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Living with epilepsy - Introduce yourself & meet others
Epilepsy & Seizures | Last Active: Jun 29, 2023 | Replies (462)Comment receiving replies
Hi my name is David Waldahl and live in las Vegas. Resources seem to be very limited here compared to other city's and from stories I read. I'm 49 years old and have been having seizures for about 30 years. Have always been codependent, more dependent on others. I'm having to depend on myself now and is scaring the !!!! Out of me. No confidence. Just leaving my condo is tough. I'm going to need to get a job very soon and that's something that seems impossible. I'm even getting embarrassed in public when I have one. I know it will be coming and I know that's a poor way to think but after so many years it's hard to think different. It can take up to a week to recover from a seizure or multiple ones that always land me in the hospital. Just would like advise or a friend or two. Thank you. Still have fight!
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@davidinvegas
Hey there David,
I know exactly how you feel and what your going through. BUT, don’t you EVER be embarrassed (okay a few exceptions here) or ashamed that you have Epilepsy or have seizures, and that’s an order!!! The last thing that’s needed is one more person perpetuating the stigma already associated with Epilepsy, especially if it’s from one of our own. My friend in Birmingham, England had a Focal Impaired Awareness seizure in McDonalds where she removed all her clothes. She never would have known had the police or friend not told her what happened. I’ve had Epilepsy for 52 years. I’ve had well over 10,000 seizures and have been found in every conceivable place. There is virtually nothing we can do to prevent them, like it or not, we’re going down regardless of what we’re doing or where we are at. There will unfortunately always be more than enough ignorant people to keep the stigma going strong. Please don’t help them David. As far as confidence and seizures are concerned I understand it’s hard to be confident over something you have no control over. I’m assuming you live alone. You were courageous moving to your condo and that courageousness had to give you confidence to some degree. You are a very courageous fellow and I have great respect and admiration for your accomplishments. I’m sure if you think about it you’ll realize just how confident you really are. I’m curious if you may have ‘confidence’ and very realistic ‘fears’ mixed up. Anyone with Epilepsy living alone faces innumerable potential dangers and those fears and dangers only escalate when you go out in public. But like all diseases, disorders, conditions or syndromes life goes on. If you have a seizure get up when you can dust yourself off and continue along life’s journey, but you have to accept your limitations too.
If you live alone you might consider a roommate. Do you have a seizure pillow? What type seizures do you have? What meds are you on? Ever had VNS surgery or other treatments? How often do you have seizures?
Wishing you health happiness and a seizure free future.
Jake