Taking Care of Myself 101

Last night my brain turned to me and said, "RELAX.  Or have another seizure - your choice."  

Oops - I guess she was serious.

I was getting ready for bed around nine o'clock - early for me.  Brushing my teeth with the ultra-sonic, and suddenly more than just the toothbrush was vibrating on my left side.  I turned the brush off and set it down, spitting as I grabbed the sink with both hands.  "Darling?" I called to Boyfriend, "Please come here."

He was right there.  "It's happening again, I'm having a seizure. My left arm and leg are vibrating."

"Okay, just breathe.  What do you feel?"

I grabbed him and sunk to the floor.  "My left side is on pins and needles, tingling.  And the sharp noise, like ringing, in my head. And that terrible taste in my mouth."

"Does it feel like before?"

"Yes, but I feel like I'm having a flashback or something, too.  I see pictures, I hear music - it seems familiar, but scary and yucky."

"Just breathe.  It's all in your mind - slow your mind down.  You can control your mind.  Tell the vibrating to stop.  Tell the sound to stop and the taste to go away."

I did.  And it was over.

But I had had another seizure, and it sucked.  I had forgotten to take my morning dose of anti-seizure medication.  Not the first time, but then I proceeded to have a very active, obligation-ridden, stress-filled day.  Another hang-up in an already long overdue project.  Tried to plan just how I was going to cram everything into a shortened week, with Boyfriend leaving to sail on Friday morning.  Laundry, cleaning house, and a 2-hour bike ride.  Wow - certainly a lot for the average person, not to mention a seizure-prone ball of stress who forgot to take her medicine.

I'm now enrolled in 'Taking Care of Yourself 101'.  This is the only course I've ever taken where a Type-A personality seems detrimental to the student.  Do you think there's a slow class?

I took my dose of Keppra immediately upon waking this morning.  Then I used a regular toothbrush to brush my teeth.   After juice, I followed Truly's lead, and we took a NAP.

Apparently my brain is serious, so I'm taking this lesson to heart.