I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy when I was
17, I had my first seizure when I was 16. I also was
diagnosed with right sided hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
when I was 2 months old.
When I was first diagnosed with Epilepsy, I let it take over
my life. I was on 4 different medications, which resulted in
my inability to walk. Prevented me from continuing to work
at the job I had at the time and required me to take
medical leave from school my junior year. Unable to walk,
I returned to high school for my senior year.
I had gotten so bad I was in a wheelchair, but because the
school never understood my diagnosis from the start, they
decided to release me from high school that year. Once I
was in the wheelchair, I decided that was enough, and I
have to be stronger than this.
I decided it was time for a change. I NO longer wanted
letting people to push me in a wheelchair, or help me do
anything. I switched my medication, and was now down to
2 medications instead of 4. It took me awhile, I decided to
be an advocate for epilepsy while I continued building
enough strength to stop my panic attacks which I thought
would cause to a seizure. A panic attack could happen
from just opening up a door.
Becoming an advocate for Epilepsy by blogging and
becoming known has created a whole new life for me and
has helped me tackle during the toughest years and the
most challenging parts of staying seizure free. This July I
will be 4 years that I am seizure free and I could not be
anymore happier.
Tune in for tomorrows blog by Kristen Quinn from Sunovion (6/23):
http://livingwellwithepilepsy.com/
