Make A Difference..

With Epilepsy being a huge part of who I am, I always wonder what I can do to make a difference. In March of 2010, there was a National Epilepsy Walk. It is a walk for anyone who has it, knows someone who has it, or just even a supporter of curing Epilepse and fighting for this cause. Although I was not able to attend it, I plan on in the future to see when there will be a another walk I can go to. Thsi walk has helped fundraise money for the fight for Epilepsy. Even if you do not have it, and do not fully understand what a Epileptic goes through-there are ways to help. This walk is not just for a good cause, but it reflects on anyone who has had to deal with Epilepsy in any way. Even if it is a family member who had it. Make a difference!

http://giving.epilepsyfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=thank_you

Future..

Having Epilepsy, I always wonder about my future. I am afraid my children will get it because of me. I still also wonder how I got this when no one else in my family has this illness. I found a website that answers many of these questions. It even gives a brief description about genetics and how genetics is not necessarily linked with having seizures. I found it to be useful in understanding why I have Epilepsy.

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/types/causes/genetics.cfm

Reasons

Epilepsy has always been a big part of my life. In fact, it has been a mojor contribution to who I am today. I always like find readings on why this happen to me, or I like to see percentages. I read a article that includes a lot of these findings. It is very informational. I recommend reading it. You can find it at:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2010/05/24/children-with-epilepsy-feel-on--par-with-healthy-siblings.html

Scholarships

As the school year is ending, for seniors it is time to decide where to go to college and to complete scholarships. For individuals with seizures or people who live with a individual with seizures, there are scholarships out there to help with financial needs. For people who are not yet seniors, keep in mind that these options are out there. I never really realized that I could get scholarships based on this illness. For any other individuals, besides Epilepsy scholarships, there are many other types of scholarships out there... Just keep looking, stay dedicated, and try not to procrastinate.
Here are some websites that offer scholarships:
http://www.ucbepilepsyscholarship.com/
http://www.epilepsy-scholarship.com/

Be Prepared/Safety Tips:

If you are in the situation where a person is having a seizure, keep this mind and follow these rules:

1)Do not restrain - it can make the seizure more severe.
2)Stay nearby.
3)Speak kindly, be passient.
4)If the person is moving around, remove dangerous, sharp or hot objects from the area.
5)Stand behind the person and gently guide him or her away from danger.

6)If the person shakes or falls, turn the head or whole body to the side so that saliva can drain from the mouth.
7)Force nothing between the teeth. It is not longer used tp put a object in mouth to prevent from swallowing ones tongue. You cannot swallow it. A hard object can increase damage to the tongue from biting, and a soft object can become lodged in the throat, causing suffocation.
8)If the seizure lasts more than 10 minutes, call an ambulance.
9)When the seizure is over, let the person rest.

Things to Know:

Epilepsy Facts:

• There are over 2½ million people in the United States diagnosed with epilepsy.
• Epilepsy affects more people than cerebral palsy, cancer, tuberculosis, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis combined.
• Epilepsy can occur at any time in life, and for many people the cause is unknown.
• In epilepsy some brain cells discharge when they aren't supposed to.
  

Some reason why individuals have seizures:

Acquired congenital and hereditary diseases
Birth or pre-birth trauma (injuries)
Abnormal metabolism
Chemical imbalance
Allergies
Poisoning (lead is the most common)
Brain tumors (less than 10-15%)
Central nervous system infections, such as meningitis and encephalitis
Scar formation in the brain from head injury or surgery
Stroke
Liver disease, alteration in blood sugar, vitamin deficiencies
The leading cause of epilepsy for adults is automobile accidents. The leading cause for children is birth trauma. The leading cause for those over 65 is strokes.

Epilepsy Myths:
There are many ancient myths about epilepsy. It has been said that people with epilepsy were shunned, locked up in mental institutions or forbidden to marry or have children.
Seizures were thought to be caused by witchcraft, insanity, or even possession by demons.

Individuals with seizures never tend to hear about famous people who have/had seizures. Some of the most famous people in history were struck with this illness. With the "normal" epileptic person, as in a person who lives a normal life with out being star struck with paparazzi, your not alone.

• Famous people with epilepsy include: Julius Caesar, Socrates, Alexander the Great, Tchaikovsky, Van Gogh, Dostoyevski, Dickens, Dante, da Vinci, Mozart and Alfred Nobel.
  

"The anger and frustration that epilepsy can engender may be overcome by learning the facts, working through problems, raising self-esteem and achieving self-regulation."
- M. Fischer-WilliamsMD, FRCP, Neurologist

Random Facts

• Here are some random facts that I found to be interesting and easy to comprehand.

Fact: One in 100 teenagers has it.
Fact:It's a disorder of the brain that sometimes makes people have seizures.
Fact:It can be caused by anything that damages the brain. In most cases, the cause is unknown.
Fact:Seizures happen when there's a brief glitch in the brain's electrical activity.
Fact:There are different kinds of seizures. Some are convulsions. Others make people stare into space or act confused.
Fact:Most seizures are over in seconds or a couple of minutes.
Fact:Epilepsy affects people from all walks of life. More than 350,000 African-Americans have epilepsy. About 24,000 African-Americans are diagnosed with epilepsy each year.
Fact:Teens with epilepsy take daily medication to prevent seizures. Some use other kinds of treatment.
Fact:Some teens have lots of seizures. Some have very few, or none at all.
Fact:Teens who are seizure-free may be able to get drivers' licenses.

Found at: http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/etr/fastfacts.cfm

EEG

I understand what this little boy is going through. He is having an EEG. I have had to go through this a few times as well. EEG stands for electroencephalogram. The tests measures the electric activity that is going on in your brain. It is able to detect information after brain damage, unconciousness, and the recovery of being in a coma. It my case it was able to diagnose if the I was having seizures and what type they were.

My Story

When I was in second grade I was diagnosed with having Epilepsy (seizures). As a kid I did not fully understand the whole term. I was only a child, all I knew was it was a function that can occur whenever, and I had no control over it. Being that young, I missed school frequently and my work began to get a little tough. Throughout the years, the seizures did begin to get better, and by the end of my sixth grade they took me off the medicine because they thought I was clear of having them. Unfortunately during my seventh grade, they reappeared. My mother found me blacked out on the floor, and I was taken to the emergency room. Ever sense December 27, 2004 I have been on medication. I have learned to overcome each obstacle and to not let it control my life. Epilepsy can be trialing, but with each situation one can either let in control them or try to learn from it. In my case, I wanted to learn from this illness.