Howdy V!

Same thing with my mother. The thing that REALLY screwed me up was the:
"Your epilepsy already makes you conspicuous enough, don't do anything that
might call attention to yourself!"

I wasn't raised in the type of environment when it seems you were (being
commanded by the parents not to tell anyone about the disorder). But, I WAS
told to keep it to yourself when applying for jobs (self explanatory...).
Other than that, I was encouraged to ask questions, let friends know,
teachers, etc.

I think for me the issue is that I don't want to define myself by my medical
conditions. Epilepsy is just a medical condition I have. I also have other
medical conditions. I don't say to people "hi, I've no-gall-bladder-ist" or
"hi, I'm a stroke-person". I say, if I mention it at all, "I've got no gall
bladder", or "I've had a stroke". Similarly I have had (past tense, I hope
;-)) epileptic seizures, so I say that, I don't say "I'm epileptic". I
doesn't define who *I* am. End of story.

This has come up before in the NG.  With my son (who is 7 and had his first
seizures 4 days before his 5th Birthday), our conversations focus on the
fact that he has Epilepsy not that he is Epileptic.  To some of you I know
this seems like splitting hairs...to me, it is the difference between having
a condition and having a condition that defines who you are.  His epilepsy
simply put certain limits on what he can do.  He will never be a fighter
pilot....he'll never be an astronaut...in all likelihood, he'll never be a
deep sea diver and other various high-risk occupations.  We do talk from
time to time about it...but it is not the focus of who he is.  We are aware
of it but do not spend alot of time focused on it as his seizure control
continues to improve with his med changes.

This is purely a subjective thing.  If you're not sensitive to it...great!
If you are....great....whatever, live and let live.

There you go...my two cents...again....

Jedi and Son

g'day v,
good for you, unfortunately many people find it hard to come to terms with
their condition.
pablo

Howdy!

Just got back from the Epilepsy Center. They turned me on (a good lookin' PA
and a good lookin' representative from Cyberonics.)

It seems that they have decided that these days they don't have to send as
much current through a persons system as they did a couple of years ago.
While I may be a frog for 30 seconds and normal(?) for 5 minutes after that;
at least I won't be a frog in pain!

My husband was diagnosed an Epileptic at the age of 17 years he is now 49
yrs of age and likewise he was told by the doctor AND his parents not to
tell anyone. because people will treat him different  and it took a long
long time before he could fully accept it.  now my hubby has a sezuire maybe
once or twice every 3 to 4 years.  when I met him he mentioned he took
tablets and was very coy about telling me why and when he did my response
shocked him and his parents.  because I said is that all.  since diagnosis
he was scared of getting involved in a relationship and when we got married
they were petrified he would have a sezuire over getting married, then he
was scared our children would be epileptic because he was.  ( when his is
post traumatic as a result of a footy injury)  then his parents didn't like
him being in the delivery room when I had our first child. because the
excitement could cause a sezuire. He even kept his plumbing job for over 30
years because he was scared no one else would emply him because of it. I
just took it all in my stride. his epilepsy has not been any problem for me.
and now in the 16 years of our marriage he has finally come to terms with
it.  BUT  bad news last week,  my hubby now has to reduce all of his
medication because he has developed Cerebellar Atrophy and the anti
convulstants have been a cause of it becoming progressivily worse quicker.
so what is a man to do  give up the meds and risk sezuires or stay on and
watch as his brain srinks faster than nature intended