Page 12
University Daily Kansan, February 27, 1981
L.
Strong will, faith help KU grad cope with tumor
By PAM HOWARD Staff Reporter
Bv PAM HOWARD
BOB GREENSPAN/Kansen aftf.
Sunlight filtered through the plants in the window and threw lazy patterns on the pale green carpet. The quiet hues of gold and beige in the Kappelman' Lawrence living room serenely reflected the sun's glow.
Mark Kappleman sits with some of the bottles and cans he collected from Lone Star Lake. He is recovering from a recent operation.
The 1980 KU graduate's life was abruptly altered in the summer of 1979 when doctors discovered that he had a brain tumor.
His back to the window, Mark Kappelman, 26, spoke slowly and methodically, often pausing to try to remember events more clearly.
"I was not surprised at all that something was wrong," he said, "because I had been having these terrible feelings. It turned out they were petite mal seizures."
HE SAID TRAIT he had six to eight of these mild seizures, which affected his speech and coordination, before he had his first major, or grand mal, seizure. His first grand mal seizure occurred when he was in church in June of 1979.
"Just all of a sudden, I hated everyone. I couldn't believe it. I had no reason to feel that way," he said, gesturing with his hands. "It happened for a couple of seconds and then it was gone. That's the last I remember."
"I guess I just fell over and hit my head. They said I had an epileptic seizure."
After recovering in Lawrence Memorial Hospital for a few days,
Kappelman's doctor suggested that he have a computer brain scan.
"They found the tumor in the front, left side," he said, pointing to a scar high on his bellding forehead. "It was deep." He did not know time, interrupted with certain functions."
He had trouble remembering the dates and sequence of events and said he sometimes had trouble remembering appointments.
Kappelman said that the tumor was in the area of the brain that controlled memory and organization.
A week after the tumor was discovered, he underwent surgery.
"I wam't afraid at all and that helped my parents a lot." he said softly.
DURING THE FIVE years preceding the discovery of the tumor, Kappelman had become deeply religious. He explained that he had never been afraid throughout his entire ordeal because of his deep faith in God.
"They rate tumors on a scale of one to five, with one being benign and five being malignant. So they told me they thought it was like a two, which is pretty benign," he said. "But after the surgery they said 'Well, we think it's more like a three or four.' In his eyes was a look of near amusement.
He used his sense of humor to lighten a room and laugh at what seemed odd matters.
There was a calmness about him that was perhaps induced by the antisiruze drug he was prescribed after receiving it. The drug made him constantly drowny.
"After surgery, I was having a lot of pain, really severe pain, in my neck especially," he said, slowly raising his hand to his neck.
"I remember in the summertime when I came home, it was really hot, but it didn't feel bad at all," he said. "I didn't wear wintertime, I really got to dress up."
DRESSED IN LAYERS of blue clothing, he explained that the surgery had altered his body temperature.
Even though he had to return to Topeka five days a week that summer
to receive radiation therapy, he went back home after the surgery.
"I went back to where I'd been, living—that was Maine street, at that time. Things were okay for a while, but I had a grand mal seizure there because I thought I could try and go a day without any of my medication," he said.
"I tried cleaning my arms, but they were too tight," he said. "It just kept going on and on. I bought maybe it was going to hurt me. All my energy was going into this thing."
were looking down on himself objectively, he said.
SOON, HE SAID, his muscles began to slowly relax.
HIS CALM SPEECH, dotted with the phrase "praise God," hinted of courage in the face of the unknown.
"After the radiation treatments, the hair started to grow back completely except over the area where I got shaded. It would not think it will ever grow back there."
floor. Whether or not I had a seizure, I don't know," he said. "I imagine I did."
"I was just sleeping, stretched out straight on my stomach with my arms under my shoulders. I just woke up and felt myself gong up and up and up. My head went back and all my muscles got tight. My arms against his chest. "I started our rear really loudly. Fortunately, I didn't bite my tongue off."
He said that a recent brain scan showed that the tumor was not growing.
"I was completely exhausted. I just lay there for a while, a few minutes, he said. "I tried to walk around a little bit."
He said he was never afraid during the seizure. It was almost as though he
Kappelman said he moved home last summer because he was working for his father and his medication prevented him from driving. Since he moved to the second major seizure since the surgery, It happened just before Thanksgiving.
