Today is Purple Day,® a global grassroots event created to increase worldwide awareness of epilepsy and to dispel common myths and fears of this neurological disorder. Purple Day® attempts to reduce the social stigmas associated by the many individuals afflicted and provides assurance and advocacy to those living with epilepsy by letting them know that they are not alone. This day occurs annually every March 26 in honor of all epi-warriors, whether they are 2 or 4-legged. Once again, we proudly support this event by wearing purple. As you may know, Elsa, as a puppy mill survivor with unknown lineage, was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy shortly after she was rescued nearly 4 years ago (you can read her story here). Supporting epilepsy awareness and education is a no-brainer and I’m committed to learning as much as possible about this condition and how to effectively manage it while providing a safe and loving home for this pill of a dog. I can {knock on wood} report Elsa has been mostly seizure-free for almost two years through a combination of anti-seizure medication and organic, locally sourced CBD oil.
So on this year’s “Purple Day®“, we invite you to wear purple today. If you or anyone in your family are impacted by epilepsy, check out the Epilepsy Foundation’s website or check the “About” tab at PurpleDay.org website for valuable information.
Live, love, bark! ❤︎
Stay strong my fellow Epilepsy Warrior Elsa 🐾💜🐾
So Purple Day was March 26th, eh? I should be horse whipped….I didn’t realize and should have known. For many years I led a support group for Epileptics. I too have idiopathic epilepsy and have since I was 11. Elsa is a lucky dog to have gone two years seizure free even with meds. The grand mal seizures are indeed a horror to observe but not so much from the person/animal having them. It is afterwards with the confusion that is difficult. I have seen both sides and would like to have nothing to do with them but this is not the case. The sore muscles and bit tongue I can get over in time. The prejudice of peeps is another matter. It hurts to be singled out as, That poor girl.” I am not to be pitied, this is my life and I’ll make the best of it. Epilepsy is a small part of what makes me…ME. It does give me understanding of others in difficult situations.
Jean
It can be a terrifying experience to witness and hope by promoting Purple Day (which was created by a young girl who went through what you endured) there will be far less ignorance towards all those who suffer from seizures.
Stay strong🐾💜🐾
Good to hear Elsa has been mostly seizure free. Poor baby. 💕
Thanks, she has come such a long way from when she was rescued/adopted and continues to make progress. With an epi-dog, that’s all we can home for.
Thanks for spreading the word.
He’s a real rock star when it comes to tolerating my goofiness.
Wee both so happy Elsa’ss Eppylepsy iss controlled with sum meddycin an Cee Bee D too!!
ladyMew has finished with Counsellin an so far onlee had 3 seizuress….mee jumpss up on bed an makess biskitss on her an **purrss** an that calmss her down…shee saiid mee iss her meddycin an a guud Purrymedic lime ‘angel’ Unkell Siddhartha was….
**purrss** BellaDharma
Pee S: Elsa you look stunnin inn Purpell 😉
Glad to hear your mum is doing well with your special therapy paws. Sometimes that helps more than people realize. Stay strong, stay well and know we’re thinking of you!
Stay strong 🐾💜🐾
Ma wore the purple today!! I hopes they can find new treatments, and maybe wipe seizures out completely one day! Elsa my furiend, I am sendin’ you AireZens and {{hugs}} that those nasty seizures stay far away from you!
Stay safe, and tell the peeps to wash those paws!
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
“Wash” is the activity of the day. I was even washing their ears/heads/shoulders if any of the neighbors touched them in the early stages. I think they both thought I was being terrible rude. Thanks for the AireZens and hugs, Ruby…we can always use the extra love and healing energy.
A very worthy cause. We support you one hundred percent.
Thanks! It’s one of the important things I strive to educate others all the time.
I wore purple! I am thrilled that Elsa is doing so well. Shyla is too – she’s had about 18 months since her last seizure thanks to phenobarb and keppra! I am so glad that both of our girls are in good places with this.
Bless you for wearing purple today! Eighteen months is nothing to sneeze at. Congratulations-that’s so awesome both our girls are doing so well. 💜💜💜#staystrong
Stay strong🐾💜🐾
Purple? I’ll get my Prince outfit out of mothballs to support.
I’d almost pay to see that! 💜💜💜
Two years seizure free, that is amazing! Great job!! Here’s to many more. ♥
Many thanks. She’s had such a rough life at times, but hope she’s able to continue to keep the epi-monster at bay.
