Since that time, over 30 years ago I have had my positions “abolished” 8 times and it has in some cases required moving to keep working. I figured that was the best option financially and because I had Health Insurance. During those 30 years I have not had a promotion in spite of the fact that before even becoming a federal employee I had graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and since diagnosis I got my masters and only had one class without an A. The first major was in Forestry related to Recreation Management and my Masters in Silviculture ( The science of growing trees. )

Sure I can not drive, but the majority of the US Forest Service employees these days do office work. This includes a wide variety of work and I can fit into many of those things. During my career I have had the job titles : Forest Technician, Park Technician, Park Ranger, Forester, Soil Scientist, Botanist, Ecologist, Computer Systems Analyst and Computer Programmer.

I have worked in fire suppression in my early years when I could work on the line from a basic Fire Fighter to a Crew Boss to the point where I was on an InterAgency fire team as Supply Unit Leader and qualified for every job under that. During the last 10 years most of my fire time they would ask me to Dispatch and that even included out of the Interagency Fire Center for all of the USA. I have worked on wildfires from Alaska south to within 50 miles of the Mexican border in California and across to Florida and up the east coast to North Carolina.

Rather than judging some one by thier race or sex, I think the same should be true of health. As long as a person can perform the work well I think hiring and promotions should be based on the qualifications to do the job.

When I was continously being picked up by ambulance. They told my mom that they found something abnormal on a special xray. The doctor told my mom that I needed surgery. I started taking dilantin. My EEG was abnormal but she felt that prayer would help and I stopped taking the medication.

When the emergency room staff talked to my mother several times and convinced her to go back to the Neurosurgeon and maybe the medication would help. He tried to convince her that I needed surgery.

While in college my seizures were better, and I wanted to be a police ofcr. I found the job stressful and my seizures increased. While in college, I had a grand mal during class. The college reported to the DMV. I lost my license and had to decline from the police dept.

The Neurologist felt I could work in the medical field. My seizures were getting in the way. I went to a different Neurologist and they did not see the same problem but he felt surgery would be beneficial. I had a left temporal lobectomy and my seizures changed. The doctor felt I should be on a low stress job. I trained as an EEG technician. I loved working w/ patients and listening what they went thru and felt grateful I did not have their problems. I worked 14 years.
My last job was at a University and worked in research in Neurology. I met my husband and we married. Before we were married I had a second surgery to control my seizures. When I was pregnant, I had to go on bedrest and my seizures increased.

When we moved to the East Coast, I had my second child and my seizures were out of control again. An Epileptologist stated to have a VNS, which I did have.

Recently found out via a fine slicing MRI that they found the cause which is called Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia. This occured around the 4th or 5th week of Gestation while my mother was pregnant it was no ones fault. I still have seizures, asthma, and swallowing problems. I am grateful to help others when I can.