I was in my sophomore year at Mt. Blue. My seizures had been under control. The Tegretol had been doing it's job, and after being on it for about five years with no other outbreaks and my EEG's looking good my neurologist decided to wean me off of the medication. I still had to check in with him once a year, but things were looking up. I really thought that what my mom had told me was true and this was something that I would grow out of.
My best friend, Steph and I were out on a Friday night with her mom. We did our weekly trek to Mr. Paperback, the local bookstore so that we could drool over the New Kids on the Block in all of the teen magazines. Geez, I can't believe I just publicly admitted that! But anyway, Stephi and I were meandering through the store and if I remember correctly we were over looking at the cards. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I could see this teeny little thing floating near the corner of my left eye. It was small, and flashing with all different colors. I remember thinking, "Wow! That looks like a little mosquito flying around wearing Christmas lights." Then the really funky empty feeling started in my stomach and I knew what was happening. I tried to say something, but couldn't. I don't remember anything after that.
Steph saw me go down; I apparently took out a whole bookshelf when I collapsed. It was the grand-mal seizures again, so I started convulsing. I did a pretty good job of freaking out Steph and her Mom. They called for an ambulance; thank God we were about a block from the hospital. Steph went to try and call my parents. Remember, this was pre-cell phones and she had to use a public phone and have the operator break in on the conversation that my brother was having with a friend so that Steph could tell my mother that I had gone funky again.
I don't remember too much about being at the hospital, except for the fact that I didn't realize that I was yelling at my mom when I thought I was just talking. I remember the person in the next bed telling me to "shut up." I guess my brain simply wasn't working right yet. I honestly can't remember how long I was there in the hospital. But I do remember waking up at home and looking at my face in the bathroom mirror and going "Oh my God!" My seizure had been so severe that I had popped the capillaries in my skin so my face was covered in little purple spots. I was started right again on the Tegretol; 200 mg tablets, one three times a day. I had to undergo the EEG again for testing. I hated those as they made you hyperventilate yourself to see how your brain functioned when your body was under distress. Yes, making yourself hyperventilate does majorly put your body under distress. I remember being in tears every time I had to have one of those. My parents had to keep a close eye on me for the next few month to make sure that I didn't "go funky" again. And once again, they seemed to be under control. Plus the fact that about two months after that I was diagnosed with mononucleosis and slept a lot. That really helped as well.
I remember being really bummed for a while as it sunk in that this probably wasn't going to be like what my other family members had gone through. This was something that I was going to have to learn to live with and deal with. I know that at the time I was really concerned about being able to get my drivers license. I had already done the required courses and gotten my learners permit. After six months had gone by with no further seizure activity I was able to get a letter from my neurologist stating that I was okay to operate machinery. When I took the test the driver didn't let me pass because of the letter and I remember my dad had a small farm animal when that happened. Then the first day of my junior year at Mt. Blue I got to retake the test and passed it with flying colors. Once again, I thought things were getting under control and I would get my life back in order. What could be any worse than what had already happened?
I don't think that there is enough paper in the world for me to list every other funky thing that was going to happen to me and to my family.
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