To the purple princess whose pedigree is par excellence! Yay Elsa!
No way to compete with that alliteration, so we’ll just say thank you very much!
Hugs to all!
We hope Elsa continues to do well. We had some very bad days and nights with Angel Ciara who did not respond well at all to a variety of medicines. Epilepsy is a tough one.
Woos, Lightning and Timber
Thanks. Getting the right meds and dosages is always a gamble.
It’s certainly no picnic in the park. I never dreamed she’d be where she is now after she was first diagnosed. I know this disease hits Huskies particularly hard, both the dogs as well as their owners. 💜💜💜
Stay strong🐾💜🐾
💜nose nudges💜🐾
You look darling Elsa!! Give Elsa a hug for me!
Thank you. I woke her up for that photo and she wasn’t that happy with me about it. 😁
LOL! Well she looks really good at just having woken up. Better than I do when I wake up! 😄
No kidding. I should look that good!
😊
I heard of purple day this morning when one of my FB friends posted about it. They just found out their 11 year old son has epilepsy. He had his first seizure about a month ago. They are currently doing some testing to try to come up with a management plan.
I’m glad Elsa is doing so well. I’m knocking on wood so as not to jinx her.
Oh, so sorry to hear that a young boy has been diagnosed. I hope they find the right management plan. Epileptics can lead completely full and productive lives.
I do not know anyone with the illness- other than my favourite Ninja – and, sadly, I don’t have anything purple, but I will think on these things and send hugs of Elsa.
Purple thoughts are always welcome. And virtual hugs are even better. As always, thank you so much for your continued support.
Thank you for posting this! Elsa is beautiful.
Many thanks for swinging by the “Ranch.” We 💜 visitors.
As was she, her boyfriend and her roommate.
Elsa is lucky to have you.
I’ve got a whole procedure down including making notations in her seizure journal, ice packs to her core and soft encouragement. When it’s over, she gets a spoonful or two of plain ice cream to help stabilize her blood sugar with a touch of protein. I keep learning more little tricks all the time but those are my go-to’s.
Well I sure am glad her seizures have reduced drastically since you’ve found the right balance of meds and oil..
That makes two of us! The first six months of trying to figure the right balance out was very hit and miss…with mostly misses. We must be doing something right these days. {again, knock on wood}
Keeping the good vibes going your way.
👍🏻 Gratefully accepted!
Hmm, I have epilepsy, and nobody sent me anything purple today to tell me! My experience has been that often pets who have seizures are eating mainstream food that contains artificial colours and flavours, and when they stop taking them, the seizures stop. That’s what happened with my cat, so at the advice of the vet we have avoided all those additives ever since and none of our pets have had anything like that ever again.
Alas, in Elsa’s case it’s more likely caused by genetics. You’re kitty was for the vet’s tip. Thanks for swinging by the Ranch; we 💜 visitors.
Good for your furblings.
That can be a trigger for sure but not so in my case. I do not eat commercial foods.
My triggers are weather disturbances, the full moon cycle & stress.
🐾💜🐾
With me personally, it’s severe cold, or severe stress. Good luck to all!
Extremes of any kind are the arch-nemesis of epilepsy sufferers, especially stress. Stay strong 💜 💜💜
You too.
Stay strong🐾💜🐾
Purple is for royalty and Elsa has earned her royal colors! Purple Day is a very worthy cause in the fight of a very frightening disease. Props for bring it up to our attention!
Her Ninja Highness says thank you. Elsa is the second dog I’ve owned with epilepsy; and I so wish I’d had known more back when Crosby was around. The info would have been super valuable.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Elsa, and for all of you to stay healthy,
Pit
Thanks. We can always use the good vibes.
This is the first time I’ve heard of purple day. I know now and it’s a worthy cause.
Have a fabulous day, my friend. Big hug. ♥
Thanks, Sandee. I suspect not many outside the epilepsy community are familiar with it. The more we can educate people, the better for all who suffer from it.
Thank goodness I washed my purple top yesterday. When (if) I get dressed, just kidding… maybe. I’ll wear it!
I have a cousin who suffered his very first seizure at our house not long after his father died. We took in his older sister and him and another aunt took in the two younger boys. My mother had the most terrifying ride in an ambulance with Joel. Last I heard (coz we don’t hear from him often) he has controlled his seizures with the right medication.
