<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Ballastexistenz]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Mel Baggs]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com/author/ameliabaggs/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Kassiane needs help.]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Kassiane, a.k.a. <a href="http://rettdevil.blogspot.com/">Rett Devil</a>, has been an online friend and advocate for a long time.  She is in a lot of trouble at the moment.  This video explains it.  It&#8217;s basically an emergency situation and she needs money for meds to keep her from going into status epilepticus among other things (edited to add: status epilepticus means having seizures back to back without regaining consciousness):</p>
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<p>A friend of mine transcribed the video (which I did not make, by the way) as this, for those of us who can&#8217;t read that fast:</p>
<blockquote><p>Kassianne is severely epileptic and has lost her health coverage, due to an act of fraud performed by her former housemate out of spite.</p>
<p>She is running dangerously low on Topamax, Neurontin, and Keppra, without which she will most likely die of status epilepticus.<br />
&#8211;<br />
This is &#8216;Ask and Tell&#8217;, a book to which she contributed a chapter on self-advocacy for autistic children.</p>
<p>Stephen Shore, the editor who compiled the book, has stated that hers is most likely the best chapter in the entire book.<br />
&#8211;<br />
For her contribution she received<br />
&#8211;<br />
$500.00<br />
&#8211;<br />
And no royalties<br />
&#8211;<br />
And the book is considered groundbreaking!<br />
&#8211;<br />
If you have money to spare, please give to Kassiane for lifesaving medicine and living expenses.</p>
<p>Her Paypal name is kassiane_alexandra at  yahoo dot com [edited by me to avoid spam crap]</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a much better use of your money than giving it to Autism Speaks or a similar hate group.</p>
<p>THANK YOU!!!!!!</p></blockquote>
<p>You can see some of her previous public speaking at <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/cs/media/autism.shtml">this URL</a>.  And you can see her tumbling a few years ago here:</p>
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<p>Her paypal address is kassiane_alexandra at yahoo dot com.</p>
<p>Remove the spaces and turn at into @ and dot into . for that.</p>
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