Seizures at work...

[AndrewIrish]

I mentioned this in a previous thread but felt like I wanted to talk about it more... I just had my second Grand Mal (Tonic Clonic) seizure at work... the first go around, it kinda took everyone by surprise but I'd had a new supervisor working with me and she says she used to be a Nurse... so she 'jumped on top of me and held me down' to keep me safe and hlep me ride it out... but in any case, she's an awesome person and great boss who genuinely cared about me and tried to help me... well, this has happened again... except several people from the office helped me... my fiancee actually works with me so she witnessed both but this one more so... my boss again gnabbed me as it started happening 'cuz she was walking by... I was in my office chair... and she held me by one arm, a co-worker guy held me in place by my trunk and my fiancee had my other arm and this collaborative effort pinned me into place as the seizure went on for about 5 minutes... a friend of mine who works there called the paramedics for me who swiftly came in and ran off with me to the ER for the usual through and through... but my fiancee went back to office to dorp off ER Paperwork yesterday night and grab some things I'd left there... my job is awesome about it all... it's not held against me that either myself or SHE had to leave the office... they told me to take today off if I needed it.. (I'm not, I'm actually scheduled to work a double today so long as they let me).... but my office has done several things for me... they moved me to a section of the office that has a walkway behind me so I'm in an open space should I fall... I work in a call center so they actually 'deprioritized' me on certain days so I would field less calls....

I know I work in an awesome place with good, caring people... I wonder if anyone else has been in a similar circumstance? My heart almost breaks at how good these people are to me and I have some heroes in my office I have to speak to today...

 

[SlimBlue]

That sounds great

My last job was like that. My team there were brilliant about it, really supportive, but also down to earth as well- didn't make me feel 'special' in any way, just helped me when I needed it, and were very good about time off etc.

 

[marika853]

Andrew,
You are indeed lucky! There ARE many people out there that genuinely care about others. I'm so glad that you appreciate them.
M

 

[lindsayschu2]

Your work sounds awesome, truly. Mine is understanding--I don't really have tonics but can have repetitive partials or myoclonics and have to work from home or go home--they are very accommodating but my boss seems super uncomfortable with the whole topic. We have a very strict policy about not discriminating based on medical conditions and accommodating as needed, so that isn't an issue, but they seem kind of sqeamish about the topic and afraid I will have a tonic some day. And I wonder if my condition has kept me from getting promoted sometimes though the never in a million years would say that!!

 

[skyfire322]

I work in a call center as well, and have had quite a few grand mals. They try their best to accommodate me, but with the company growing, things are getting are a little cramped, so I have a cubicle that's in the middle of the floor where everyone can see what's going on.

I've gone through four different supervisors, so they were all caught by surprise. Luckily, I have a walkie talkie linked straight to our security department if something happens.

I've had to jump through hoops of fire with the HR department, and I've been written up (which is a bunch of bull) but I just keep pushing through.

Call center people unite!

 

[George__]

^
You are so lucky

 

[CQ:)]

I work as a receptionist for a builders, everyone is aware of my epilepsy & they are amazing about it. The place I work at is amazing, it is like 1 big family at times but everyone in the office seems to look out for me a lot lol.
My seizures are well controlled & I only have auras at the moment which happen more later in the afternoon or at night.

I've never been good with stress so it doesn't take much for me to get stressed lol. Often I will get busy & start worrying that I have so much to do, usually I'm the only one who worries as my boss & co workers tell me they know I'll get it done eventually.

A couple of months ago I had a huge workload & got myself so stressed that 1 of my co workers who I work along side the most picked up on it & let my boss know. My boss took me aside for a chat (ofcourse I thought the worse lol), he said my co worker noticed i'd been stressed so he just wanted to make sure I was O.K. He told me they don't want me getting so stressed where I'll get sick & it might trigger a seizure so he asked me to let himself or 1 of the ladies I work along side know if I am stressed so they are aware.
After the talk with my boss one of the ladies I work with who is very organised sat down with me & worked out a daily procedures plan where we set certain days & times to do the tasks I have to do. This has worked well & helped with my work load as well as reducing my stress.

There are 3 other people at work who also have family members with epilepsy. One is someones little grand daughter, one is someones teenage son & the other is someones wife.

 

[AndrewIrish]

I'm very fortunate... my Supervisor has a stepson with epilepsy... and she's kind of like a big sister to me at this point... I swear, even though I'm a man, I felt like crying because of how good people at work have been about this...

 

[skyfire322]

I'm very fortunate... my Supervisor has a stepson with epilepsy... and she's kind of like a big sister to me at this point... I swear, even though I'm a man, I felt like crying because of how good people at work have been about this...

Same here! Sometimes, as much as I despise my job, I love the people I work with. They're like my second family.

 

[Nakamova]

Wow! It's great to hear about such supportive workplaces.

