This place has become a home to me thank you all

[BoudicaWV]

Last night (meaning 5 am this morning) my husband told me that I had over 9 seizures and with each one he said he had to do CPR on me. See I woke up @ 5 am this morning feeling like I was going to have a seizure, so I got out of bed got some meds in me and started drinking some water, my husband came down the steps with our video camera tape in his hand and said you have to watch these there getting worse and I'm getting scared. I watched the tape and to my amazement i've never seen myself do anything like this before I'll seize go through the whole seizure and then just stop everything including breathing. Now I can't remember who said it but see I don't get 7-8 hours of sleep a night I might get 2-3 solid but I do take a 3-4 hour nap during the day and yes I'll have seizures than too, I just can't remember them.

I have a masters in computer information system technology so I'm very computer savy me and my next door neighbor built this program on my laptop which is also hooked up to the video camera. The program consist of if there is any sudden movements or noises it starts to record, yes sometimes it picks up my husband making noises but thats a glitch we are working on I got this idea when I went to stay in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. At first it was just a thought then my neighbor said hey why don't we give it a shot, at first it was very stressful; then we both had the same idea working together I am now able to take all my tapes with me when I go see the neurologist or my doctor. They at first were skeptical about it because it's not approved by the hospital or a doctor, but when my neurologist seen a whole months worth of tapes he changed his tune asking how we did it, who did it? When I explained to him it was me and my next door neighbor his comment was Kim I thought u had to stop working due to your seizures I explained yes but that doesn't mean I have to give up completely to me this was a way of showing myself I still have a brain and yes it does work sometimes. LOL

He started laughing and explained these tapes were very important on diagnosing me and asked if he could keep them I said sure because everything is stored to my hard drive on my laptop I just burn the disk once a week and mark the weeks date. Since then it seems like i'm being taking more serious. But why did it take me and my neighbor building this software program (as we call it the prototype) to be taken seriously? I know my husband is getting more scared each day he just won't admit it you know he wants to be strong for me and the children. But this morning his exact words were what if u were sleeping somewhere else? What would have happened? I had to look at him and tell him I don't know, you see I have this habit of falling asleep in my sitting chair and my husband is reluctant to wake me because he says "you never sleep I mean good sleep anyhow" I have told him on more than one occasion if u are going up to our bedroom even to watch TV wake me I'll go up too, still he's reluctant. He knows my camera n laptop are up there and the more documentation you get the better care I get I feel, even though he doesn't like the idea of him being taped during my seizures. My only conclusion I can come to that is it shows his vulnerable side. I've only seen my husband cry twice in our whole marriage but on these tapes he yells at me and calls out to god and cries.

I don't make fun of him or say anything about that I just tell him he did a wonderful job and I thank him over and over for saving me his comment to that is what would our life be like without you. He lets me know I'm his world and yes damn right that'll make any women feel like she's on cloud nine. I'm not saying we have a peachy king marriage we argue about dumb stuff too just like everyone else but we never go to bed angry only once in our whole 12 years of marriage. As my favorite saying goes "Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what your going to get" Forrest Gump. Corny I know but it makes me feel like if I have a bad day, the next one could be great.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can ease my husbands mind, because deep down I'm afraid this is tearing him apart he just won't tell me. He also never leaves me 24/7 he's my best friend, and my best companion. What did I ever do to deserve someone so GREAT? I guess only god knows that answer. Well any input I'll greatly appreciate. And everyone here thanks for the support and letting me talk. I know I ramble on and on sometimes but it helps. Thanks so much!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Kimberly Wessells-Overstreet

[alivenwell]

Wow! That's an amazing story. That is very sharp of you to keep track of your seizure activity. It has to be the most accurate method to share with your doctor.

Ramble?! Not at all! I read every word with interest, especially your incredible use of technology. Just think of all the medical bills you are saving.

Your husband's been dealing with this for twelve years. Have you thought of taking the equipment with you and going on a vacation with him? It may relieve his stress somewhat, and also help you two go to a refreshing environment.

[Meetz1064]

to have you here, Kimberly.

And I think that Alivenwell has a BRILLIANT idea. Why don't you take the equipment with you, and go on a vacation? It would be GREAT for the two of you......

[hawke86]

Glad you're enjoying it here.

[BoudicaWV]

I got so frustrated with doctors saying "its all in your head". I'm the type of woman when I get mad or upset I fight, I use to crawl up in a ball n just cry. But when I presented the idea to my neighbor Cecil who is brilliant with computers, he said Kim if we put both of our heads together we can do it. That was it game was on. I wish I could go on a vacation with 5 kids 2 still in the home and we have no living family left. We just had to take our whole savings and buy a new car so I can get back n forth to the doctors. booo hooo. Thats OK we plan on taking the kids to Disney world this summer it will be my first time going too. My and my husbands family were all military so we've traveled the world and seen many of sights, I even parachuted with my father for the first time when I was nine instantly hooked. Haven't done it in awhile,miss my dad a lot. Well the idea of a vacation was nice but right now with the economy no way we could afford it. I go to the doctors today had about 6 seizures in a 3 hour window of what I guess u can call sleep. I will talk to everyone later have a great day
Sincerely,
Kimberly Wessells-Overstreet