9 years! Celebrating 9 years of being seizure free! Woohoo!!! Looking back I didn't think this would EVER happen!
My first seizure was in 2/2000. I was in my school's auditorium taking the F-CAT, Florida test, and I passed out and had a grandmal seizure. I was admitted but my bloodwork came back clean. "Lots of teenagers have seizures. They're triggered by stress and lack of sleep". What teenager doesn't suffer from these things? So I was released with no further meds.
My second seizure was not too long after. Still in February of 2000. I wasn't on medicine. I was getting ready for school and I had small seizures in my legs. This time I was ordered further tests. Including an MRI and an EEG. The MRI was clean but my EEG showed abnormalities in the left hemisphere of my brain. This confirmed my diagnosis, epilepsy. I was put on Dilantin.
More seizures were to follow in the summer of 2000. I broke out in hives following spending a day with my friends at Gemini Springs. My mom took me to the ER and the doctor said that Dilantin is sun sensitive. So they gave me an antihistamine in my IV and the doctor switched my medication to Depakote. But until they got my levels right I was still having small seizures in which I needed to be picked up from school.
I was on Depakote the rest of my high school career, but I hated Depakote. I was too tired to function. I was super lethargic. My mom said I should stop going to seminary. I would get home from school at about 330 and sleep until 5 the next morning; and I'd still sleep through my classes.
When I graduated from high school in 2002 my Neurologist wanted to "make sure" I was still epileptic so he took me off my medication. I had another grandmal seizure and was put on Neurontin. Then a month or so later my body adjusted to it and I had another grandmal seizure.
At this point I was put on two medications: Keppra and Dilantin. Again, until they figured out my dosage I had small seizures. When I ran out of medication in the summer of 2003 I had another grandmal seizure while visiting family in PA. Then in the Fall I had another grandmal seizure because my dosage still wasn't right.
Soon after I was married and had my first baby. I was induced as I had a small seizure with Kevin. My Dilantin levels were low. Evidently Dilantin is a protein based medication. Apparently I wasn't eating a lot of protein thus the drop in my Dilantin levels. I was hospitalized until my dosage was within reason and then I was induced.
When my first husband and I moved to Utah I didn't have health insurance and not enough money for my medication so I had a grandmal seizure while we were watching television one night.
After we got settled in Utah my first husband and I talked of having another baby so I was placed on Lamictal. I had many more small seizures and had to be sent home from work. Then not too long afterward I had a grandmal seizure at work.
Finally, my last seizure was this day in 2008. I was home alone in the apartment. I lost my health insurance. My then boyfriend, now husband, was at work. Everyone I knew was at work. I was trying desperately to be relaxed. I laid on the couch and suddenly my legs had a small seizure. Sure sign that a grandmal seizure is coming! I panicked and called my mom who was working in Sanford, 45 minutes away. That's all I remember. Apparently I stopped talking, my mom panicked, and called 911. I awoke to the paramedics knocking at my door. Jim met my mom and I at the hospital. He paid for my medication. With no insurance. He promised me that I would always have my medication. Whether he had to sell his video games or tv's because that's all things that can be replaced. He said that I couldn't ❤ And he's made good on his promise! It's been 9 years! No grandmal seizures!
I still have a stutter when I'm exhausted, I get migraines (I blame epilepsy), and every once in a while I have auras and small seizures. Usually they're from when I am exhausted and not getting enough sleep. Like after James was born and not sleeping through the night I was having small seizures as I tried to sleep.
But today is a day to celebrate! 9 years no grandmal seizures! I never thought this day would come! Hooray for being 9 years grandmal seizure free!!!!!
