Who Is Affected?

We want our readers to know that epilepsy doesn't just affect the person who has the seizures.  It affects other family members, friends, employers etc.  For this reason, we asked my Aunt Jen to write a post from her perspective on my diagnosis of epilepsy.  Aunt Jen was a HUGE support to my mom and dad during the early days of my diagnosis...

 

I was asked to write a post about how epilepsy affects the extended family. Kait is my niece. I was pregnant at the same time as Kim and helped to take care of Kait the first few months of her life until I had my own baby. Kait spent a good part of her early years along side her cousins. We homeschooled as well, lived in the same town and the kids all grew close. My sons love her beyond her being their cousin, she is loved like a sister. The day Kait had her first seizure we were all dressed up getting ready to head north to watch one of my other niece's get married. Text messages and panicked phone calls and the decision to send my husband and sons north to be there for the wedding and me flying down the highway to get to the hospital to be with Kim, Ken and Kait, knowing the rest of her family were already 2 hours away for the wedding.

 

When Kait's diagnosis was given I think we all had a bit of a jolt. There is no known family history and I can't say it's ever been something that really crossed my mind. To learn that it can come on at any age was a shock. There was no dipping our toes in this pool, we were pushed. Kim and Ken were great about advocating for Kait and getting as many answers as they could. Learning about what epilepsy is, how it's treated, and educating family as they learned themselves. I don't think the boys were as nervous as I was about Kait's first visit post-diagnosis. Kids are so much more accepting and ready to roll with things. Kim and I talked, and I shared with the boys what they should do if Kait had a seizure when alone with them in a room, or outside playing. As months went by and we learned more about the kinds of seizures Kait was having (you mean there's more then one kind of seizure?) I found that for me, for my sons and husband this wasn't something that we could just go, "oh she has epilepsy" and just let it go. I asked questions, read, lots of facebook post sharing, fundraisers and  event walks. I won't ever define Kait as my epileptic niece. I have 2 nieces (a wonderful new addition to our family and as it so happens also Kim's patient) that have epilepsy. This doesn't define them. Kait has worked hard to make sure it doesn't restrict her. When she comes to the house or we travel down there, it's in the back of our minds that she could have a seizure, but we have been educated in how we can respond . We welcome Kait AND her ever present (albeit hairy) partner Jack.

 

As Kim and Ken walked this road with their daughter, they had and continue to have a whole gaggle of family and friends following along. Kait is their daughter, but they certainly aren't alone. Epilepsy didn't just happen in their home. It follows them everywhere they go.

We would like to also let our readers know, that no matter who you are or where you live, you are NOT alone...