What happened to Roberts happens to me

[AngryAmish]

From everything I heard on the internets, it sounds that CJ Roberts gets what happens to me.

Every few years I have a seizure. I lose consciousness, sometimes lose control of my bladder, fall down, foam at mouth etc. A minute to several minutes later I wake up. I feel hung over for about twelve hours later but then I feel right as rain.

The doctors and I have no idea what causes the seizures. CT scan negative, EEG negative, all the tests negative. I took anti-convulsants for a while but stopped them because they clouded my mind.

I have never been formally diagnosed with epilepsy (I so don't want that in my records for insurance reasons. Also, one should not drive if one has epilepsy and I have a family to feed.) In fact I have stopped going to the doctor/hospital when it happens. I had a seizure a little more than a week ago and was working the next day.

If this is anything like I get, the guy will be fine.

[bmbmd]

1. People with seizure disorders generally function at a high level.

This isn't about the seizure-it's about the lying during his confirmation process.

[MADem]

3. He didn't LIE, though.

I watched his confirmation hearing. No one ASKED about his health. Not one single Senator.

There was an article in NEWSWEEK that mentioned his seizeures a MONTH PRIOR to his confirmation. Every written scrap about that guy was gone over by the White House with a fine-toothed comb. AND his fellow judges gave INTERVIEWS about his golf course seizure before he was confirmed--so he was hardly keeping it a SECRET. He simply didn't consider it an impediment to his job--and it wasn't. He's not flying a 747, after all.

That "He lied" dog just won't hunt. Having seizures is NOT a "medically disqualifying" condition--unless this is the Sixth Century and you happen to think he's possessed by the Devil.

A person can have the occasional seizure and be in EXCELLENT health--the seizures have no lasting effect. As anyone who has had them can tell you.

The Americans With Disabilities Act is in play here, too, if ya wanna get down in the mud over this. I'd hardly think it would be proper for America to deny this guy a job sitting on his ass listening to arguments and making judgments about them because he foams at the mouth every ten or twelve years. We should have denied him the job because he's a rightwing asshole--but for seizures? Come on. This doesn't affect his mental capacity--would you deny him the job if he were in a wheelchair, or was blind?

I'm astounded at the number of times I have seen that argument on this 'progressive' board. Having worked with a number of disabled civilians when I was on active duty, I'll freely admit that I was initially uncomfortable because I didn't know what to expect (from the deaf guy, the blind guy, the lady in the wheelchair, and so forth) but that was MY problem, not theirs. I came up during a time when people with medical challenges weren't seen or heard...but I adjusted. As I should have.

I don't like the guy either, but the "He Lied" argument is just a nonstarter. Grasping at straws.

[blondeatlast]

4. No fan of Roberts for certain but I'm not sure he could have been asked about it.

I, too, am shocked at some of the reaction to this on DU. Alas, I've learned that as a group, in many ways, we are so opposite the radical right we often mirror them. Sigh...

[MADem]

11. Arlen Specter, who was Judiciary Chair at the time, said they knew about it.

And "they" would include Pat Leahy and the rest of the crew--he said they didn't find it 'serious' enough to ask about. Which is about right--it happened in 93.

The Senate Committees can ask about anything, really (doesn't mean they SHOULD, but they CAN). We've seen some snarky questioning at other hearings (Darrell Issa on the House side is a beaut, what an asshole!!) but Senate Judiciary generally does try to stick to the high road.

[depakid]

6. "The Americans With Disabilities Act"

is something that Roberts, et al. might strike down in a heartbeat.

With or without valid legal reasoning.

Even so, you're right- his health, and this "issue" in particular is a non-starter. Whether he has a conscience or not- or whether he an ounce of integrity, I guess that remains to be seen.

[MADem]

12. He might, but then, he might not, given this latest dust-up.

Funny how the right-to-lifer who develops a terminal condition that stem cell therapy might cure suddenly finds 'room in his heart' for the procedure, using the 'gift from God' excuse.

See, where you stand depends on where you sit!! And he sits in a place where ADA can help him! All politics is local...and SELFISH, too!!!

I see no problem with people saying that Roberts is an asshole, but I don't think trying to get him out of his job with this foolish charade (that Sen. Specter confirmed the committee KNEW about, anyway) is just lame, desperate, and beneath this progressive forum. IMO.

[bmbmd]

7. Lies of comission

and lies of omission. Failing to mention a potentially catastrophic medical event is, in my opinion-a lie of omission. Hell, you can't even apply for a job at the neighborhood convenience store without answering a few health-related questions. You think the highest judicial office in the land doesn't require a health history?

[MADem]

13. But you're wrong. He mentioned them. The Judiciary Committee KNEW.

See post ten.

Let it GO.

[spotbird]

9. We don't know what went

on in closed session. It seems like the type issue that they wouldn't discuss in open hearing. Maybe Roberts admitted it, who knows?

If he lied, this one doesn't bother me. There is so much else that goes to substance that he lied about that they should pursue, but won't.

