Posted by Nyx on August 07, 2009 at 19:15:42:In Reply to: Famous Narcoleptics posted by herman on August 07, 2009 at 10:09:49:
Check out the wikipedia link below that gives this list of notable narcoleptics:
* Franck Bouyer, French road racing cyclist [1]
* Aaron Flahavan, Portsmouth F.C Goalkeeper who died in 2001 [2]
* Harold M. Ickes, deputy White House chief of staff to Bill Clinton [3] [4]
* Ryan Johnson, Ace & TJ Show Morning Radio DJ/Producer [5]
* Arthur Lowe, Actor [6]
* Jimmy Kimmel, late night talk show host [7]
* Nastassja Kinski, actress [8]
* Teresa Nielsen Hayden, science fiction editor and essayist [9]
* Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad pioneerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_with_narcolepsy
For more about Kimmel:
One day in 2003, late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel agreed to sit for an interview to discuss his narcolepsy. The meeting, scheduled for April 23rd at 11 a.m., was postponed until 2:30 p.m. because Kimmel was napping.
Kimmel often fell asleep at inappropriate moments. "When I was emceeing Win Ben Stein's Money," he recalled, "I actually fell asleep during the show a few times. I would sit on the safe over to the side and just sort of doze off... Another time I was on the freeway in bumper-to-bumper traffic. My head was diving, then jerking back up. All of a sudden, this loud voice over a megaphone says, 'Are you awake enough to drive that vehicle?' And I practically jumped out of my skin. It was the police one lane over."
Kimmel, James Christian ["Jimmy"] (1967- ) American comedian and actor [noted for his roles on such programs as "The Man Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live"]
[Sources: Esquire, August 2003]
As for personal stories, I suppose I could be considered a success story. While fighting undiagnosed narcolepsy (without cataplexy) for 15+ years, I graduated with honors from college (despite falling asleep in many classes (mostly afternoon ones)), graduated and did well in law school (again, despite falling asleep in many classes), passed the bar exam in order to practice law (although I did have to take the bar twice because I fell asleep during the first time I took it and was too mortified to tell anyone), practiced law for a number of years at some great law firms (perfecting the art of sleeping at my desk, hiding in empty rooms for naps and masking the fact that I fell asleep right in front of people), and am now in my second year at my dream medical school and JUST got diagnosed. Here's to diagnosis, treatment and finding some meds that work!