The 21st Century Woman

Rhonda: The 21st Century Woman

By George Siamandas

She pulled down the collar of her yellow turtleneck revealing a scar that she said went halfway to her chest where an implant would stimulate her vagus nerve every few minutes to prevent a grand-mal seizure that may be her last. Around her waist she wears a powerful magnet that starts and stops the implant from giving each shock. Something like the pacemakers now routinely worn for heart trouble.

But Ronda, 37, is only one of two epileptics in Canada that have had this procedure. Her life for as long as she lives it will be is as a guinea pig. A scientific experiment in whether the procedure can help other serious epileptics.

Her doctor paid for the innovative operation. She is not permitted to share her experiences with the only other person going through the same thing, a young man in the east. She hands me a pamphlet laminated in plastic describing the operation of her implant with all the important stuff highlighted for quick action, should action be required.

Ronda hasn't given up despite life's draw. Once married and divorced, she is now in a two-year relationship with Ray, and helps look after his parents who live in a nursing home. It's a relationship on hold for now, probably forever.

And what side effects does she experience? A hoarseness of voice. And an irritability that just comes over her that can be from light to severe. Otherwise she just lives out her life. She can't work but she lives independently at 1010 Sinclair.

How hard is it to live that way? Her family is very uncomfortable with her condition and she doesn't hear from her friends as often. She's not sure why. As she talks, her piercing brown eyes remain riveted on me, searching for response. One can't help but be moved by her grit and her hope.