will not be joining us. She did, however, send a huge package of her baking for us to share. Don't tell my siblings, but I've already ...

Parents of children with uncontrolled seizures have many worries. But the biggest worry is: What will happen to my child when I'm dead? I'm so grateful my son has been seizure-free for four years--thanks to epilepsy surgery--and can now live on his own, but not everyone is as lucky. Many adults with uncontrolled seizures live with their aging parents. When my son was seizing 10 to 20 times a day I used to fantasize about a home in Toronto where he and other adults with epilepsy could live together like a family. My husband and I had to face facts, we wouldn't always be here for our son. And, we were only too aware that living alone is not safe for someone who suffers repeated seizures. Just imagine if my son fell in the midst of a seizure and hit his head in the shower, or had a seizure while frying bacon on the stove? Who would help him if he lived alone? Who would either make sure he recovered from the seizure or call 911? And so, I began to envision a lovely, big, old ...