Hi! I also teach middle school.
don't you just love 12- 14 year olds?? They do have a unique sense of humor
That and the she said she said is so much fun to deal with.
I also have a 2 1/2 month old, and have helped to raise my hubby's three younger siblings. I can totally understand stress.
Believe it or not, this isn't the end of the world. Think of it like diabetes. It's something that you can treat, and learn to deal with. You might have to make some lifestyle changes, but it will be for the best. For example, 7 hours of sleep minimum, 6 small meals a day (small as in will fit on a dessert plate and a protein with every carb), and finding a way to unwind that works for you (yoga, exercise, walking, reading, praying, etc...). If there's ANY history of diabetes in your family make sure that you keep careful control of your blood sugar. Low blood sugar can trigger seizures. As can lack of sleep, too much caffeine, too much stress, OTC decongestants, flickering lights, etc....
As for the teaching part....since I have tonic clonics ( you know, the ones they love to show on tv with the biting of the tongue and falling down and thrashing about) I tell all of my classes about my seizures at the beginning of each semester. Trust me, it's a lot less scary if they know ahead of time what's happening. Yours sound really short. Mine last several minutes and can be very violent. I've had kids cry because they didn't know what was happening and they thought I was going to die. Because mine are obvious and visible, I educate my classes. You'll be surprised when kids come up to you and sheepishly say that they or their relative has them too. It's not that uncommon.
Also, wear a medic alert bracelet, just in case you ever have to be in an ambulance. Let the school nurse know about your medical condition so that she'll know how to respond. Now, my district has a set protocol for seizures...so because I didn't want an ambulance called, I had to get a letter from my neuro stating what I had and what steps to follow if I had a seizure at school. If you change meds or dosages, let the school nurse know.
always keep a spare lesson plan at hand just in case you have to be gone. That has saved my bacon so often when I had seizures at school. And no, they can't fire you if you do...they have to abide by the ADA.
You said you have a 13 year old...see if DMV in your state will allow her to have a provisional drivers license. A friend of mine has seizures. Her son has a provisional license that allows him to drive in case she has one while driving. Luckily she has auras so she knows ahead of time when she's going to have a seizure. she pulls over to the side of the road and tells her son to take over. Her son was stopped once. He showed the cop the provisional license, and the cop told him to go ahead and drive home and take care of his mom.
ask questions. You're new to this and nobody who has this expects you to be an expert. And more importantly, remember you aren't alone.
We're here for you. so feel free to vent, ask questions, etc.