Never forget your better Halves

[Weevie]

Could I just say a really big thank you to my wife for getting me through the last 15 years I love her dearly.

I think that she must have known that she was going to be in for a rough ride when about two months after I met her she took me to a beauty exhibition with her father who I had met only once before and I went into a fit which lasted four hours and then about 2 months after that we went to London on our own and I lost her on the underground in a fit. We eventually found each other about 3 hours later. These episodes continued (about 5 clustered ones every ten days) till I had my operation in 2004 which then lead to other problems. I started having all kinds of strange thoughts and theories going through my head like I swore that there was life on other planets particularly Jupiter and I had lived there and even accused her father of being the Devil I was very confused. Then there where times when all wanted too do was look at the sun. Now I am beginning to realise that they stemmed from childhood epileptic experiences (see My Outer-Body Epileptic Experiences in the Padded Room) and feel that I am finally getting them out of system and am starting to reflect what my wife has been through.

Her father tragically died aged 58 in 2003 and she fell pregnant with our third child at the same time. She struggled on through the pregnancy having to cope with me fitting, her father dying and our other two children. I got called in to have the Brain surgery 1 week before she gave birth to our third child. After the surgery my memory was poor and when I went to sleep nothing would wake me up, then these strange thoughts and theories started, she was literally on her own and even now I don’t know how she has managed. She is a wonderful wife who has graced me with 3 wonderful children who are so lucky to have her for there Mother and I am so lucky to have her for my wife. She deserves more than what she has got in me.

[morgan86]

wow thats awesome. sounds like you got quite the woman there. i can only hope my husband stays strong. hes also been great so far. we've only been married for 1yr and 11months so far but i can only hope we grow to the level you and your wife are operating on. just out of curiousity how often to you have fits that last up to 4 hrs? do u mean u went in and out of seizures for for hours or you were unconcious for that long?

[Weevie]

I stopped having them in 2004 but before that I had had fits
all my life which included about 4 that where about that long.
I also spent alot of time going in and out of status which they
seemed to think that these fits where linked to but if you read
the article I referred to in the padded room you will probably get
a better idea of what I have gone through and how she has
come to have such a hard time having to deal with them

[Meetz1064]

ARE a very lucky man, Weevie. Make sure you tell her how much you appreciate her, and love her......

[darcness]

I always love to read stories like this. It really gives me the strength to keep going on and doing all I can for my wife (she has E). Thanks so much for sharing this. I have to say that your wife must be an INCREDIBLY strong person. I could barely handle one tonic-clonic, let alone everything you've been through.

I can only hope I get past this some day and it doesn't bother me as much anymore. I'm still in the initial phases of understanding E and it's been hard on me so far. As more time goes by though, I realize that it's not so bad. Especially since my wife is currently seizure free. Time will tell how that holds up. For now, I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

[Nakamova]

Epilepsy asks a lot of us and those around us. Yay for the loved ones who stay at our sides through thick and thin.

[BuckeyeFan]

Ditto for my wife.

See the 'Hero Stories' forum to see how she saved my life. Feel free to add her to that honor roll. It sounds like she deserves it.

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

I had a seizure on my first date with my husband. He was totally cool with it. (Turned out his best friend had epilepsy.) Arthur was so great and so supportive (unlike my countless other "dates") I figured, "he's a keeper!" That was 30 years ago!

[skstrange1]

Hello,

I read your story. I have a quick question. What is Steven?s-Johnson Syndrome? A danger for those on Dilantin or Lamictal. I have Complex partial seizures from the left temporal lobe of the brain. I've taken Lamictal (various dosages) Lamictal ER (various dosages). I've also taken numerous other seizure drugs (various dosages). I have acute stress reaction-anxiety and Ihave been taking diff. drugs for that(various dosages) Thank you for your help!!!!

[Nakamova]

Hi SKStrange --

Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a life-threatening condition affecting the skin. It can be caused by an allergic reaction to some anti-epileptic drug meds, including Lamictal and Phenytoin, and would show up when the mediaction is first started. If you think you have symptoms of SJS you need to call your doctor immediately. While it can start as a fever or sore throat, the more obvious symptoms are painful ulcers and other lesions in the mouth and lips and across arises on the face, torso, arms and legs, and soles of the feet.

[Meetz1064]

is a severe allergic reaction to a medication, such as Lamictal or Dilantin.

This link does a great job of explaining it:

Stevens Johnson Syndrome

[Rae1889]

Agreed, you have wuite the woman. Me and my fiance are at the ready all the time now to be support for each other!