5 Things I Wished I Would’ve Known as a New Epilepsy Mom
Has your child been diagnosed with Epilepsy? I know it’s overwhelming! I am a mom to two myself. But, here are 5 things I wish I had known once my sons were diagnosed:
- The diagnosis was the hard part! If you were like my younger son, figuring out his diagnosis took years and several doctors, (blowing us off) to get a diagnosis. It was also costly. So, congratulations! That part is over. Now on to number 2…
- Let yourself greave over the diagnosis. I remember knowing my first son had seizures, his were the obvious Tonic Clonic type, so it was just getting the “official” diagnosis under way, but once the doctor came into our hospital room and said: “Your son has Epilepsy,” it hit me hard and had an immediate overwhelm came over me. What if he has more?…Can he play football?…Will he ever drive? To help with the overwhelm, ask questions.
- Pick yourself up and find your new normal. Your “normal” is gone, but it’s okay, because you will find a new normal, and quickly! Don’t let the new diagnosis overwhelm you, it will get easier. Just like the first time you had your child, your life changed, but you quickly adapted. Now, you bring rescue medications, you alert your child’s teachers, coaches, bus drivers, friend’s parents, etc.
- I want to stress this and can’t stress this enough, ASK your doctor questions, and clarify with them if you are not sure what they said. Call the clinic if you forget, knowledge is what helped me.
- Finding the right treatment is hard. It can take your child many years to find a good treatment. Your child may find something that works right away, but then eventually wear off, so then you end up starting all over again. Once you find the right treatment, though, celebrate (even if it’s only in your head) because you have to celebrate the small things in your new found Epilepsy world.
Thanks for stopping by!
Let me know you visited, by letting me know of one thing you wished you knew as a new parent of an Epilepsy child!
