The National Walk for Epilepsy is next week , and it’s a chance for me to walk with other people, other families, that have been effected by seizures. I am lucky that my seizures can be controlled by medication, but not everyone is so lucky.

There is more research to be done, and more education needs to be done.

• It’s important to understand that some kids have to live with seizures, but they still need to, and CAN go to school.
• It’s important to teach first responders how to react to a seizure.
• It’s important to be sure that health insurance covers seizure medication.
• Medication can be made more predictable, effective and less toxic.
• And the medical community still needs to learn more about why seizures happen and what damage they do to our brains and our bodies.

So, my husband and I will be walking bright and early on a Saturday morning in March, on the National Mall.

I know that children and animals are much more compelling causes than your friend DC Grrl who seems just fine; So, here are some stories about kids and animals. These are the families we’re really walking for:

Andrew, in Fairfax: “Dog that helps epileptic boy will get 2-week tryout at school”

And a great book BY Evan, who wrote this book to help fund his own seizure dog, which I now have in my library. It is AWESOME:
My Seizure Dog

Coming soon: the Concert for Epilepsy this fall, so be on the lookout for more information about that. This guy, possibly the most excellent brother in the world, has been working tirelessly on this project for years, in honor of his little sister who has epilepsy, and this year’s concert should be an amazing event!

Interested in learning more? Here are some places to get some information: Epilepsy Foundation and TalkAboutIt

A friend recently lost their fish, a 4-year old beta, and as she struggles to break the news to her kids, I’m reminded of exactly why pets are good.

I have loved — and lost — a number of pets in my life, and although each one wasn’t a life’s companion, they taught me something as they came and went through our family story.

Nothing is free. My parents always spoke first about who was going to clean up after whatever pet we begged them for. Whether it was a fish, a hamster, a cat or dog, we quickly learned that pets equal chores. We never spent a lot of money on our pets, but it was clear that time would be spent taking care of the pets, and our allowance often counted on that.

We are needed. With fish, it was painfully clear that if we didn’t do our cleaning the bowl/feeding chores, the fish died. Of course my parents didn’t let that happen with our cats, but the message had been delivered.

Life is dirty, and sometimes painful. There are litter boxes and hairballs to deal with. Sometimes there is surgery. Sometimes there is a fight. We help the ones we love recuperate.

Death happens. This is probably the most important lesson. When a pet dies, this is tragic. As a young person who has helped a loved pet grow and survive turmoil, it is particularly tragic. We do not expect to lose anyone around us. But learning how to say goodbye is very useful. Grief will be necessary. Learning how to cry is important.

It breaks my heart when I hear people tell my friend to just replace the fish they’ve just lost, that ‘the kids won’t be able to tell the difference.’ First, I think they will be able to tell, and second, I think that a valuable opportunity could be lost. It is so much easier to learn how to grieve first about a fish, then it is about a cat, or a dog, then a grandmother or grandfather.

Pets are important family members for all of these reasons, besides the fact that many furry pets also will be able to tell when you’ve lost someone and need someone warm to sit in your lap.

I’m thankful for all the pets that have come and gone through my life, especially the cats I have right now, Eddie and Nacho (pictured). I recommend everyone who has the space and resources to add a pet in their life check out Petfinder.com and consider adopting a pet.

This reminds me of how I try to pack more and more events into the limited time I seem to have in my day, or how I try to fit into those clothes from college… and how, when I somehow succeed at these painfully futile tasks, what do I do next? I start the process over again.

But at least I’m cute. Enjoy a laugh at the cute one’s expense.