Yay, you, for being such a wonderful peep and Yay Elsa for doing so well under her two-legged Mom’s TLC.
Seizures can be terrifying to anyone unfamiliar with them. I have a couple of nephews who suffer from seizures periodically in addition to Elsa’s, so at least no longer freak out when they happen (like I did with a dog I owned years ago). Bless you for wearing purple today. 💜💜💜
I can only imagine, not having ever witnessed it. My sister’s dog had some before she was put down. Turns out they were caused by brain cancer. Thankfully, their vet was also the boss of her coworker so he made the house call.. Tracy (sister) said it was the worst thing she had ever witnessed.
Witnessing a seizure in man or beast is not for the faint of heart. They can definitely be terrifying. When Elsa was diagnosed, we had to rule out brain tumors and other maladies. When all of those things were eliminated, the vet pronounced ‘idiopathic’ epilepsy (the diagnosis when no other explanation could be deemed to be the cause of the seizures).
Oh man. Lady was basically throwing her body against the walls, tables, etc. Tracy said her eyes were at the same time wild and pleading though she seemed to no longer recognize them. Heartbreaking.
It really is heartbreaking. Luckily I’ve never had one that went thrashing about into walls, though I’ve been right with them to keep them safe. Rigid leg paddling, Elsa’s, usual manifestation, is bad enough. I learned not to be in the way but close enough in case she tried to get up.
I had a little schnauzer who developed epilepsy during her short life with a class 4 heart murmur. Nothing to take lightly. So glad to hear how well Elsa is doing, and no jinxing, not with her on this good combination of meds. Happy Purple day.
Paws crossed. 🤞🏼The last couple of times I’ve reported good progress, she had seizures. Epilepsy is such a challenging condition; you especially ache when it affects pets who have no idea what’s happening to them.
I had not heard of purple day until now…Sophie – one of the Thugs – has short attacks. They seem to come in clusters – two or three in a six week period, and then nothing for months. Being Sophie, she just gets up, shakes herself and wanders off to the food bowl.
Aww, we salute sweet Sophie and hope her episodes are infrequent. Protein following a seizure helps get them back in stride. Elsa was on the 6-8 weeks cycle until I switched her CBD oil. This new brand seems very effective, so much so, I started selling it.
The vet reckoned there was not much he could do….I know CBD oil is sold here, but have a feeling that it is under the radar!
It’s a confusing thing. While legal in all 50 states, hemp is too often lumped in with marijuana which contains THC (CBD does not). WordPress had a specific prohibition in it’s User Agreement which I was unaware of and PayPal kicked me off when I offered it. Hopefully one day the confusion will get sorted out. Because of the monetary potential buying it online you can never be sure of the quality. Gas/convenience stores often sell it bear the cash register; it’s not something I would expect to be a very quality product.
Thanks….I’d be a bit doubtful about buying it here.
But do try the sushi. So fresh!
But only if it’s has a tiny hat on it.
Good heavens, what kind of sushi do you mountain people get? Hats?
It’s part of the ‘Dark Side’ or did you forget? 😈
👿 Indeed.
Sushi? Spawn of the devil…no spoon is long enough…
Food of the Gods. The Japanese Gods. Arghh…go on an hav’ a haggis and a blood puddin’ and sheeps’ ears or something.
Now, now, no need to be testy, Max. I’m sure some people like haggis. Not us mind you, but others. 😂
A sheep’s head do you? First burn off the wool with a red hot poker, remove eyes then leave to soak overnight. You can split the head and remove the brains – to make patties – and the tongue – to make brawn – but you can just bung the head in the pot with pre soaked dried peas and barley, leeks, carrots, turnips, thyme and water, bring to the boil, skim off any foam and cook until done. Serve the soup first and the head as the meat course.
🤢 Thank goodness I’m a vegetarian and will respectfully pass.
There are things which can turn you vegetarian quite easily…
And I think that was one of them! 😆
I will refrain from mentioning chitterlings.
Bwahahahaha! Yeah, I know about ‘those‘ things too. 🙃
Have we discussed the Chicken Talk song? That seems appropriate right about now.
And ole to you, sir!
A wise strategy.
Yay for Elsa!
Hope I haven’t jinxed her by sharing her progress but we’re pleased with where she’s at these days.
elsa that photo is super beautiful! and we think about all who have to go through that… hugs to you all
As always, thanks for your support. Living with epilepsy can be a challenge and it helps knowing folks are sending us good vibes.