This Is Me — The Untold Side of Epilepsy
My little safety routines
There are little things I do every day that probably would not mean much to somebody else. For me, they make me feel safer while living with unpredictable seizures.
If there are visitors in my home, I may go to the toilet with the door unlocked. It is not because privacy does not matter to me. It is because I know that if I have a seizure and fall, somebody can get to me.
If I am only going into the bedroom to fetch something, I will often say where I am going. That way, if I do not come back, my caregiver knows where to look.
When I have a bath, knowing my caregiver is close by helps me feel safer and more relaxed. It is reassurance for me, not a claim that bathing is risk-free.
If I get a taxi to my mum’s, I send a quick message when I arrive: “I’m here.” It is only two words, but it lets the person waiting at the other end know that I completed the journey safely.
I also use protective covers on my bed and settee because I lose bladder control when I have my seizures. I would rather prepare practically than pretend it does not happen.
None of these routines stops my seizures. They simply give me reassurance and a little more confidence to carry on with ordinary life.
We all do things differently
What helps me may not suit somebody else. We all have different seizures, different circumstances and different ways of feeling secure.
These are mine.