Tag Archives: gig

Worries, Happiness & Prayers

My last post was about sci-fi weekend. well the next day I had band.
I managed to get enough rest to go to band. I love band but with Epilepsy there are a lot of things, worries, situations that I have to prepare for that many people do not see. Monday night my friend was not there.. It meant that before hand I had to deal with mum who was in a small state of panic as to what would happen and how would I deal. I got over this by mums phone number on a piece of paper being given to the conductor… I really hate all this but its safety I guess plus no one would have known what to do really. The next problem was that the gig the band are doing this weekend is at the East Kent Airshow. its a huge event and we are playing.. however to get in you need a ticket. The band get in for free however tickets are about £20 ! thats alot in our world. Money we cant afford for a gig that mum really didnt want to come to apart from to make sure that if I were to have a seizure I could be safe and she could help me and get me home, administer my pills and oxygen. Anyway we got given a wristband each at band and i was praying there would be spare ones… i dont know if there were or were not because they disappeared quickly. They were very coveted. Some people knew my situation and one extremely nice band member who already had brought a family ticket gave me their wristband. I am so so thankful I dont think they can ever know how much that meant to me. Mum hates planes and noise but knows how much i wanted to do this gig. I am so so happy to have the oppertunity to go.
Of course it will all depend on if the beast lets me have a good day but fingers are crossed.

Its not just the gig and the beast I have to worry about saturday. I have a appointment with my consultant on Saturday morning before the concert. Im really worried about this appointment as I get news of what next. Having this news prior to a important concert is not really how Id like it. I worry that if it is band news I will not play well. Then again if it is good news im going to be so so bouncy!

All I can do until the morning is have faith and pray.

Confidence at Gigs

Stress causes seizures too, and I was under alot of stress over this this past week, There were issues after I subbed for a band last saturday and because of this, I found myself spacing out most of the day and my big seizures well increased a little too. 

The rest of the week I went to KCCB on monday (mark wasn’t there but Kara wanted to come and see if she thought it was possible to sing so there was no probs with someone to go with). It was a lovely practice though hard. I had a lovely pressie from my friend Judi of this beautiful sparkly and purple bracelet… ive not taken it off except to shower and bath yet cos its so lovely.

Bracelet from Judi 


Tuesday was as per normal a bad day for me… I often suffer on tuesdays for the long and late night on mondays but coastal is so worth it. The next day I went shopping for ball gowns… I came up with a georjus red one however it had a stain so I didn’t buy it. I love the style though.We had to get home pretty quick as I was feeling really poorly and had oxygen on route home… I managed to get to bed and chill for the rest of the day.  Kara came round on thursday and we were going to the craft box… we got there though and there was a mass of children… we got our paint and left rapidly. I wasn’t feeling too good 15 mins later anyway so I’m glad we didn’t stay. I didn’t let on to kara though and we managed a couple of shops she wanted to do and then got home. the next couple of days (friday and saturday) I had problems with big seizures. I had 4 tonic-clonics in just one day, I was spacing most of the day too but that was least of my probs. I took it east and just chilled and had mostly pj days on the sofa with films and pussy cat cuddles. Magick knows if i don’t feel right and always comes for his cuddles. I really was trying to be good and rest as I had a concert at a bandstand with KCCB on sunday and really love their concerts. 

The rest paid off and I managed to feel ok to go to the gig. Judi was really lovely and was giving me a lift. Its always a bit scary when going anywhere with someone who you’ve not gone / been alone with before but I trust Judi a lot and she’s a kind person. I felt ok and was (still am) on my stronger meds which I always go on during a bad patch and so I was covered! I hoped. 

The gig went really well but was exhausting (as band and gigs always are) I find gigs are more strenuous as its constant playing and in a different environment. 
Judi dropped me off at the bandstand and went to find a parking  space. the first thing I found was that the bandstand was quite small for the band. The flute section was really tight and I panicked as where I was sitting there would be no way i’d get out in time if I felt a seizure coming on… if i felt it coming on at all (some are just sudden). I always like to be able to get out and here I couldn’t. There was no way round it though. The head of section in bands always sits on the end. Next to her was another lady who would never move in a million years so I just prayed hard that I would get through. Though gigs like this really do scare me to death. Music does make me forget and be normal but there is always that arghh thing especially in public and situations like this that makes me not be able to. 
As the pieces were played I was getting tired, making my anxieties worse. I was so glad when It was break time. I went and sat round the back of the bandstand after saying hi to mark. It was quiet and I wanted to try chill and I did. Mark judi and giles came over and auben sat with us it was all good. I was knackered and felt a bit odd but not too much. I got asked many times if I was ok and that non-defeatest part of me put on a smile and yep im fine. Im sure mark knew I was knackered and on the edge ha ha

This lovely picture was taken at that moment. 


Back: Mark, Front: Giles, Me (Jo), Judi, Albun


After break we had to start again and back into the cramped bandstand where I couldn’t get out! the second half went quite quick and It was good. I had taken my meds that I needed to at break and all went really well. The end of the gig and we packed up and sorted and then walked to Judi’s car which (she did tell me) was parked a long way away…. I didnt realise how far though. I made it but how I dont know ha ha. We had a good journey home. 


I got in and was exhausted. I put my Pj’s on straight away, grabbed a sandwich as I’d not eaten since 10 am and it was now about 6pm ! I sat and watched a film on my laptop but never saw much as I fell asleep. I woke at 8 and had a massive headache. I took some pills and went to get my things ready for the next day as we are looking after my nan and grandad this week so need to get up and go early as we need to light the fire and help them get up and dressed etc. I had a sudden drop seizure. I woke up and mum was there. I must have hit my head on something as I had a cut on my face. It was a little sore and bleeding. It was ok and wiped off the blood ok. I was so dozey and even more tired now mum helped me to bed and thats where I stayed. I must have fallen asleep again and woke up the next morning. (today!). 

Today has been a bit weird but ok. I ave had a headache all day but thats not unusual after a day like yesterday. I am really tired but that could be from either drugs or the manic weekend. Im happy though. Im sitting painting some glass work for my friend Linda. 

Thats it for now guys so say hi send me a message it will be good to hear your stories too. 

Cheerio !