A Traumatic Brain Injury Caused My Seizures

I didn’t understand what it meant when my family told me I had epilepsy. I didn’t remember having any seizures, but then again, I didn’t remember much of anything at the time. It was about two months after being run over by a car, which resulted in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). I had already had several seizures while I was in the hospital, but I didn’t and still don’t remember anything that happened during that time. 

My family immediately found a neurologist who would help me handle the seizures. I took my medication regularly as my doctor directed, but I still didn’t remember anything. I didn’t feel an aura or any warning that a seizure was coming. I remember people around me getting nervous, and then I would black out. The next thing I knew, I woke up tired. My mom was always next to me every time this happened. Sometimes, there were a lot of people around; other times, just my mom and stepdad, depending on when and where I had the seizure. In every situation, my mom and stepdad were always there, ensuring I was okay and letting me know I wasn’t alone. 

I was always exhausted, like I had just been running or working out, but not like being tired from a short run around the block; it was like I ran a whole marathon. The weirdest thing was I never remembered what happened, why I was lying down, why people were looking at me, or why they were worried. All I knew was I never wanted that to happen again. I hated that feeling of being lost, feeling so weak, and making people worried. 

On April 8, 2015, I had a seizure in my bedroom. This time, I had an aura. I knew something weird was happening to me, so I called my mom. I laid down on my bed, and that’s when the seizure began. My leg started moving by itself, and I tried to stop it, but I had no control over it. My arms were shaking, too. I just had to wait until it stopped. A couple of minutes later, it did.

The feeling of not having control over my body was frustrating and infuriating. That was the worst part of it for me. I was in bed, and my mother was with me, so I was safe. I knew I wasn’t going to fall or hit my head, but I wanted it to be over. I wanted my arms and legs to stop moving, but they just wouldn’t. It was such a horrible feeling not having control over my own body. When it stopped, I was exhausted, but this time, I knew why. For the first time, I remembered and still remember the seizure. 

The next time I saw my neurologist, he increased the dose of my medication a little bit, which was enough to control my epilepsy up to this day. It has been eight years and seven months since that seizure, and I haven’t had another one since then. I didn’t think it was possible to live a seizure-free life again, but here I am, doing my best every day to continue to make that possible. I don’t think I’ll ever live without some fear of a possible seizure, but thankfully, it’s not a constant fear. I feel safe enough to drive and get on a roller coaster. Sometimes, I even go to bed a little later than my routine, but I don’t let it become a habit. 

In the 11 years since my accident, I have learned to work hard and be stronger than I ever thought. I was able to get back on my feet, and that strength is what has made me successful in my fight with epilepsy.