Commerce Secretary Resigns

Although according to reports I have read (Washington Post , Reuters), commerce secretary John Bryson has not previously been diagnosed with epilepsy, he is more that quick to resign after a seizure and a car accident. I am not comfortable with the message this sends. "I have concluded that the seizure I suffered on June 9th could be a distraction from my performance as secretary and that our country would be better served by a change in leadership at the department," Bryson said.  So people are distracted by his health?  Does that affect his performance?  Does it affect his ability to do his job so much better than, say, I could? 

Although Mr. Bryson's medical conditions are certainly private, and I truly hope that these complex partial seizures his doctors diagnosed don't indicate cancer or some other degenerative issue, I think his decision not to continue his life as close to normal as possible sends a poor message to the public in general as well as the epilepsy community.  The press is always distracted by something that can get the public's attention.  Let it roll on and next week the press will be onto something more interesting commercially profitable. 

Those with epilepsy already know how hard it is to get and keep a job when you have seiures at work. Employers loose trust, peers are fearful, and the employee may find it challenging to balance health needs with work responsibilities. What do you do when it is month end and you need to work 12 hour days?  Stress and lack of proper sleep can be triggers for seizures.  Do you work what is needed or care for your body?  Personally, I see this with my father managing his diabetes and his job.  As a mother of epileptics, I have seen how school performance can be affected by seizures, what does one do when time must be taken for hospitalization, treatments, self care?

But having seizures, epilepsy, diabetes for that matter, does not change who you are and what you bring to your job.  Whether or not John Bryson was a good commerce secretary seems to be up for debate right now.  "Administration officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly about the matter, admitted that he wasn’t as effective an advocate as they had initially hoped."   Unfortunately, what will be remembered is that some guy  had a seizure, wrecked a car and quit his job.  Really, Mr. Bryson, is that the message you want sent to the American public?  In time you might see you have a greater responsibility than averting a scandal. 

With unemployment among epileptics over 50 percent I don't see where we can afford to add to the stigma of seizure. Mr. Bryson's willingness to so easily give up on his job, possibly his career in the wake of what appears to be his fist seizure is just a cop out. And not just for him, but to the chronically ill everywhere.Mr. Bryson, I hope you are well, I hope you are supported by family and friends, and I hope you come to use what platform you do have to support and encourage others who deal with these issues every day, not just run and hide.

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