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New here - 18 years with Epilepsy
Thu, 03/30/2006 - 14:10Topic: New to Epilepsy.com
Hi there :) I just wanted to introduce myself. I had my first seizure when I was fifteen, after 6 weeks of biking home from summer school in 100F+ heat (I have never been able to understand logrithms since then). I've had several over the years, causing major head trauma on several occasions (like when I had one on a tennis court), and also developed partial complex as well.
I guess I'm pretty lucky in that my epilepsy is now pretty well controlled. I'm on Dilantin for the grand mal and lamictal for the complex partial. However, I still feel held back: After getting laid of from my job a few years ago, my complex partial seizures stopped completely (I was having one or more a week, despite the medication), so my wife and I decided that it was in my best interest to stay out of work... which means that our financial situation (I was a software engineer) makes living very tight, and now that we've had our first child, money's going to be even tighter for us.
Additionally, for the past several months, my usually very mild asthma has acted up to the point where I can't do dishes for more than a few minutes without having an asthma attack. I'm not apparently allergic to anything and none of the medications I've tried so far have helped. So you can understand my frustration at virutally being confined to my home with the inability to do much to help around the house much.
Thanks for reading :)
Scott
Comments
Re: New here - 18 years with Epilepsy
Submitted by New Beginnings on Tue, 2006-06-06 - 09:01
Dear Scott,I have had epil.sinci I was 9 y/o.It was very difficult growing up.It has gotten a little better than it used to be.That was 31 years ago.I am now 40.I developed RTL epilepsy 4 years after an injury.I had brain surgery at 16 and it has been a great improvement.Getting jobs were very hard.Even if you had all of the requirements of a job,they would ask you your means of transportation and when you said "bus" they wouldn't even bat an eye at you.I have had some jobs after my surgery.My seizures were hardly noticeable so I wouldn't tell employers of my past history.But they still mamnged to figure out through the circumstances.It is very annoying.Right now I am in the process of trying to get a disability.I am also a Type 1 Diabetic.I urge you to go and try to get on a disability.I hope that I helped you.Take good care.Hugs.
Re: New here - 18 years with Epilepsy
Submitted by suebear on Fri, 2006-04-07 - 15:00
Hey Scott, I can relate with you on living with the seizures. Having them since I was a kid I can recall being in and out of jobs so often it was like a revolving door. Mostly because of the activity keeping hold of what I could do and what I couldn't. When I finally did have surgery in 95 I was able to actually have a normal life so I started working again. Went into UNIX programming and was laid off as of 98. Rather than looking for something else, I went back to college full time for a double degree in computer sciences and started my own company; I'm working out of my home now as a consultant. Reasons being, I needed a backup just in case something ever were to happen again and I couldn't get back into the field. I don't expect things to go south on me but I'd rather have it all in place just in case I ever need it. Have you ever considered something as far as independent consulting to get back into the field? It might be the way to go since you've decided to be at home under the situation you're in. If you'd like to do some brainstorming on ideas, email me off list and I'd love to chat with you! Sue Do the impossible today. For yesterday is gone and the opportunity of tomorrow may not be what you expect.