Understanding Epilepsy

  

   I was diagnosed with Epilepsy when I was in the 3rd grade.  It's been really hard for me over the years because it set me back a lot in my life.  It's not really something that I like talking about because it is a private pitfall of mine, but I did recently get a request to share a little bit about it to perhaps bring more of an awareness about it.  
   When I was about eight years old, I started having 'petit mal' seizures.  The best way that I can describe it is that I would basically lose consciousness but not fall to the ground and convulse like most depictions of seizures happen in Hollywood.  I'd still be standing but I would be in another little world.  Mid conversation, I would stop talking and just stare.  Kids picked on me about it growing up.  I've spoken before of my bullying and growing up that was the main catalyst in the social hell that I experienced.  
   When my body changed around the age of 13, I started having "Grand Mal" which is the type of seizure that most people think of when they think of the word "seizure".  Falling hard to the floor, tightening of muscles, convulsing violently and biting my tongue.  When I would come out of it, I would suffer from amnesia and denial.  I'd also be significantly fatigued.  Since the age of thirteen, I have had a total of five grand mal seizures.  Knock on wood, my last one was September 11, 2009 as I was driving into work.  

   Here is what Epilepsy really is, broken down into simplicity.  Epileptic seizures result from abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neural activity in the brain.  Think of a thunderstorm.  Everything is calm and peaceful and then all of a sudden chaotic and all over the place. The power goes out and everything fades to darkness.  That is the best I can describe it.  
   Seizures have triggers.  Mine is marijuana smoking and sleep deprivation as well as skipping out on my medication.  I haven't skipped my medication since the last time I smoked marijuana which was in 2008.  I had a seizure and it was the end of that because I would substitute bud for my medication because I had read on the internet that it helps curb seizure activity.  Fuck, I was wrong...
   They test seizure disorders by a test called an Electroencephalography (EEG).  This is where they glue a bunch of wires to your head, lie you onto a bed and have you breath heavily while a technician monitors your brain activity in the next room.  They also flash this ridiculously obnoxious strobe light in your face.  The entire point is to see what your triggers are and the severity of your brain.  It is after this that you are put on medication.  Medication for epilepsy (anti-convulsants) are fucking expensive by the way.

I hope that I have everything under control now.  I do sometimes suffer from petit mals from time to time.  Nothing too serious.  Mostly when I have woken up from a short nap but still tired.  

  I do hope that this was helpful and did what I was asked to do.  Spread awareness about it, because it is a very difficult disorder to live with and it keeps patients from being able to enjoy certain things in life.  Like Raves.  Because of the strobe lights.  That is me shedding light on the situation. 

 Take care! ;) xoxo

 Like The Twisted Tornado on the book of Faces: https://www.facebook.com/TheTwistedTornado 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vlewin1988 (@vlewin1988)

Instagram: http://instagram.com/viciousvictoriarules (@ViciousVictoriaRules)