[MADem]

10. Oh please. It was in NEWSWEEK. A month before his confirmation. Hardly a state secret.

Closed session? What closed session? There was no classified material discussed with this Supreme Court Justice nominee.

How about on your NEWSSTAND a month before he was confirmed--never mind sessions, closed or open. And most if not all Senators have subscriptions to NEWSWEEK,TIME and US NEWS. Judiciary staff would have brought it to their attention.

That dog just will not hunt.

Roberts is an asshole, but trying to hang anything on a medical condition that doesn't affect his day-to-day life or health is fucking insane.

Should someone who runs marathons, who, say, fainted fifteen years ago, be excoriated for not mentioning it, when the doctors told them it was a one-off?

The insistence that someone make something of this is all about the dislike of Roberts, not the actual "offense." Because there WAS no "offense."

If this were Ruth Bader Ginsberg we were talking about, you wouldn't see this "Give me the head on the plate" attitude.

Last but not least, the committee KNEW ABOUT it-- http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/07/31/chief_justice_roberts_suffers_seizure/

There is no record of any discussion of the 1993 seizure or of Roberts's health in general during his confirmation hearings. Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, who chaired the hearings, told CNN last night that senators were told about the episode but did not find it serious enough to ask about.

[Bake]

16. I happen to think Roberts IS possessed by the devil ...

But not because of the seizure ... because of his jurisprudence.

:rofl:

Bake

[MADem]

19. Can't argue with that assertion!!!!

:hi:

[madrchsod]

2. my wife has the potential to deal with this everyday

she works with the several mentally disabled people who are prone to seizures. the first one scared the shit out of her but she was trained well and knew what to do..course afterwards she was really shaken over the incident.
as much as i do not like roberts i would`t rejoice in his condition...

[blondeatlast]

5. Hear, hear. I survived a stroke with not one measurable detrimental effect. I'm

mom to a 10 year old boy, hold a job, am an artist, am very active, etc.

[MADem]

15. Heh, heh....

How would you like to take on the job of Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, as well? You'd surely do better than the incumbent!!

And I'll bet not a single person here would say squat about your stroke being a disqualifying condition, either!

[fed-up]

8. a friend of mine learned that she had a potassium disorder and that triggered her seizures

my mom had 3 seizures w/in one year of her massive stroke-after 2 months she stopped Dilantin

We were never warned that it is not unusual for someone that has had a massive stroke to then end up with a seizure disorder due to fried nerve endings from the stroke.

I was totally freaked out when she had her first grand mal seizure, but within a few hours after she had been ambulanced to Kaiser and they checked her out she was fine, just very tired. She was put on Dilantin.

Her second seizure a few months later was not as traumatic for me, but she was still a little surprised to again "come to" in an ambulance.

By her third seizure another 6 months down the road we were old hands at first aid for seizures and I was quick to remove her glasses and dentures and make sure her clothes were not restricting any movements.

By this time I had done a lot of research on seizures and learned that they can be stress related among other causes. She was going through a divorce and we figured that was the trigger.

The Dilantin was causing liver issues and her doctor tried to downplay my alarm even though she was at twice whatever level she was supposed to be at (10 years ago, so my memory is a little fuzzy).

The Dilantin caused her to be very dopey and this had been interfering with her post-stroke therapy and recovery and quality of life.
She DID NOT drive, nor did she operate heavy equipment. She used a wheelchair so any chance of falling and hitting her head during a seizure was minimal. I was her full time caregiver and if she was not in her wheelchair she was in her hospital bed.

Her divorce was finalized so her main source of stress was over.

She indicated that she did NOT want to be on the Dilantin so we very carefully over a 3 month period weaned her off. (She had only been taking half the recommended dose anyway). The main thing the doctor was concerned about was if she was to go into a "never-ending" seizure-I forget the medical term, but that risk was minimal.

We decided that her quality of life was more important than the chance/consequence of another seizure. She remained seizure free until she passed away 1 year later from lung cancer.

[MADem]

14. Say, fed-up

I have to say I admire your devotion and dedication. It's a tough role, caregiving, and tougher still when you don't have a lot of help to give you a break every so often. I know you're totally glad you did it, but still, I want to acknowledge that it was hard work.

May eons of good karma come your way...

[fed-up]

17. hardest thing I ever did-but it taught me how strong my mom was and to NEVER EVER give up! nt

[MADem]

18. Well, you have my respect, for what that's worth. And my admiration. NT

[piesRsquare]

20. Roberts is more than fine

The type of seizure he had is not even close to what you have. Yours are generalized; Roberts' are partial.

Please consider going back on anticonvulsants. There are many different ones out there now. Each time you have a seizure, brain cells die, and the chance of getting more seizures--with increased severity, and requiring more recovery time--goes up. It's a snowball effect.

It's not unusual to be fine the day following a seizure; the recovery time generally depends on the severity of the seizure. I'm willing to bet the main concern with Roberts was possible head-injury resulting from the fall.

Anyway, take care...and "seizure later"! :rofl: (I get seizures, too--temporal lobe)

[BlooInBloo]

21. Did he bonk his head because he had a seizure, or vice-versa?