My safety tips

Safety is a big issue when you have epilepsy. Before I had neurosurgery, I would get focal and generalised tonic-clonic seizures. My seizures would last for 3-5 minutes and I would lose consciousness. Furthermore, they seemed to be dangerous and would require me to have another person with me. While making sure I was safe, one of the major things was to make sure the space was clear and my head was protected during seizures.

Shower

One of the most challenging places to take care of me when I had a seizure was in the shower. As a child, I remember when I would get a seizure, I would try to open the door asking for help. Something that really seemed to be useful was when my mother would be on a lookout for me, just in case I had a seizure inside the shower. She would also make sure that the door remains unlocked and had enough clear space so I would not hurt myself and not collapse during a seizure.

Riding in a Car

My father would drive me to places so I did not have to rely majorly on public transport. When I would ride in a car with my father, he always made sure that I sat in the front seat and that my door had the child lock on. During a seizure, I would unconsciously try to open the door of the car and get out. Hence, having the child lock was essential and sitting next to my dad made it easier for him to protect me when I had a seizure.

There are many safety issues from riding public transport to cooking your favourite meal in the kitchen. My advice is to make sure to protect yourself from obstacles or danger.