This post is part of the Epilepsy Blog Relay™ which will run from June 1 through June 30. Follow along and add comments to posts that inspire you!
In January, I made a few Epilepsy Resolutions. I wanted to re-energize myself and do a better job at managing my epilepsy. I promised to keep you updated on how I’m doing…it’s not pretty, but here’s my first self-evaluation.
Resolution 1: Consistently document my episodes
I told you that I was terrible at this. Update: I’m still terrible. I can come up with excuses: I’m busier at work with less time to pull out my spreadsheet, I’m planning a wedding and am focusing on that and not my brain, I simply forget to use my tool. Those excuses are useless though…it really comes down to me not prioritizing this part of my healthcare. I realize that I’ve come to accept a lot of the headaches/migraines/seizures that I have and just chalk them up to a part of my life. I have neglected to remind myself that I don’t have to accept these things; these events can potentially be decreased if I actually put work into keeping track of them.
Resolution 2: Use a pillbox
Confession: I’ve failed at this one. I didn’t get out my old pillbox and I didn’t purchase a new one. Again, there’s a slew of excuses I could use, but it won’t rid myself of the responsibility I have. I can say, though, that I’ve added additional pills since January and have successfully integrated them into my routine. I’ve only slipped up once, when I took 1 of my nighttime pills in the morning. Luckily, it didn’t cause too many problems other than complete exhaustion at work! Believe me, I understand the importance of taking my pills and not skipping, so I have not been neglecting my responsibility of taking them. They are one of the first things I do when I wake up and one of the last I do before I go to bed. Maybe I’ll go home today, fish out my old pillbox, and actually follow through with this one.
Resolution 3: Staying Away from Triggers
Good news: I have stuck to this resolution! Despite my initial thoughts, I was able to avoid both of my triggers. I cannot eliminate these triggers, as both of them are functions of my job. That being said, the one I thought I could not avoid worked itself out. The second, being spending too much time at laptop screen, I remedied. I take breaks at work and walk around my little office. Sometimes I put on some music and dance around! I also space out paperwork I can complete with a pen and paper so it is spread throughout my day, giving my eyes a break from the screen. I have also limited myself to my phone use after work. I don’t spend as much time on social media, so less time is spent staring at my phone screen. If I was tracking my episodes, I could tell you exactly how much this resolution has helped. I can’t do that, but I can say that I am not experiencing as many migraines. When I do, I am better able to determine a trigger. If I know that I have not spent much time behind a screen during the day, there must be something else causing it.
More Later
I wish I had a better report for you. Please don’t lose faith in me! I’m thankful to have done well with at least one of my resolutions and am optimistic that I can complete the other two. I’ll have another update in a few months for you. In the meantime, please let me know how you’re managing your epilepsy and encourage each other to take control of our health.
NEXT UP: Be sure to check out the next post tomorrow by Carys at https://carysann25.wordpress.com/ for more on epilepsy awareness. For the full schedule of bloggers visit livingwellwithepilepsy.com.
Don’t miss your chance to connect with bloggers on the #LivingWellChat on June 30 at 7PM ET.
Leila shares stories on stigma and epilepsy based on her experiences and what she hears from others. She was diagnosed with Epilepsy at age 8 and is based in Pennsylvania.
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