...but the article did not have the same tone I thought the title implied.... (as in "blame"). It hearkened me back to claims that (certain types of) music caused people to kill others and/or themselves or do other unspeakable acts... but it wasn't about that... but it still got me to thinking about the labels placed on music to prevent young people from hearing their explicit content- allegedly so as not to corrupt them- that have historically leapt off the shelves in spite of or perhaps as a consequence of the label... and then of course my mind went to get all defensive... and then I read the article...
Woman's seizures caused by listening to hip-hop artist
on the front page of MSN.com
Sean Paul’s songs sparked woman’s seizures
Post-brain surgery, the 25-year-old can safely listen to her favorite artist
title of the article after clicking the link
Associated Press
updated 8:53 p.m. ET, Thurs., Jan. 17, 2008
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - Now that surgeons have operated on Stacey Gayle's brain, her favorite musician no longer makes her ill. Four years after being diagnosed with epilepsy, Gayle recently underwent brain surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center to cure a rare condition known as musicogenic epilepsy.
Gayle, a 25-year-old customer service employee at a bank in Alberta, Canada, was suffering as many as 10 grand mal seizures a day, despite being treated with medications designed to control them. The condition became so bad she eventually had to quit her job and leave the church choir where she sang.
Eighteen months ago, she began to suspect that music by reggae and hip-hop artist Sean Paul was triggering some of her seizures. She recalled being at a barbecue and collapsing when the Jamaican rapper's music started playing, and then remembered having a previous seizure when she heard his music.
Her suspicions were confirmed on a visit to the Long Island medical center last February, when she played Paul's hit "Temperature" on her iPod for doctors. Soon after, she suffered three seizures.
"Being that the seizures could be triggered by the music, this was a very interesting opportunity to study Stacey's brain," said Dr. Ashesh Mehta, the hospital's director of epilepsy surgery.
During the first surgery, doctors implanted more than 100 electrodes in the right side of her brain to pinpoint the abnormal area of her brain.
The surgeons followed that procedure with a second surgery to remove the electrodes, along with parts of her brain suspected of causing the seizures.
"We used the latest techniques, including image guidance, to pinpoint the areas of abnormality, and the operating microscope to perform the procedure during a four-hour operation," Mehta said.
Within three days, the woman was released from the hospital and has not experienced a seizure since.
"I always live each day like it's my last," she said. "I want to show others that life does not end at epilepsy. I know I have what it takes to succeed."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This is a story of inspiration on two levels. First off, Stacey Gayle is successfully living with epilepsy. Secondly, her love of Sean Paul who is a reggae artist (with hip hop flair ;) noted in the title) was the key to her treatment... music gave her (and her doctors) the information needed to hope for and realize a better life. I couldn't have gotten that from the title at all!! But I wonder how many people saw it, had the same thoughts I did, but didn't read the article...
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