Supporting My Sister on Her Journey With Epilepsy

My journey with epilepsy started due to my sister's recent diagnosis in September of 2023. When she was diagnosed with epilepsy, it changed the trajectory of my life forever. My sister had a tonic-clonic seizure in the shower and multiple reoccurring unprovoked seizures. I had to assist in getting her safely to the floor as she was experiencing seizures. Yet, doctors continually dismissed her symptoms, and everything felt hopeless. After three EEGs, multiple days and nights at the hospital, many tears, and endless research, she was finally diagnosed with epilepsy.

My sister is currently on two very strong medications, but none are working for her. She continues to have tonic-clonic as well as absence seizures regularly. My sister can no longer go to school because she must always be supervised and watched. She has constant headaches, and she can't remember anything. She is exhausted all the time, and she has anxiety frequently throughout the day. She describes she has a "squished brain" feeling, and her life has been completely flipped upside down since her diagnosis. My family and I are hoping that with continual trial and error with medication, we will get to one that works for my sister and allows her to have an everyday, happy, healthy life again.

My sister is my best friend. Witnessing a loved one go through so much pain and suffering and not being able to do anything about it is the most heart-wrenching and intensely agonizing thing any person could ever go through. With the help of my loving mom and dad, we were able to stand together through the most devastating time of our lives.

When I was researching epilepsy and how I could help my sister and others enduring the pain and suffering of epilepsy, I came across the Epilepsy Foundation, which changed my life forever. Not only was I able to get accurate information about epilepsy and its effects on people and their families, but I was able to become Seizure First Aid Certified. In doing so, I become more aware of how to help my sister and others around me.

I also become an Epilepsy Awareness Ambassador, learning to raise awareness about epilepsy and seizures efficiently and effectively. I created a Supporting Epilepsy Awareness (SEA) Club at my school, UC Santa Barbara, to raise awareness. Not only have I been able to spread awareness about epilepsy while changing people's lives, but I also have an outlet to share and inform others about a cause I am personally impacted by and passionate about.