Hello to all of you out there. This is a new blog as you can see and it is solely for the purpose of getting information out there to help you to UNDERSTAND and TALK about Epilepsy. First of all let me tell you what brings me to start this blog. In November of 2009, on Thanksgiving day, we were just getting ready to sit down to dinner when my oldest daughter, (7 at the time), went into a TONIC-CLONIC seizure. Literally scared me so badly that I was hysterical and angry and confused and I didn't want anyone to touch my daughter. Not even someone who knew what to do. We took her to the hospital where they did test after test and everything came back normal. I was so confused and I didn't know what I could do. They sent us home from the hospital because ANYONE could have ONE seizure in their life. They told us to come back if she had another. 3 hours after returning home from the hospital, she had a second seizure. Then a third while in the hospital later that night. I didn't know where to turn, I had no information and I was so confused. I got online and found an association here in UTAH dealing with Epilepsy and I called them. I met the Executive director and he has been so wonderful in helping me to understand Epilepsy. I hope that I can do that for all of you. I want everyone I know to Understand it. So here goes!
Epilepsy is :
Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. It’s also called a seizure disorder. When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, they are considered to have epilepsy.
A seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain. One in 10 adults will have a seizure sometime during their life.
Seizures can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. They can have many symptoms, from convulsions and loss of consciousness to some that are not always recognized as seizures by the person experiencing themor by health care professionals: blank staring, lip smacking, or jerking movements of arms and legs.
Epilepsy can be a very scary thing when first seen. However I guarantee you that if you are aware of what is going on that things will be less scary. This blog will hopefully help you as friends, neighbors and Family to understand Epilepsy and find ways to help us to teach others around us what it is and how we can help. I hope you will all come here often and see the information I will be putting on here. There is a lot of information and I hope to be able to share what I know with you.
