My Platform...
"The Life and Times of a Real Sleeping Beauty"

My life is certainly NO "fairy tale"! Shortly after turning 16, I fell asleep on the road twice and failed approximately numerous test for mononucleosis. My doctor finally referred me to a neurologist so that I could undergo a sleep study. It was then, in the fall of 2005, that I was diagnosed as one of the youngest narcoleptics with one of the most severe cases in all of Minnesota. Since then, it has been my duty and calling to support other narcoleptics, volunteer in research and research funding, but most importantly raise awareness of narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder, which affects the brains ability to regulate sleep cycles. The cause of this disorder is still unknown although some studies suggest that genetics could play a role. Narcolepsy has four main symptoms. They include; EDS (excessive daytime sleepiness), Cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle tone caused by a sudden emotion such as laughter), Sleep Paralysis (a moment of being paralyzed after waking up), and Hypnagogic Hallucinationss. Narcolepsy’s average age onset is between the ages of 18 and 25.

he single most important fact about this ailment however, is that of 200,000 Americans believed to be suffering from narcolepsy, only 50,000 have been diagnosed. The importance of getting undiagnosed patients off our roads and onto proper medication is extremely high. Working with the Narcolepsy Network, I will do everything in my power to "Wake America Up" to narcolepsy. This platform means the world to me because I experience it on a daily basis. I intend use my own life experiences and knowledge of narcolepsy to serve as a voice for all of those who also struggle.

I attended the the 2007 National Sleep Convention with the
President of the Narcolepsy Network and other volunteers

Copyright 2008 Megan Herickhoff :: All Rights Reserved
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