Living with Epilepsy/Seizures

I have had epilepsy for a little over 30 years. It was caused by a very high fever when I was an infant, but it didn’t manifest itself until the age of 7 or 8. There were numerous medications that I had tried over the years: dialantin, tegretol, felbatol, lamictal, kepra.

But they were never really under control. I had been asked by my neurologist to consider the surgical route. My family and friends(as well as myself)weren’t real sure about the idea. All these years later, I had not achieved control of my epilepsy

Then after a routine EEG, my neurologist was very excited to inform me that they had finally found the focal point of where the seizures were firing! The area was the right temporal lobe. After much discussion and the support of family and friends, I decided to go for the surgery.

It was the best thing that I had ever done. The pain was not as bad as everyone thought it would be, even if it would have been really painful-it was a chance that I was more than willing to take. After the tests(WADA, evaluations, etc) the date for surgery was set for October 28,2008.

After the surgery was complete, I was made aware that there maybe some physical therapy speech therapy and some other things that I might have to do. They told my family that it may be November 5,2008 before I was to go home, little did they know.

I was hoping not to be hospitalized on my birthday(11-3), and much to EVERYONE’S surprise I was discharged on October 31,2008!!

They had warned me that:
1. my peripheral vision would most likely not be there on my right side.
2. my memory might be effected to a degree.
3. my mathematical skills could be slighted.
4. my artistic and writing ability might not return for a while.
5. my speech might slur for a time.
When I was discharged on October 31,2008 it was a most memorable event.

Not only did I manage to recuperate so fast, but I gave one of the doctors a presurgical sketch and a post surgical sketch. He was amazed to see that my art did not suffer at all. To top it all off, my vision is the same as it was, math skills are still very much as good as they were, I signed my self out and walked away.

Everything they thought would suffer did not suffer and for that I am most grateful and amazed! NOW, at the age of 38,it won’t be long until I’ll be released to drive, something I’ve always wanted to do-but couldn’t!!

The really strange thing is that when I have little aches and pains that I used to never notice, I have to ask:
“Is that normal?” the answer has always been yes. When I saw my family doctor one day I said this:

“Before surgery I thought it was normal to be weird, but now it’s weird to be normal.” That drew a lot of laughter. I have only had surgery one time, but I made that one time count!!

I’ve been seizure-free ever since!

To those who have ever thought about the surgery, take it from me, it’s very much worth it. God bless Texas