November is Epilepsy Awareness Month

Epilepsy affects 1 out of every 100 people in the United States. It is hard for me to think that it affects 1% of people because my uncle has it, my best friend has it, our incredible SLP’s son and his best friend has it, and my friend’s son has it.

Epilepsy can be very scary. When the seizures start, a lot of testing has to be done to determine what type of epilepsy the patient has. The type of epilepsy will determine the medication given. My uncle was given the wrong medication that almost cost him his life. Once the right medication is prescribed, missing a dosage is not an option. My best friend missed two dosages and ended up having a seizure and going into a coma. We are so thankful that she is still with us.

Medication however does not help everyone with epilepsy. It only helps 70%. The other 30% of people with epilepsy turn to surgery, neurostimulation, or a special diet, but these options do not always work. Our SLP’s son and his best friend suffer from multiple seizures daily. They have tried countless combinations of medications with no sign of improvement: "We've tried to cycle through them, combining different ones together. I administer medications resentfully because they don't work and they are poison. That's a very disgusting feeling. To put something that horrible into your child that doesn't work... and not have the option to put something organic in your child that may... it may not... but it may. And we should have the right as Americans, in the land of the free, to have that option." The organic option she is referring to is the organic oils from medical cannabis. It has helped people with epilepsy in states where medical cannabis is legal.

I can’t imagine being in a place where you feel helpless to help your child. I hope one day there will be something to help the 30% who are suffering. I am so thankful that my uncle and best friend’s seizures are controlled. I pray that happens one day for everyone with epilepsy.