I just came back from a two-week trip to London and Paris, the first trip in many years, and the first international in quite some time. I was extremely nervous about the trip because my seizure threshold is manageable but still present. Typically, I'll have a seizure once every two weeks, sometimes even more frequently. I think my biggest fear, besides having a public seizure, was having a seizure in front of my extended family. The last seizure I had left some people yelling and freaking out despite notifying them of the proper response. People oftentimes don't appreciate the hidden baggage we carry from these less-than-ideal responses. So with that said, I had some fear.

The trip was fantastic, although I often went sleep-deprived, was dehydrated, and was off my normal schedule. Thankfully, I went seizure-free. With that said, I did have two seizure events. Both were due to being among very large crowds, loud noise, and heat. Fortunately, I noticed the progression and removed myself from the environmental triggers before things escalated into a much more noticeable event.

The coolest part of the trip was knowing that I could travel internationally, make new friends, confront seizure triggers, and minimize my seizure events by watching and responding closely when I felt an escalation of symptoms.

Lastly, I must acknowledge that this trip was possible at this unique stage of my journey. Even a year ago, a trip of this magnitude would have been unwise, and a year before that, a trip would have been impossible. I also made sure to provide special accommodations to reduce triggers. For example, I had special earplugs if I knew I would be in a loud environment. I also recognized my limitations and would take ownership of my health and knew when to decline certain activities like going into a place with a very high ceiling (a trigger). I also saw that if I had an event, I could survive as long as I heeded my body's warning signs (sweating, visual disturbances, losing balance). I now feel much more confident about tackling the next trip.