8 Things I've Learned From Having a Seizure Disorder
No one is able to prepare you for your first seizure and all that follows after it. Your whole life turns upside down on a dime and you have to quickly learn how to navigate this new condition. It’s frightening, but you’ll learn new things about yourself and the world around you. Here’s an abbreviated version of the things I’ve learned from having a seizure disorder:
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1. Friendship
Some people don’t know how to handle being friends with someone who has a disability. They get embarrassed by you, they don’t understand when your body physically won’t allow you to go out or they just don’t want to bear your burden with you. These truths are hard to swallow until you find a group of people who are not ashamed of you, who don’t fault you for being sick and who are compassionate enough to sit with you all hours of the night. When you find this group of friends, hold on to them.
2. Finances
Holy crap, is it expensive. Between medication, doctor visits, etc., it adds up quickly and can swiftly put you in debt.
3. Medication
Can’t live with it, can’t live without it. The side effects can be debilitating – you may cease having seizures but you may feel like a shell of yourself. From lethargy to nauseousness to weight gain, it’s a slippery slope trying to navigate medicine and it’s not even guaranteed to be effective for you.
4. People will treat you differently
Enough said – this one sucks.
5. Modifications
You might have to alter your lifestyle to be seizure free. Diet changes, sleep schedules and monitoring stress becomes a part of your daily routine.
6. Fear
It’s the most frightening thing I’ve ever experienced and you don’t get used to it, you just learn how to better navigate. I have nightmares about having a seizure and I give myself panic attacks thinking about it. There are so many different variables that come into play and it’s easy to analyze each of them, resulting in mass chaos in your brain.
7. Family
They worry. Your mom loses sleep, your aunt prays for you, your sister listens to you cry. They love you and want answers just as badly as you do. Don’t shut them out when you get frustrated.
8. Faith
Your Heavenly Father hears the cries of your futile heart. He cares for you. I believe there is a purpose for your life and a reason why you have this condition. We may not understand what that reason is, but His word tells us that He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
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Thinkstock photo via flyparade.