how epilepsy is causing me to lose my love of painting

[mrtigre]

Hello;
I have had epilepsy since birth. Partial seizures to petite mal, to temporal lobe seizures. a recent MRI finally found the reason for them was that there was scar tissue on the left temporal lobe. I have gone through 30 or so medicines with all types of side effects to anti depressants. I had a drivers license until I was 49 yrs/old and married with two kids. I had a seizure in heavy traffic, two people died in the accident. I voluntarily handed my license and till this day I get by the best I can.

Recently, I started "blacking out" I could be talking to someone and just collapse. I originally thought that these were not seizures because there wasn't an "AURA" that preceded them. My neurologists however said that they were a new strain. Because I was getting older, epilepsy showed itself in different ways. this type of seizure was "TRIGGERED" by something in the environment. (bright light, odor's in the air, stress, colors,etc). I noticed eventhough I was passing out in many different situations. The one place that it occurred the most was in my painting studio. I found myself on the floor or hunched over the desk many times. I tried changing the light in the desk lamp as well as opening windows, only painting an hour or so in the morning,etc. I think It was also the watercolor paints I was using and not the chalk pastel's. My concern is that I will have to give up watercoloring altogether.

Is there anyone who reads this forum who personally has been in this situation or know of someone who has found out how to cope with this and maybe what's working for them. Thank You

[Bernard]

Hi mrtigre, welcome to the forum!

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances. The olfactory nerve is supposedly 'hard wired' to the brain in a more direct fashion than the optic nerve (which the brain processes/filters to a greater degree). If visual stimuli can be a seizure trigger, I would expect aromatic stimuli could be too.

Perhaps there is some sort of mask you could wear to protect you from the paint fumes?

[mrtigre]

thanks bernard!
Great idea with the mask! I will try that

[Nancy]

mrtigre - I have no suggestions and cannot offer any help - I just wanted to say that I understand your concern.
The "big deal" in my life is my woodcarving and it started failing in '04 when my seizures started changing.
Good luck !!

[Bernard]

Hi Nancy, welcome to the forum.

[Nancy]

Thanks Bernard.
I wish mrtigre would come back and tell us how his painting is going. I hope the reason he hasn't been back is because he's too busy painting :wink:

[mrtigre]

I want to send you a picture I painted but am having problems sending it from word to this forum. Is there anyone who know how it can be done?

[Bernard]

How to post a picture