Finding Support Through Community

I was diagnosed with epilepsy almost a year ago. I was 18 at the time and had my first tonic-clonic seizure. It has drastically changed my life in so many ways.  

I am majoring in studio production, so I woke up at 4 a.m. to study for my final in music theory. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital and very out of it. I didn’t remember anything. It felt like I was not even alive. I didn’t know what was going on or what had happened. I bit my tongue very hard and was not breathing for about a minute.  

I barely remember the events that happened the next few days after my seizure. In the hospital, they did an EEG that scanned my brain waves and immediately diagnosed me with epilepsy. It was weird because even though I had never had a seizure before, they still diagnosed me with it. A month later, I saw a neurologist who did another EEG. Again, they saw sparks going off in my brain.  

After the EEG, I was in the hospital for three days, scared and alone. When I finally got home, it was filled with love and support from many friends and family.  

I am prone to seizures if I don’t have enough sleep and am stressed out or very anxious. I have been on medication that has changed everything as well. I am always dizzy, get tired faster, and have more mood swings and anxiety. The worst symptom I have is memory loss. I forget so many things, and it’s become a very big struggle. I also couldn’t drive for the first four months after the seizure. 

Despite all of this, I’ve learned so much about epilepsy that I may have never known. I also met a girl, and we started dating. I am so thankful for all the love, support, and community I am a part of.