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Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by a tendency to have recurrent, unprovoked seizures. A diagnosis is typically made after a person has had at least two unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart.
A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which can cause symptoms like loss of consciousness, convulsions, confusion, or unusual behavior
Anyone can develop epilepsy, regardless of age, gender, or background. It is more common in children and older adults, but it can occur at any age
Epilepsy has many possible causes, including genetic factors, head injury, stroke, brain tumors, infections (like meningitis), developmental or structural brain abnormalities, or brain damage at birth. In about half of cases, no specific cause is found.
Diagnosis is based on a detailed medical history, description of seizures, and often tests like EEG (electroencephalogram) to look at brain wave activity, as well as MRI scans to check for structural problems in the brain
Major categories are focal seizures (starting in one area of the brain) and generalized seizures (affecting both sides of the brain). Subtypes include absence, tonic, atonic, clonic, myoclonic, and tonic-clonic seizures, each with distinct symptoms
Common triggers include missing medication, sleep deprivation, stress, alcohol or drug use, certain patterns or flashing lights, illness, and hormonal changes (such as during the menstrual cycle). For some, no clear triggers are identified
Antiseizure medications are the first-line treatment. If medications don’t control the seizures, other options include surgery, vagus nerve stimulation, or dietary therapies (such as a ketogenic diet)
There is no universal cure for epilepsy, but many people achieve good seizure control on medication, and some can eventually discontinue medication. Some children may outgrow epilepsy
I'm not a medical professional—just a patient sharing her personal journey with hydrocephalus.
Please consult your medical team before making any health decisions. My story is not medical advice. 💙
Not Just a Bump—The Start of My Epilepsy Journey
It’s wild to think how something so small—so ordinary—could trigger something so life-changing.
One day, while doing something as simple as feeding my cats, I accidentally bumped the side of my head on the corner of my kitchen counter. It didn’t feel like anything serious. It wasn’t a hard hit, just an awkward angle. But what I didn’t know at the time was that the impact landed exactly on my VP shunt.
That tiny moment set off a chain reaction that would change everything.
The hit caused my shunt to shatter. Not crack. Not malfunction. Shatter. It caused a brain bleed—one that silently lingered, undetected, for nearly two years. And during that time, I started having seizures.
I kept going back to my neurosurgeon, insisting something wasn’t right. I felt it. But visit after visit, I was told everything looked fine. The tests didn’t show anything wrong. My concerns were brushed off. It wasn’t until May 2019, after I blacked out from another fall, that a new neurosurgeon at Hendricks Medical Center in Abilene, Texas finally listened.
She took me seriously. She took my story seriously. And during surgery, she found what no one else had: a shattered VP shunt with three holes in it.
All from one small bump.
That one hit led to a brain bleed. And the damage from that bleed triggered my epilepsy. It still blows my mind how such a minor incident turned into a major diagnosis—and how long it took to be validated.
Living with a shunt means living with constant caution. You learn very quickly that what seems minor to someone else can mean something very different for you.
This is how my epilepsy began. And it’s part of why I advocate so fiercely today—for myself, and for everyone else still fighting to be heard.
"This experience taught me the importance of pushing for answers when something doesn’t feel right. Never stop advocating for your health, even when it feels like no one is listening."
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I don’t know if I’m technically “free” of epilepsy—honestly, I’m not sure if that’s even something doctors can confirm for certain. But what I do know is this: I’ve been seizure-free since August 2019. And that alone feels like a huge win.
There are still moments that make me pause. Sometimes I get that familiar sensation—an aura—like the one I felt before a seizure years ago. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it. But so far, no episodes. No setbacks.
I was slowly weaned off Keppra (500mg twice a day), and as of today, I’m living each day one step at a time. Cautiously hopeful. Gratefully grounded.
Epilepsy hasn’t defined me—but it’s shaped me. And if my story can show even one person that brighter days are possible, it’s worth sharing.
Since that last seizure, I’ve graduated college with a degree in marketing, started working in a field I love, stayed active through hiking and outdoor adventures, and—most importantly—I’m raising my son, who has been my biggest motivation through it all.
Everyone’s journey with epilepsy looks different. This is mine. And I’m still writing it.
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