Tag: Epilepsy

Dealing with epilepsy

[Guest post #3]: I am a drug trafficker

Codrin PO

The third guest post comes directly from Germany from Janis. Enjoy!

I was travelling from Bruxelles to New York for a short vacation in the US. As Germany is part of the Visa Waiver Program, I only applied for an ESTA online, without seeking additional info from the embassy.

That was my mistake, I admit it. I only checked a few website, the FDA’s in particular. I followed all instructions: getting a letter in English from the doctor etc.

Arriving in New York was “interesting”: after waiting for the bags, I was “kindly” asked by the Border patrol to come to their office for extra inquiries. This is when I started freaking out. Arriving there, I was submitted to a 2-hours long discussion regarding my meds. Read more for some really interesting stuff!

Dealing with epilepsy

[Guest post #2] Education is not for people with epilepsy

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The second guest blog post comes directly from India from Advik.

I grew up in the UK as my parents immigrated there back in the ’60s. All throughout my adolescence, I was discriminated against at school, in the playground, in my neighborhood because I was Indian. After a while, I gotten used to it and simply ignored it.

Then my #epilepsy came in. In my second year of secondary school (high school) , I had my first seizure. And it was at school. Professors and colleagues panicked, an ambulance was called, parents came rushing and, you know already, more.

I woke up in the hospital with an IV and a few meds.

Over the year, I had several other seizures at home, at school, in the supermarket and so on. In total: 28 seizures that year. At school, people started making fun of me, imitating my seizures in a cry for attention. And the year went on like that. Continue reading “[Guest post #2] Education is not for people with epilepsy” →

Dealing with epilepsy

[Guest post #1]: Job seeking for a person with #epilepsy

Codrin PO

My first guest blog post comes directly from the US: Orlando from Saint Paul, Minnesota.

People said to me that a person with epilepsy can’t do the same job as a person (without epilepsy) can, at the same level of experience, education, skills set. So that person with epilepsy should look at a level lower than what they think is good for them.

I think this is crap. I was diagnosed with epilepsy about 20 years ago and, since then, I studied my ass off and worked, from day 1, in a competitive field at a level which many of my colleagues reached after a few years.

But, as it goes, I’m unemployed right now. Continue reading “[Guest post #1]: Job seeking for a person with #epilepsy” →

Dealing with epilepsy

Routines and how some aren’t really important

Codrin PO

For some time now, I wanted to write an article on this: the day-to-day routines to which a person with epilepsy must adapt.

Going over the most well-known: pills and sleeping. The very first time I was diagnosed (it happened multiple times, but that’s the subject of an upcoming article), the neurologist told me that if I don’t take the pills exactly 12 hours apart, than it’s useless. Continue reading “Routines and how some aren’t really important” →

Dealing with epilepsy

Yet another seizure

Codrin PO

A few days ago, I had another seizure. This time, I didn’t see it coming, no aura, no nothing. I wasn’t tired, no more than any other father of a baby, nor was I stressed out because of something.

It just happened. Unfortunately, it happened when I was watching a movie with my wife (and our baby beside) and I scared them a little. The aftermath: a cracked lip, nothing more. Of course, I don’t mention here the usual migraine and extreme fatigue that comes with the territory.

I’m writing about this because something weird and a first-timer happened: Continue reading “Yet another seizure” →