Wednesday, July 30, 2014

PAGEANT CONTESTANT AND MARATHON PARTICIPANT IN A WHEELCHAIR

     Pamela Bell is strong willed and persistent to get what she wants.  She is a mother of two sons and a grandmother of four.  Pamela was diagnosed with CAUDA Equina Syndrome making her paraplegic.  The nerves in her lower back (between T-10 to T-12 disks) are damaged due to an injury.  She can stand for a few minutes but is not able to walk.  This makes her paraplegic and mobile in a wheelchair.
     Rapid eye movement had been bothering Pamela for years.  The doctors she saw wanted to say, "It's all in your head".  Not until last year after having a video EEG did they finally diagnose her with petit mal seizures.  You can find video EEG information here:
     http://epilepsy.med.nyu.edu/diagnosis-treatment/eeg/video-eegmonitoring#sthash.RtTBe2G9.dpbs

 

   During this time Pamela was proving that her wheelchair didn't keep her from achieving goals she had set for herself.  She participated in the Wheelchair Marathon Roller for the Wounded Warriors in Jacksonville, NC.  Every year in Asheville, NC there is a Miss Wheelchair NC Pageant.  Pamela has been a contestant  in 2007, 2012, and 2014. She had her first grand mal seizure last year.  Her doctor thinks it is stress related.  Every year Pamela goes with a group called Life Rolls On to the coast.  She catches waves on her surf board.
 
      Now she has her own store called Vera Armetta's Design.  There she designs wedding gowns and formal gowns for ladies in wheelchairs and regular gowns.  The dress shop is in N.C.
                                                                                                                                                                                       
             
     
     
     

Saturday, July 19, 2014

BRYAN FARLEY IS A PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A CAUSE

     It takes a twinkle in the eye to know when to capture the image you have been waiting for.  Bryan has that twinkle and teaches a class in California when he isn't traveling finding eventful activities throughout California.  He doesn't travel just to get the pictures of a lifetime to brag about.  He has a cause.  He writes a blog about epilepsy and shows it through his photographs here: http://bryanfarleyphotography.com/blog/ 

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     Bryan, like millions of others, has epilepsy.  He raises his voice and shows his cause through his photography.  Every year in Washington,D.C. there is a walk to raise money and awareness for epilepsy.  I have never seen anything being mentioned about the walk on the Nightly News with Tom Brokaw or the Today Show.  Bryan will post many pictures of people walking or even running.  Some people do not even appear to have epilepsy.  Rick Harrison from the Pawn Stars walked in March this year.  You can see Bryan's collection of pictures here: http://bryanfarley.photoshelter.com/gallery/2014-National-Walk-for-Epilepsy/G0000SrIg6Xxoas0/C0000CF6b.6Zv53Y.

     Bryan is a HERO to me for what he has done for EPILEPSY!!  Please take time for me and him to read his blogs or view his photography web site:  http://bryanfarley.photoshelter.com/ .
Please, everyone if you would leave a post on his site that would be wonderful and appreciated. 
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