This is the personal story of Paula shared through our web to explain to the world her fight against epilepsy
It’s always been difficult for me to study, but now, at 23 years of age, I can say that I’ve finished college and I’m currently at university. I have friends, a partner, and I go out at weekends. I don’t drink and I have a great time. Having said that, when I get home I have to rest enough hours. I drive and I lead a completely normal life.
When as a girl (at age 13) I was diagnosed with epilepsy, it meant a radical change for me and my parents. We didn’t know what the disease meant. Since then I have suffered 8 episodes, mostly because of forgetting the medication or taking it at the wrong time. So far, I’ve had no seizures and a normal life for 6 years. I know it’s chronic and I see my doctor every year.
“I always had many questions about this disease and every time I see my neurologist, I bring a little notebook with all of them.”
At age 16 they asked me if I wanted to have children in the future, because the treatment I was taking at the time could harm future pregnancies. As I want to be a mother, I changed the treatment gradually and now I’m on this new treatment and without seizures. It comforts me to know that there are women with epilepsy who have been able to be mums.
I’ve never hidden epilepsy, everyone around me knows what to do, how to position me, and who to call if I have a seizure. The thing though, is that I often have to hear things like “But you can’t drink anything at all?” and that makes me feel uneasy. I’ve already gone through the phase of being angry at the world, and it doesn’t bother me to explain that I can’t drink because I take a lot of medication. Luckily, I was diagnosed with epilepsy very early, so I hadn’t tried alcohol and I can’t miss something I haven’t tried. Although I’m now at a very good stage, I’ve also gone through really bad times, not wanting to leave the house because I was afraid I’d have a seizure alone in the street. I overcame that with all the support of my family, seeing a psychologist, doing activities like English classes and keeping myself amused and making new friends.
Espero servir de ayuda y si alguien tiene alguna duda encantadísima de resolverla o de compartir un ratito hablando.
