There is nothing normal about a seizure. By definition it is not a normal event. It may be if you are an epileptic appear to be normal and life goes on. But, it is not an everyday event. The brain is out of control when it happens.
I think this is an accurate quote from
Cedar Sinai, a top 25 hospital.
Quote. Uncontrolled seizures can have a big impact on lifestyle, restricting the individual from driving and limiting their work and leisure time activities. Although seizures themselves usually are not physically harmful to people who have epilepsy, they carry a risk of injury and death. The risk is greater for people who have many seizures, depending on the type of seizure they have. Unexpected seizures can cause falls, drowning or other accidents, and a lengthy seizure condition (status epilepticus) can lead to coma or death. By reducing or stopping seizures, treatment may greatly improve the patient's quality of life and safety. End quote.
I find it difficult to know what was being said in other peoples phone calls with experts and how to interpret them 3rd hand. So, I went and poked around the first website that came up in my search. I find it interesting that a Mayo trained physician or staff member would say it was not a dangerous condition. Listing off the causes of epilepsy, like brain lesions, is a fairly serious condition in itself. Not that Coach Kill has brain lesions, I have not been informed if he has. But, I find it ludicrous that people of any education would dismiss the condition as anything other than a major disability. Note that I did not say severe. And, on any given day, I think Coach Kill is quite capable of building up this football team based on his KSA in football.
I want the man to be well, to coach the team, and to win more than his fair share of victories. But, I will simply not pretend that a seizure is benign, normal, acceptable, or something that can be fully managed. And, I will not accept the position that contingencies can take care of everything. Nor, do find it comforting to see the loses as anything but a normal consequence of the head coach having a seizure on game day. It just does not seem reasonable to conclude all is well when the coach goes down.
Bottom line is that on any given day I would enjoy Kill on the sideline with the team. I would also expect that on days where he has a seizure, the trigger mechanism is in place and may already have started to affect his mental ability during the game without noticeable symptoms. Jerry might not even know it when it is emerging. On those days, I expect it degrades his ability to function fully. He would then be impaired from carrying out his duties to their fullest measure, outside of the state of his condition. He would not, for example, be able to respond to things in his peak capacity mentally. The pre-tremor condition may already have slowed his mental acuity and executive function. I think that is both a fair and accurate representation of what happens during a pre-seizure event. It may be seconds before the seizure. It may be minutes before the seizure. It may be hours before the seizure.
Nobody knows for sure and they are not predictable events. What we do know is that signals in the brain are suddenly overwhelmed and systems become uncontrollable, like body control.
Should coach Kill continue to coach? Sure. Why not!
Should coach Kill retire and live a happy normal life? Sure. Why not!
Either are acceptable answers to address the problem of Coach Kill. What is not certain is whether or not either of these answers address the need of Gopher Football in particular. I have that overwhelming feeling of being underwhelmed with my ability to answer that last question.
please let the record show that it was Dean S (not yours truly) who made comment about the.....timing of said seizures. In fairness, it certainly isn't the first time I have heard someone make note of this.