Out of the blue my completely healthy 12 year old son went unconscious, fell to the floor and started having what I now know is called a tonic-clonic (or grand mal) seizure. After a week of extensive testing and several doctor visits he was diagnosed with Primary Generalized Epilepsy. Like most parents I HAD to know more---how does this happen, what exactly goes on in the brain leading up to a seizure, what do the antiepileptic drugs do to his body, etc. This was the first book I found on the disease and it has really helped me gain a better understanding of what's happening with my son. It does get a little technical, which I liked & with my modest "medical" type background I had no problem following it. (I took several anatomy & physiology classes which probably helped me with that!) I'm now in search of a book that will explain it in terms my SON will understand... Living Well with Epilepsy and Other Seizure Disorders: An Expert Explains What You Really Need to Know
Albeit a few years old, Bazil presents an informative overview of the various conditions (which I do not personally consider a "disease"), although I wish he had discussed memory loss in greater detail. The text stresses working with the diagnosing specialist and gives a general overview of the drug treatments generally prescribed in 2004, including the still prescribed and apparently effective Keppra. As with any medication, a close read of the pharmacy paperwork, a serious discussion with the physicians concerning side effects and drug interactions is certainly in order. Good management of the condition is obviously imperative to the patient's physical and mental health. Readers may also find the general, albeit also dated, publication "Partial Seizure Disorder" by Waltz to be of interest. In addition to web information, periodic subject searches on Amazon for more current information is also in order.
This is an excellent book and helps you deal with the brain disease of a loved one. I read this book because my wife of 21 years suffers from epilepsy.
She was first diagnosed with it about 20 years ago, while I was an Army officer assigned to Germany. She only had one seizure then and the doctors said it was probably stress-induced, so she reduced her stress levels. She did not go on any medication then. The book talks about this type of seizure and how many people in this scenario will only experience one seizure in their lifetime.
She remained seizure free until about two years later when we moved back to the states. The stress of the move, coupled with two new babies (they are 14 months apart) triggered her to have another one. And then another one 3 days after that. She started having seizures every few days. One seizure even occurred while she was driving down the interstate with our two kids in the backseat in their car seats. She luckily could feel it coming on, pulled the car over, put the car in "Park", then had the seizure. The book discusses this phenomenon and I understand it better now.
The book also talks a lot about medications available. In my wife's case, the doctors were able to successfully stop the seizures by putting her on the anti-seizure drug called Tegretol. She still takes it religiously 3 times a day.
The book also talks about the history of epilepsy. How the churches have been telling everyone for 2000 years that it is caused by "demon possession". And about how in many parts of the world the churches are still doing this practice. I can understand this mistake. I mean, if you can't explain a phenomenon truthfully, why not just make something up, like "demon possession"? And then tell all your constituents that you better get in here so you don't get it, too! After all, it just makes good business sense. And their offerings went way up, after this little fib.
And it's really no big deal except that the "aura" of it still lives on today here in the US. That's why we haven't been able to tell our 18 year old daughter's boyfriend that her mommy suffers from epilepsy.
My wife has been seizure free for the last 4 years. But over this past weekend she was staying in a rental house with the family to celebrate her brother's wedding. With the stress from our daughter going off to college in a few weeks, along with my wife being in that wedding, she had another stress-induced seizure Saturday night. She woke up in the middle of the night in that rental house, and ran to what she thought was the bathroom. But she was confused and mistakenly ran into the room where our daughter's boyfriend was sleeping alone. She proceeded to have a seizure attack and fell and broke her ankle. This one was a little different from the other seizures she has had. With this one, she not only urinated herself like all the others, but she also defecated herself this time. All in front of our daughters' just awoken, startled and freaked-out boyfriend. Needless to say, she missed the wedding.
To some, this all might seem funny. But it's not all that funny if you are actually living it. And to the churches, I want to especially thank you all for the added "stigma stress" that she must also endure. Caused by your naked lies. And don't get me wrong, for I am a Christian, and a member of the Methodist church for which I have great respect. But you all have a reckless disregard for all of us who suffer from brain diseases, and you increase our suffering.
This book discusses this stigma. Caused by our churches. I just discussed it a little bit, too.
I believe a unified public apology from all our churches is needed. I hope and pray for this everyday. - Neuroscience'
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