 

[Juju26]

I am at a new job now as a cashier and no one knows about me having epilepsy, not even management.

I'm not embarrassed about having epilepsy. I'm just scared that if management finds out, my hours may be reduced because they may be scared I may have a seizure in front of the register and money may be lost.

I was actually scared and crying during break yesterday because I spent the whole day with "epileptic forced thinking" and a few slight "twitches" throughout my body. I've gone the last 7 months w/o an unconscious seizure, but yesterday was the worst day I have had in a long time.

I graduated college this May, and before that I had to complete an internship and management knew about my epilepsy and I felt they treated me differently after finding out and having two complex seizures while working.

I believe my current job might be supportive, I just don't know for sure????

 

[Nakamova]

Hi juju,

This is worth a read:
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/epilepsy.cfm

 

[CBernieBlack]

I worked for a small Networking company. They were horrible around my seizures. I was unable to drive for 1.5 years and they were just horrible to work with around it. In march of 2014, I put in my 2 weeks and now work for a hospital IT staff. Waaaay better.


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[George__]

I worked for a small Networking company. They were horrible around my seizures. I was unable to drive for 1.5 years and they were just horrible to work with around it. In march of 2014, I put in my 2 weeks and now work for a hospital IT staff. Waaaay better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lucky you

 

[Autumn Breeze]

I work in a restaurant, I've missed one day if work. When i started the job my husband was driving me, when I hit my year free I started driving myself.

I'm very concerned about having a seizure at work.

 

[skyfire322]

Obviously I am concerned about the seizure itself because there is the possibility of injury, but I'm so used to having them that 90% of the time it really doesn't phase me anymore.

As odd as it sounds though, I'm more concerned about the day I return to work because I always get "that look" from everyone in the office, which makes me feel really uncomfortable. The IM's and e-mails flood my inbox, people ask what happen, etc.

Like I said, I'm lucky I have supervisors that are on their toes and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure that I'm secure... But sometimes I just want to pull my hair out!

 

[Crash]

It's great to have understanding people in the work place,it certainly reduces the stress which is a great help when it comes to epilepsy.

My first ever seizure(a tonic) happened on the first day on a new job.From what I can remember everyone was brilliant,and it was never held against me.In fact I got the week off to recover on full pay and after just treated as one off the guys.which is more than I can say to some off the other jobs I've had the misfortune to be in.

So as said above there are some geniune,decent people out there who don't hold our condition against us.So here's a big up to them,they are much appreciated.

 

[Juju26]

Everyone knows....not that it's a bad thing to know.

I was going to start a new thread, but after looking at my past comment on this topic, I decided to start here. I'm at a different job, a call center, behind a computer, in my own cubicle.

And then my best friend decided to pay me a visit, " TWO DAYS IN A ROW"!!!!

9/15: I didn't get a good night sleep, so I went to the bathroom, just to wash my face. Next thing I know, I'm in the next room with faces staring at me, remembering nothing in between leaving the bathroom and sitting down. I don't know why I left w/ the paramedics, but I decided to, I just left the hospital an HR later.

9/16: I walk into my building the next day, and my supervisors' eyes jump as if he sees a ghost, before I make it to my cubicle he sits me down and whispers to me "Do you have diabetes"?. I smile and say "No, I have epilepsy", he didn't ask must questions after that, but we spoke for a few minutes. He told me they heard odd sounds from the bathroom, and they opened the door, and saw me in action on the floor.Three hours into the day, I'm about to start another call with a client, and the next thing I know, I'm turned around talking with paramedics. This time I declined to go to the hospital and had my brother pick me up from work, but not before those lovely words whispered into my ear....

"Management, wants you to bring a note from your doctor on Monday".

I feel bad in saying this, but I'm scared to go back to work. I feel like I'm going to be seen as "That girl". I remember nothing of my second seizure, not the paramedics walking in or breaking my headset. During my first, I bit my tongue and it was bleeding. This may sound weird, I'm scared, that I will be "SO SCARED" about having another seizure at work, the stress will cause another seizure.

I don't want to quit and let epilepsy win, but I'm nervous about the looks and whispers that might be sent my way, if I go back. And exactly what does management want to know from my doctor. I go 5 months working as a cashier and not one seizure at work, I'm at a call center, not even a month yet, and two...back to back. I left the cashier job because of the up and down schedule and management didn't want to change it, the call center has a stable schedule.

In the end, I'm sure I will stay, but I'm just so scared.

 

[Matthew74]

Andrew, I'm surprised no one has said this... When you have a seizure no one should hold you down. They should try to keep you from getting hurt, and put some padding under your head or something, but not restrain you. You could get seriously injured. (Not to mention you could hurt them too!)

 

[Matthew74]

Juju, Rest if you need to, but go back to work. Things might go just fine. I know it can be scary and embarrassing. You can do it. Even if things go poorly, at least you know you did what you needed to do.