I was 11 years old the first time I woke up in the back of an ambulance. I didn’t know why I was there, what had happened in the last hour, or what my name was. The EMTs told me I had had a seizure, but that it was fine, as thousands of people had a seizure in their lifetime (1 in 10 people, to be specific). A week later, I was back in that ambulance, and no one was reassuring me that everything was going to be okay. They knew something was wrong and the emergency room doctors told my parents I needed to see a neurologist immediately. After that appointment, I had my diagnosis- epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes seizures, which are abnormal changes in brain activity—imagine your brain waves just going off like fireworks. Epileptic seizures are not caused by a temporary underlying condition, such as a high fever or drug withdrawal. A person is diagnosed when they have two or more seizures in succession, as I did. According to the Mayo Clinic, Epilepsy Foundation of America, and the CDC, it is the 4th most common neurological condition, and around 3.4 million Americans and 65 million people across the globe have epilepsy. It is the second leading cause of death from a neurological condition (~50,000 people die each year from epilepsy-related accidents), but epilepsy research is one of the most underfunded in the country.
Since that day 18 years ago, I’ve had countless seizures—on the beach, a public bus, my living room floor, my college bathroom, etc. There are multiple types of seizures, but I have tonic-clonic seizures, which are the ones people most often imagine when they hear the word (I.e., falling and shaking on the floor). Due to my seizures, I’ve chipped my front teeth, had three concussions, and what feels like a million black eyes. My first medication even made most of my hair fall out. Every time I think maybe, just maybe, my seizures have stopped, another one will happen. It’s exhausting.
Epilepsy is a lonely, scary disease that can easily drag a person down. However, it has also made me more resilient and empathetic, because I learned two things at a young age—1. How to pick myself back up time and time again and 2. You can never truly know what is happening in someone’s personal life.
The Journal of Clinical Neurology and Epilepsia published studies reporting that the most common comorbidities of epilepsy are anxiety and depression, which is why I am so happy Doral has a behavioral health department that sees people both in-person and via telehealth. If anyone you know is living with epilepsy, I would encourage them to make an appointment to see a behavioral health specialist at once—I promise you they’ll feel better. And in more exciting news, Doral will have a neurologist soon!
Happy Epilepsy Awareness Month, all!
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At Doral Health & Wellness, our driving focus and purpose are to offer a fully comprehensive, immersive, and holistic healthcare experience. The Experience is designed from a patient-centered, driven focus specifically for Bedford Stuyvesant, Brownsville, and East New York communities. It encourages strong communication, cooperation, and collaboration among our agencies to ensure we can continue delivering quality services to our children and families. Make your appointment today with your primary care doctor to determine whether you should be referred to Doral’s highly qualified specialists in Brooklyn, NY.
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