Traveling with brain cancer and epilepsy

Surviving
Written By Liz Salmi
collosseum.jpg

When in Rome, take your anti-seizure pills on local time.

I just returned from a trip to Rome! It was my first time out of the country, except for a day trip I took to Tijuana when I was seven. But that doesn't count.

And like any responsible person with a significant medical condition who will be traveling out of the country, I notified my doctors in advance.

Since Rome is nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time I was especially concerned about my anti-epileptic medication dosing schedule.

Normally I take my meds when I wake up and when I go to sleep.

Super Badass Neurologist told me to get a countdown timer and take my pills every 12 hours, regardless of local time. In my case, I ended up taking pills at 4 p.m. and 4 a.m. Arg.

But you know what they say, "When in Rome..."

Liz Salmi

Liz Salmi is Communications & Patient Initiatives Director for OpenNotes at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Over the last 15 years Liz has been: a research subject; an advisor in patient stakeholder groups; a leader in “patient engagement” research initiatives; and an innovator, educator and investigator in national educational and research projects. Today her work focuses on involving patients and care partners in the co-design of research and research dissemination. It is rumored Liz was the drummer in a punk rock band.

https://thelizarmy.com
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