vEPILEPSY continued from page 7 mild ticking or random movements, to a tonic-clonic seizure involving convulsions. Sometimes he has been so exhausted from the seizures that he can’t get out of bed. “It’s just been like a roller coaster,” Melissa explains. “There’s been no calmness. I feel like all he’s done is been in the hospital.” It can’t be determined if the fall created the seizure or if the seizure created the fall. It’s hard to tell if they are hereditary, though Melissa does mention some epilepsy runs in her family. James has been through several medication changes to determine which one works best and is now trying his fifth one. Along with the drawn-out process of changing medicines, there is also a risk of experiencing breakthrough seizures during the switch, which James has also experienced. During one of the medicine transitions, James broke out in a rash, discovering he was allergic to one of them. The complicated part was not knowing which medication he was allergic to as he was on a mix at that time. James had to stop all medications to determine this, which resulted in even more seizures. His skin broke out in severe blisters and he developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome from the medication allergy, a rare but serious condition. The whole journey has been a challenge for the family. Melissa states, “There’s been nothing easy about it.” The scariest part for her is that James will get hurt again like he did when he fell in June. She’s also fearful of the possible severe effects of the Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Melissa feels fortunate that others in their life and their community have been extremely understanding and supportive during this entire process. James’ family, friends and school have been very encouraging. Though he was unable to be a part of his school’s homecoming parade, he was able to watch it. He was excited to see one of the floats in the parade boasting a “get well James” sign. “Everything that’s happened with him, everybody’s been so good,” Melissa states. “We haven’t had any bad reactions from people.” What to do? What do you do when you see someone having a seizure? First aid is most needed for a more severe tonic-clonic seizure. Stay calm, don’t panic and keep others out of the way. Don’t try to hold the person down or hold their movements. If they are convulsing, place the person on his side and keep the airway clear. Try to time the seizure’s length. Those showing milder seizures, with brief periods of staring, disorientation, shaking or repetitive motions might just need you to guide them away from danger, for instance if they are near traffic or a flight of stairs. Understanding each other helps us to better understand ourselves. In the words of Marvin J. Ashton, “If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance and care.” n www.efepa.org www.epilepsy.com www.webmd.com HERVOICEvNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018v11