Narcolepsy
Working with Narcolepsy: Part III – When Caring Comes Naturally
After my boss and leadership got even more involved – the nap room situation improved quickly. (Read Part I and Part II of this story.) Nap Bench on the Move: The nap bench was moved again, this time to a small room on the second floor along a nice secluded quiet hallway. The door’s sign was changed to Wellness Room.…
Read MoreWorking with Narcolepsy Part II: Hunting for a Nap Room
In December 2014, our office moved from Downtown Los Angeles to Irwindale, CA. My commute went from 7 miles to 25 miles. At the same time, our office environment went from private offices to cubicles. To be fair – I was well informed about this before I signed up for the job. (Read Part I…
Read MoreWorking with Narcolepsy: Part I – I Fought the Nap and the Nap Won.
On Friday, I was so surprised to be awarded a Values In Action (VIA) award for “Excellence” at work! As I approached the stage, the presenter read the comments from my nomination: Julie is always excited to take on any new task. She approaches her work with enthusiasm, regardless of how big or small the assignment is.…
Read MoreMeet Owen, 11 Year Old Boy Living with Narcolepsy
Recently, I received a video from a mother of a young boy with narcolepsy. Warning: I cannot watch this video without crying. Brooke describes: “My 11-year-old son, Owen, was diagnosed with narcolepsy last spring. It was and is scary, and there just isn’t a lot of information out there, especially positive information! So you have…
Read MoreProject Sleep Awards 10 Scholarships to Students with Narcolepsy Entering College
While crossing the finish line of the San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon was an awesome moment, my biggest prize came yesterday when Project Sleep gave out TEN scholarships to students with narcolepsy through the Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship program. Meet the 2015 Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship Recipients: View Scholarship Awards Announcement View/Download…
Read MoreUpdate: The Simpsons Executive Producer Responds
Over the weekend, the Executive Producer of The Simpsons, Al Jean, corresponded briefly regarding the Homer Simpson narcolepsy news via Twitter. First, he tweeted “.@thesimpsons Extremely interesting article about the true dangers of narcolepsy” to share the NY Post article on my experience with narcolepsy (re-published from Women’s Health Magazine). View the tweet here and retweet! I responded,…
Read MoreNarcolepsy Epidemic in Hollywood – Homer Simpson Latest Victim
It seems that Hollywood has a surprisingly large percentage of cases of narcolepsy, a disorder affecting 1 in 2,000 people, about 200,000 Americans and 3 million people worldwide, including many children and young adults. The latest Hollywood victim is Homer Simpson. Word on the street is he going to discover he has narcolepsy in the…
Read MoreYOU CAN AND YOU WILL (Marathon Part II)
As I crossed the start line of the San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon, runners started passing me. I laughed when a pack of Elvis(s) passed me. Typical. “Slow and steady. No one to beat. Nothing to prove,” I told myself. My shirt was drenched with sweat within 3 miles. Soon my hands raisined and…
Read MoreWake, Julie. It’s Late and We’ve Miles to Go Together. (Marathon Part I)
The week of the marathon, I forgot I was running a marathon. “Have you booked your hotel yet?” my co-worker, Betsy asked me on Wednesday. “Uh, no, but I will…” My mind was preoccupied with other efforts, the Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship and Sleep Walk Dallas. So, I was last minute about everything –…
Read MoreThe Final Countdown… REM Running a Marathon this Sunday!
On my final training run tonight, I got to thinking — last time I ran a marathon, I ended up writing a book about it. I wonder what the Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon has in store for me! So far, this marathon experience has been a wild ride. I started training in the midst of…
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