Seizing Freedom

Tyler

Well, its been five years since I had my skull cracked open.

Initially I didn't think having part of my brain removed changed me but it did.

Maybe part of it was not having to worry about falling down and seizing on the floor at any given moment anymore. Getting a warning before I seize now is the best part of the whole outcome.

At least I know when it's going to hit.

I don't fall on my face or down a flight of stairs. I have time to get somewhere safe and can do a lot more things that I couldn't do before.

Stairs aren't an issue anymore, I can be around the stove without supervision, I can shower with the door closed, I can go for a walk! I could actually walk down to Mikes house by myself without worrying.

He doesn't live there anymore.

After graduation he started working towards getting his social work degree and got an apartment. Now when I want to go see him he has to come pick me up. I still can't drive since I'm not completely seizure free, unless its Mario Kart or Need for Speed, then I'll kick your ass.

They're no where near as bad as they were before though. I only have a seizure once every five to six days now. I still get the tonic clonic seizures but with the new meds some of them are only partials, those aren't so bad. I still have the absence seizures from time to time but not multiple times a day anymore and only notice the jerks when I haven't slept well. Then I'll have a few the next morning but that I can deal with. I still have the odd rough day if I forget to take my pills or come down with something. It seems every time I get sick my brain goes haywire but aside from that things are more regular than they have ever been.

Now my epilepsy is considered to be 'under control' and I only have to see the neurologist once a month. Things have been a lot better. I may never be seizure free but I can do a lot more now than I ever could.

At least now I can have a life.

After high school I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do. Mom suggested just getting a job and taking some time to figure it out.

That was a lot easier said than done.

Not a lot of places are eager to hire you on when they find out you have epilepsy.

Controlled or not they still consider you a liability.

An accident waiting to happen.

I ended up teaching drum lessons out of the house after a suggestion from Myles. Finding students wasn't hard but I knew they had to know about my condition and be okay with it.

At first some were hesitant.

Once I explained that they wouldn't have to do anything, that I knew when it was going to happen and would end their lesson early if I had to, they were fine with it.