He often got strange looks from children when his hair was thinner, but he said it did not bother him.
"I just blacked out and fell on the
"God has a will," he said. "He has a will for things he wants to be done and he has a permissive will for things he has to allow."
PRESENT KUID AND GET 30% OFF
ALL DRY CLEANING AT 9th & MISSIPPII
Kappelman, has lived quietly the past year, centering his life on work, church and involvement with his family.
"What can you do—cry or laugh," he said, smiling. "I laughed."
Kappelman said that his brain tumor was one of the things that God had to allow.
KU prof describes 1956 riots
By EDDIE WILLIAMS III Staff Reporter
"All bell broke loose," 29 years ago when University of Alabama students tried to stop the first black student from entering the classroom. The eyewitness to the event, said last night.
THE SPTIATION was similar in Lawrence when he arrived from Alabama in 1966. Shaffer said.
"When I got to Lawrence, I was surprised at what I saw," he said. "There was a sizeable black population, but no blocks worked in the area stores in capacities other than lanitors."
Shaffer then became involved with the Lawrence League for the Practice of Democracy, a civil rights group.
Shaffer, KU professor of economics, gave a vivid account of what happened at Alabama during his Black History Month lecture in the Kansas Union. The lecture was sponsored by Blacks in Communications.
"The LLPd asked store owners why they would hire no blacks," he said, "and they told us it was because they used 15 to 20 percent of their business.
"The country has made a great deal of progress in the area of civil rights, but we still have a long way to go."
The organization died in the early '90s when minority groups like the NAACP began to speak for blacks, Shaffer said.
SHAFFER HAD been on the faculty at Alabama for six and one half years before he resigned in protest over the stricter laws. The first black to attend the school.
Lucy was met by a mob Feb. 2, 1956, her third day after enrolment, Shaffer said, and as she was escorted from class to class, violence broke out.
"The rocks and bricks that demolished the car of the dean of women, in which Miss Lucy was transported to her next class, had nothing to do with 'peaceful assembly.'" Shaffer said.
The next day, the Alabama Board of Trustees announced that Lucy had been barred from classes to keep peace.
A month later Lucy was readmitted by court order—only to be permanently expelled for "bringing defamatory words against the University," he said.
Lacy had accused the University of allowing outsiders to harrass her on campus, Shaffer said.
In 1963, seven years after the Lucy case, Alabama Governor George Wallace stood on the steps of the school to bar the admittance of two more blacks—one of whom became the first black to graduate from the school.
Softball Officials Meeting
YOU'RE OUT!
156 Robinson Center For more information call Recreational Services 864-3546
7:00 March 2
98
Drinking Myth of the Week No.6
ALCOHOL IS A STIMULANT. It's about as good a stimulant as ether. Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system.
the Student Assistance Center, 121 Strong
a traditional German costume party
German Club Faschingsball
Dancing Music Beer/Pop Pretzels Prizes
Fri., Feb. 27th
Prizes for The Costume Contest Supplied by:
A MARTIN RANSHOFF PRODUCTION
A RALPH BAKHSKI FILM
8:00-Midnight
Satellite Union
GRANADA
AMERICAN POP
Tickets available
Situated on the
$3.50 at the Door
Tickets at the Door
Town Crier
$3.00 In Advance
Partners Bounded by Bridging Benefits
Tickets available
ADM.
$3.00
Town Orler
Commonwealth Theatre
University Sports Shop
Frame Woods
Stinky Cheese Shop
Fun and Games
R
MIDNITE FLICK SATURDAY ONLY
The State of the Art in Living Animation.
OPEN
11:30
- taped, safety stitched seams
- elastic waistband with drawstring
- royal, sky and navy blue; khaki, emerald,
mytte, gold, black, scarlet, maroon, white
* 30-38
**10%** Stainless button knit
(tough outside, soft inside)
**e** deep side nockets
781 Massachusetts
848-4101
Kansas 68044
francis
- taped, safety stitched seams
RUGBY SHORTS $12.50
spring into action . . . Canterbury's
- 100% brushed cotton twill (tough outside, soft inside)
sporting goods
"Sporty things for sporty people"
- full action cut
eekura
Debra Laws very special
Mfg. $7.98 Kief's $4.59
COTILLION
Mfg. $8.98
Kief's $5.49
THE
DOWNTOWN RECORD
STORE