Lots of No Big Deals lately, huh? Most reports are casting the event as insignificant, resulting in ‘minor scrapes.’ A local Maine report, the state where the Chief Justice was vacationing at the time of the seizure, reports something apparently more ominous, at least at the time.
Chief Justice Roberts to spend night at hospital
St. George Ambulance responded to a call at about 2 p.m. Monday of a man who had fallen 5 to 10 feet and landed on a dock, hitting the back of his head. The patient was ashen and was foaming at the mouth. National news report quotes a Supreme Court spokeswoman as saying that Roberts was conscious the entire time of the incident. That spokeswoman has not returned a telephone call to the newspaper.
Even this report indicates doctors found the seizure to be ‘benign.’ Still, it does not make one comfortable when the Chief Justice, at 52 years old, is having a seizure and foaming at the mouth for no real reason. But maybe that’s just me.
UPDATE:
The debate now among the experts is that the Chief Justice may have epilepsy.
Tammy:
Yes, this could be a concern, but again, perhaps not. Any blow to the head, particularly a substantial blow, can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, foaming at the mouth and even seizure. That being the case, this may be nothing more than a temporary injury with no long term implications.
Special Report on Fox on Monday reported that Justice Roberts did have a “grand mal siezure” some 15 or so years ago, and that he has had none since and apparently has had no drug or other treatment in the interum. Many siezure disorders are very managable. There is, at least for now, no reason to fear the worst.
Schumer is always foaming at the mouth; most recently saying Roberts and Alito duped the Senators with their charm and erudition during the confirmation hearings. Let’s see if he tries to use this to declare Roberts unfit.
It is my understanding that two or more diagnosed seizures not associated with another condition are a main criterion for epilepsy. Let’s pray not.
The “Roberts” I care deeply about today is Robin Roberts, who announced this morning that she has breast cancer. Somehow I doubt she would describe this as “insignificant.” God bless her!! J
While it may be true that two or more diagnosed seizures is a diagnosis for epilepsy, there’s no real implications. It’s just a description of what’s going on. What’s going on seems to be a seizure every fifteen years or so, with no record of abnormal brain activity. He might be put on some minimal medication as a preventative measure and then, assuming nothing more happens for a few months or years, taper off.
I have to admit the first thing that I thought was, if he dies we will never get another good Justice confirmed. Then I thought my God your first thought should have been concern for his health and family. Doctors for sure ran him trough all the CAT scans and etc. So am very relieved it was only an epileptic seizure. This may cost him his drivers license but I will personally drive him at my own expense so he may keep up the good work.
So the Chief at least arguably has epilepsy. It’s an unpleasant condition, but it in most cases medication can keep it under control to the point of suppressing the seizures. And A B is right: in some cases after a while of being treated, it just mysteriously goes away, even if the medicine’s withdrawn.
I know because I had epilepsy, and for all intents and purposes I don’t any more. I had two grand mal seizures in 5th grade, and probably a few dozen “absence” seizures before and after around the same time. I was put on depakote (divalproiac acid) and my dosage gradually went down until I went off completely in my freshman year of college, by which time my EEG had long since been completely normal. I’ve never had a seizure since, and that my freshman year in college would be (damn, time goes fast) thirteen years ago.