I’m Charles Clark. I’m a lifelong New Yorker and I was diagnosed with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy in February 2012, after having mild symptoms for over 8 years before, but not knowing that these weird jerks I regularly had were actually mild seizures. If you know anything about Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy, you’ll know that it can be well-controlled (for most people, not all) with the right medications. Depakote is a popular one, but it has many nasty side effects. Most neurologists or epileptologists therefore start people off on Lamictal or Keppra. The types of seizures that it makes people have are tonic-clonic seizures (which is the type most people think of when they hear the word “seizure”) and myoclonic seizures (basically quick, upper body jerks that last less than a second).

I’m on both Keppra and Lamictal together, and since February 2015, they have gotten gradually and noticeably less effective, if you can even call them effective at all. First I was getting seizures every 2-3 months, and now I get them about every 2-3 weeks. When I get a tonic-clonic seizure, I have no idea if I will land on my shoulder, the front of my face or the back of my head. I have landed on the front of my face twice recently. This has resulted in 13 STITCHES ON MY FACE THIS YEAR ALONE. I’ve had needles next to my eyes, inside my mouth, next to my lips, on my noise…holy shit. Do you know anyone that can survive this, or had before? Chances are good that you don't.

This isn’t even getting into the multiple shoulder dislocations I’ve had and damage to my facial skeleton whenever I’ve landed on the back of my head. Immediately before launching this campaign, I suffered my most recent seizure which resulted in landing on my right shoulder and surprise surprise, yet another dislocation that resulted in a painful ER visit.

Here are the procedures I’m told I absolutely need (quoted by my doctors), and where the main number comes from:

- Bone graft
- IV sedation 1
- Gum graft
- Dental implant 1
- Dental implant 2
- Crown and abutment 1
- Crown and abutment 2
- Ambulance ride 1
- Ambulance ride 2
- Ambulance ride 3
- Emergency room 1
- Emergency room 2
- Emergency room 3
- Mucocele 1 removal
- Mucocele 2 removal
- IV sedation 2
- IV sedation 3

It is imperative that we treat the damage done immediately. If we actually exceed this goal, the extra money will have to go towards any additional procedures, or set aside for any other medical issues, with a specific focus on my right shoulder. The fact that I have to pay this much for proper care speaks volumes about the broken health care system in our country, and how little it cares about the people it serves the most: us, the patients, who just need quick treatment for maybe a headache to chronic illnesses like epilepsy, stroke or cancer--each of which also results in other physical injuries or severe medication-induced side effects.

I should also note that I didn't mention the cost of shoulder surgery and that it wasn't factored into the goal. That's because I haven't reached the point where I 100% know if I need it. Chances are that I do, but right now, I'm in "wait and see" mode. If a doctor tells me that I need surgery, I may launch a separate campaign just for that. I would also need to know what the costs are. When it comes to dealing with shoulder dislocations, the first step is physical therapy, and if that fails, surgery. Every cent raised by this campaign will be put on a card specifically for these medical and dental procedures. Once again, if the goal is exceeded, my focus will be treating my right shoulder in any way possible.

Final note for now: before we can even start these necessary procedures, I must have my doctor wean me off Lamictal and put me on Felbatol or Depakote. Most likely it will be Felbatol. Both of them have nasty side effects, and I mean very nasty side effects, yet they are both known for keeping tonic-clonic seizures under control. It is very important that they are fully under control, because I don't want any of the major procedures I undergo to be in vain. Only one more seizure can potentially ruin all of that. I have gone through incredibly long periods of time seizure-free, and soon will again. As of this writing, I am awaiting a hospital stay that will last almost a week. During that period of time, the medication switch will happen, and the electrical activity in my brain will be monitored 24/7 as it happens.

For anyone that helps, I really can't thank you enough. If we ever meet with any of you (outside friends and family), I hope we bond and get along, and at the very least, have a nice dinner here in NYC or not far outside its confines.