Purple Day

Well, I just found out, after all these years, that November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. For some reason, I feel like I should have known that already. Anyway, I was just researching on the Internet, and also just found out that March 26th is Purple Day. This day was founded by a nine year-old girl from Canada named Cassidy Megan. Since lavendar is the international color for epilepsy, my favorite color by the way, people around the world are asked to wear this color on March 26th. This courageous little girl who has epilepsy wants to spread the word and make this disorder more well-known. I admire this girl for speaking up at such a young age. I also bought epilepsy awareness bracelets for myself and some of my friends who want to take action. That meant a lot to me. So don't forget to wear purple on March 26th!

Having a "normal" social life

Having a "normal" social life while living with epilepsy can have some limitations. First of all, people with epilepsy should absolutely avoid alcohol. I can't stress this enough. Of course most people don't follow that rule due to either peer pressure or ignorance, but I am one of these people. Throughout my four years at college and my life, I have never been drunk. When I tell people this, I usually get the, "Are you serious?" responses or the, "That sucks" response. I must admit that I get tempted to drink, but then I think to myself: Why would I put my life at risk for a few sips of beer? Here is a very informative and interesting article I found on epilepsy.com. It deals with the effects alcohol has on epileptics.

Skipping a dose is easy to do

I have to say that I take my medication religiously. I absolutely never miss a dose. I take two pills in the morning, and two before bed. There are even times when my roommates ask me if I took my pills or not. However, skipping a dose is surprisingly easy to do when you are in the college environment. Trust me, I've been through it. Forgetting such an everyday task is simple to do when you're trying to keep up with schoolwork. Unfortunately, I have had one terrible experience that I may never forgive myself for. Back in November, my roommates and I were just about to go to bed when I realized that I couldn't remember if I had taken my pills or not. I wound up tossing and turning in bed until 4 AM worrying, and going over in my head if I had taken the two pills that are my lifeline. Turns out, I didn't take them because I had a seizure the next morning. I went over a year without having a seizure, and that's what I get. My roommates found me in the bathroom and practically saved my life that morning. All I have to say is, thank God for them.

Can I get some sleep?

It is no lie that getting a good night's sleep in college is like living without oxygen. It's impossible, especially when you have roommates to deal with almost every second of the day. There's always something going on. Managing when you will get all your homework done, waking up for 8 AM classes, and worrying about the next day are all causes for sleep deprivation. When dealing with epilepsy, one of the top reasons to reduce the risk of getting a seizure is to get a good amount of sleep. That is rare to do in college, which is why I try to go to bed at a semi decent hour. A decent hour for me to go to bed is around 11:30. It may not sound super early, but 11:30 sounds pretty good when living with five other girls. I live in an apartment that is located on campus so it's easier to ditch the rest of the roomies and go into my bedroom for some peace and quiet. There are three bedrooms and two people per room. The living room is right by the front door, and only a couple of footsteps from each bedroom. Of course I can still hear noise from my room, but having a "quiet" room to go to really does make a difference. Just make sure there are ways to get a good night's sleep, even if it means compromising with your roommates.

Don't Be Ashamed

The one thing about epilepsy is that no one can tell you have it. Actually, that’s probably one of the best things about it. However, it is vital to tell people whom you are close with. In the college realm, that would be your roommates. Yes, it can be awkward at first because you are just becoming familiar with each other, but it’s for your own benefit. For example, I lived in a quad for the first three years of college, which meant there were going to be bunk beds. I immediately told them my situation, and that I would be better on the bottom bunk in case a seizure were to occur. I must admit that I was timid to tell people at first, but if I wanted to be safe and begin trusting new friends I had to start opening up.