Just Because

Just Because

 Most people would think that because u have epilepsy, it’s very hard to do specific things. This is true but, that does not mean you can’t do those things at all.

I play soccer and there is nothing wrong with doing that, I love to play it so I play it! I don’t care if I do my mini seizures, I’m having fun! If there is something that is your talent or it’s something you love to do, do it!

I focus when I’m in goal and I use to play other positions in the field but when I’m in goal I don’t have the seizures at all. And I feel happy when I’m in goal. So if there is something that makes you happy you should go for it.

 Some kids at my school said that I could not play with them or do stuff with them because of my epilepsy .In P.E my classmates made me feel bad when I messed up the game on something or slowed everything down because of my seizures, and some of them yelled at me. And so did some of my old coaches for soccer.

But what I should have done was told them I have epilepsy and I was trying my best to prevent it.

And since I have light triggered epilepsy all I have to do is get my sunglasses, medicine and a hat and I have done my job to prevent my seizures. Remember to do what you love and have a great time with it

Developing Epilepsy

 I have to take medicine like everyone else with epilepsy. 1 in the morning 2 at night. Sometimes it’s hard because I don’t remember to take it and my chance of having another seizure increases. I do regular things like everyone else but when I’m in the sun I have mini-seizures. It gets really annoying after a while because I can’t do much while having one, since I space out.

 I first began developing epilepsy when I was 8 years old. I was playing soccer, when in the middle of the field I started to have a mini seizure and no one knew what it was. One minute I was dribbling the ball down the soccer field, the next I was standing there waving my hand back and forth across my forehead.  No one could understand why I couldn't hear them yelling my name.  Then my Mom asked if I could hear her when I was "waving," but no, I  I couldn't.  I kept going to the doctor and 2 years later we found out that it was epilepsy but it wasn’t too bad so I did not take medicine.  Now it has developed a lot and since the first gran mal seizure I have been taking medicine 24-7 2 times a day and I’ve been getting better since.

 So epilepsy may be hard but there still are ways to help you manage your every day life.

An Epilepsy Story

Epilepsy:  STAND STRONG

Lots of people don’t know what epilepsy is, that’s why I decided to tell others about it.  Or, show them.

My name is Rileigh and I’m in 5^th grade. I had a seizure recently. All of my friends and people I didn’t even know were worried about me. The seizure happened at school during recess.  My principal came out with the nurse and brought a wheelchair.  They put me in it and I was brought inside. I couldn’t walk straight without assistance for three hours. Before I was picked up from school, but after the seizure I was blacked out for two minutes. First I started losing my balance, then I fell on my knees and my head started moving and wobbling back and forth back and forth, I couldn’t control it! Then, I blacked out.

Later on I came to school with a chain on my neck and it read: Rileigh Pena/Light –triggered Epilepsy. My friends and classmates wanted to know what it was and meant. A few days later my mom and I decided that I would tell my class what it was and what epilepsy is.

I came to school the next day and asked my teacher if in my free time I could tell the class about my epilepsy. She said yes and so I did, I told the class that epilepsy is a disorder that makes you space out for a time. But in my case I am light triggered so  whenever the sun is out at the same time I am, I will have a mini-seizure  which is when my hand goes back and forth across my  fore-head and I also space out.  My classmates asked lots of questions I was happy to answer.

Since then I have been trying to improve my mini-seizures and I have.  With the help of medication, now I can hear what other people are saying when I’m in the mini-seizure and can finish a sentence if I’m in the middle of one.

Even though I have epilepsy, I’m proud I have it and no matter what happens I can always help others in the same situation.