Living almost a year in fear

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Hello there. I'm new to this, my therapist just introduced me to this site. I need a little assurance and I'm hoping someone can give it to me. When I was 4-years-old, I was physically assaulted by a man my mother dated and had a Traumatic Brain Injury due to the damage he caused me. After the numerous surguries and my stroke, I was able to go back home before turning 5 but suffered with focal and grand mal seizures. My doctors placed me on Carbamazepine to help control the seizures and I was weened off of the med a year later. This year, a month before my 20th birthday, I had my first focal seizure in 14 1/2 years. Because of this, I saw two neurologists to help me deal with migraines and the seizure. Unfortunately, a lot more was going on with me hormonally and mentally. Two weeks after my birthday (*note* I had 7 more focal seizures after that) I had a grand mal seizure and while I was released from the hospital that same night, I still chose to drop all of my spring courses at DePaul and also decided to not work or take a course this summer. That same week, I was diagnosed with sporadic epilepsy and was placed on the Carbamazepine again. In just a couple weeks, school starts back up and my doctors have told me that I'm okay to go back. I'm scared about going back and it didn't help that my mom called the disability center today expressing a concern for appropriate medical interventions should I have a seizure in any of my classes this coming quarter (taking 3 classes Mon-Thurs). How can I assure myself that I'm ready? Ever since that traumatizing night on May 19th, I've shrunk and felt more and more like a child who needs someone by her side every second. I'm even terrified about taking the bus and train alone! I'm a sophomore. I should be a junior. My future just seems bleak now and I don't know how I can graduate with my masters in secondary education by the time I'm 24. Yes, I've been published 6 times and I've even taught young people how to create a work of art with the good/bad experiences they've had. This summer was empty for me and I'm just scared about what will get thrown at me in each of these classes.

Comments

You need to know that

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2014-08-15 - 12:53

You need to know that epilepsy can be controlled. I had seizures while I was a teen. Many of them were focal seizures that generalized (went into a convulsion which looks like a grand mal seizure. I did not let that stop me from going to college and taking courses in mechanical drafting engineering. Oh and that college course I took when I was a Jr in high school. What you need to do is control your epilepsy and not let epilepsy control you. You can do anything other people can do. Would you be letting a heart ailment stop you? Or diabeties? What yu have is an umseem disability. Wear a bracelet and go on with your life. IO have never driven but that has not stopped me from going places. I didn't let my epilepsy stop me from going out and having fun with other people. I went to the clubs and bars and had a great time. I drank very little and the bar tenders knew I wanted drinks without alcohol. Hey shirley Twemples looked like everybody elses. Wear a bracelet and take your meds and do what others do. There are people on this site that are epileptics. Then there are others who have a family member who has epilepsy. I have been living and dealing with epilepsy for 50+ years. I had 1 grand mal seizure. I had lots of absence seizures (petite mal) Most of the seizures I have had during thos years were focal motor seizures. I went into status epilepticus back in 1970. Yes that wasn't nice but I haven't had a convulsive seizure since then. I have worked in many fields and was even part owner iof a small business. We closed the door on the business when we had 3 companies go bankrupt owing us 36K. We paid the bank off and I came back to Dallas and went back to work. If you really want to teach then by all means go take those courses. Oh and take to the administration I do believe colleges have someone that works with people with disabilities so they might be able to help you there. I think they can also help you get the courses first or at least in the front of the line. Start by calling the 24/7 help line and asking questions

You need to know that epilepsy can be controlled. I had seizures while I was a teen. Many of them were focal seizures that generalized (went into a convulsion which looks like a grand mal seizure. I did not let that stop me from going to college and taking courses in mechanical drafting engineering. Oh and that college course I took when I was a Jr in high school. What you need to do is control your epilepsy and not let epilepsy control you. You can do anything other people can do. Would you be letting a heart ailment stop you? Or diabeties? What yu have is an umseem disability. Wear a bracelet and go on with your life. IO have never driven but that has not stopped me from going places. I didn't let my epilepsy stop me from going out and having fun with other people. I went to the clubs and bars and had a great time. I drank very little and the bar tenders knew I wanted drinks without alcohol. Hey shirley Twemples looked like everybody elses. Wear a bracelet and take your meds and do what others do.  There are people on this site that are epileptics. Then there are others who have a family member who has epilepsy. I have been living and dealing with epilepsy for 50+ years. I had 1 grand mal seizure. I had lots of absence seizures (petite mal) Most of the seizures I have had during thos years were focal motor seizures. I went into status epilepticus back in 1970. Yes that wasn't nice but I haven't had a convulsive seizure since then. I have worked in many fields and was even part owner iof a small business. We closed the door on the business when we had 3 companies go bankrupt owing us 36K. We paid the bank off and I came back to Dallas and went back to work. If you really want to teach then by all means go take those courses. Oh and take to the administration I do believe colleges have someone that works with people with disabilities so they might be able to help you there. I think they can also help you get the courses first or at least in the front of the line. Start by calling the 24/7 help line and asking questions

You need to know that epilepsy can be controlled. I had seizures while I was a teen. Many of them were focal seizures that generalized (went into a convulsion which looks like a grand mal seizure. I did not let that stop me from going to college and taking courses in mechanical drafting engineering. Oh and that college course I took when I was a Jr in high school. What you need to do is control your epilepsy and not let epilepsy control you. You can do anything other people can do. Would you be letting a heart ailment stop you? Or diabeties? What yu have is an umseem disability. Wear a bracelet and go on with your life. IO have never driven but that has not stopped me from going places. I didn't let my epilepsy stop me from going out and having fun with other people. I went to the clubs and bars and had a great time. I drank very little and the bar tenders knew I wanted drinks without alcohol. Hey shirley Twemples looked like everybody elses. Wear a bracelet and take your meds and do what others do. There are people on this site that are epileptics. Then there are others who have a family member who has epilepsy. I have been living and dealing with epilepsy for 50+ years. I had 1 grand mal seizure. I had lots of absence seizures (petite mal) Most of the seizures I have had during thos years were focal motor seizures. I went into status epilepticus back in 1970. Yes that wasn't nice but I haven't had a convulsive seizure since then. I have worked in many fields and was even part owner iof a small business. We closed the door on the business when we had 3 companies go bankrupt owing us 36K. We paid the bank off and I came back to Dallas and went back to work. If you really want to teach then by all means go take those courses. Oh and take to the administration I do believe colleges have someone that works with people with disabilities so they might be able to help you there. I think they can also help you get the courses first or at least in the front of the line. Start by calling the 24/7 help line and asking questions

Living almost a year in fear

Comments

You need to know that

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2014-08-15 - 12:53

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