Speaking At College About Epilepsy

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Porkette

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Hi Folks,

Yesterday I got a letter from a professor asking me to speak to college students about my epilepsy, surgery and the causes of epilepsy. If any of you would like to throw more info. in feel free to do so. Personally I think this world needs to learn more about epilepsy and how it can effect a person along with how people shouldn't fear or worry so much about epilepsy. Please feel free to share any info. if you wish. I will be at the college Oct. 25th. Thanks for your time, wishing all of you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
Make sure to point out the different types of seizures and that not all seizures are tonic clonics, that some seizures don't cause loss of consciousness such as in my case with myoclonic seizures. I think this is important because that is part of the stereotype of epilepsy! Also, talk about what to do and what not to do when someone is having a seizure. Don't put your fingers in someone's mouth or any other object. No, you can not swallow your own tongue (whoever came up with that idea?), so on and so forth. Things like that.

That's what comes to mind for me. There are some good videos on YouTube that I'll pull up if you want to do some research.
 
Hi Folks,
Thanks for your kind words I appreciate it.

Res,
Take my word I will be sure to point out the different types of seizures and what can sometimes cause seizures like bright flashing lights, stress, tired and much more. I will be sure to tell them what to do if a person has a seizure along with telling them not to put anything in a persons mouth because we don't swallow our tongue.
Here's wishing all of you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
That's great Sue

I still have people assume that because I have epilepsy I have the ones where I 'thrash about on the ground' so I'm soon to tell them no I dont take tonic clonics, my seizures are partials & explain I space out & do strange things.
 
Hi CQ,

I have found that after working in a public school for over 30 yrs. I've been very open about my epilepsy. I teach both students and staff about seizures and what to do. As you mentioned a lot of people think that there are only the tonic clonic seizures and they are wrong. I've had many seizures in front of students and they are in jr. high. I feel that they understand them better than some of the staff at school do. I also like being able to help students understand epilepsy that have it. Sometimes students will come to me with questions about their seizures and what they should do. I've had absence and complex partial seizures for 46 yrs. Wishing you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
I think many people have no idea what to do when they see someone having a seizure. They also aren't aware how common epilepsy is. Or that "epilepsy" is really a catch-all term for a disorder that can have a wide variety of causes, and that can play out many different ways.

The link below has a list of misconceptions about epilepsy. When people ask me about epilepsy it's often where I start.
http://www.epilepsy.ca/myths--misconceptions.html
 
Hi Nakamova,

I couldn't agree with you more, many people don't realize how common epilepsy is and what to do if a person has a seizure especially if it last over 15 min. When I've spoken at work to students and staff they are amazed at all the famous people who have epilepsy that they never knew about (ex. Elton John, and retired football player Alan Faneca) Thanks for sharing this link I find it so true about how people just think if a person has epilepsy they are disabled and can't carry on a everyday life. Wishing you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
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