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Seizure Experience

By Merian Redman

Seizures, the tonic-clonic (grand-mal) kind - there is nothing you can do except ease them to the floor, if they are not already on the floor and move objects out of their way. Roll them to their side, they may vomit and this will prevent choking. Do not put anything in their mouth, they might choke on it and put a pillow or something soft under their head. Speak softly and soothingly. Stay with them until they come out of it.

The falling and thrashing around causes a lot of the injuries to themselves. You might have time to prepare the surroundings if you are familiar with the person and know the signs. Mood change or unusual swearing is a sign and some people who have seizures learn to recognize how they feel before one comes on and can let people around them know what is about to happen.

My daughter (22 years old) for the past 2 years has consistently had 1 tonic-clonic seizure per year typically around November - December time frame. This year she did not have her usual and we thought we were out of the woods. Not so. February 1st I heard a commotion in her son's room. My daughter she was on the floor, seizing. She hit her head on a plastic bin toy box and landed on her 3 year old son who was on the floor coloring.

My grandson and I, have seen her go through that experience. I have never seen anyone have a seizure like that. We were both shocked.

I knew I had to clear away any objects around her and roll her to her side. I did not know the visual change of her face would be so dramatic. Her eyes were wide open with the pupils dilated so large you could not see her beautiful blue eyes, her face was so contorted and blue beyond recognition.

Her baby was trying to get me out of the way to see her. I was trying to keep him away from seeing her like that.

This non breathing episode lasted about 2 minutes, which seemed like 2 hours in slow motion. During that time my son and boyfriend came running in and got the baby out. My son and I kept her on her side, she had brown foam coming out of her mouth, it was soda. She had a been drinking that when it happened. The can was crushed from her hand clenching when she seized. She had a big knot on her forehead where she had landed on the toy box.

As we were waiting for her to come around, my son told me to talk soothing to her. I had a cold cloth and put it on her bump on her forehead. Her eyes began to flutter and her pupils began to get smaller. She started to come around and ask why she was on the floor and we were all around her. She was trying to piece it all together.

It took her some time to put it together. She remembers everything before she went into her son's room, and then it is like time stood still. She does have a big knot on her forehead, it hurts to lift her right arm above her head and her left hip is sore.

During the event she had landed on her son and his little pinkie and finger next to it ended up with a little injury. We band-aided it up. He wasn't too happy that his mom spilled her pop all over the floor and fell on him. He gave her a big kiss and hug and told her it was alright accidents happen.

She is back on medication, cannot drive for 6 months and has an appointment with a neurologist. She had quit taking her medication from the previous episode that occured in November of 2008, thinking that she was all better. She now realizes she must take this the rest of her life.

Seizures are brought on from many things; fatigue, stress, alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep, head injury, fever, flashing lights, these are just a few.

When it happens, get them to the floor, clear objects, lay them on their side to prevent choking (they may vomit), do not put anything in their mouth (this may cause them to choke), put something soft under their head, speak softly to them and stay with them until they come out it. If they go into another, call 911 immediately. When they are seizing they are not breathing. It is the lack of oxygen that is critical. Try to remain calm.

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Seizure Procedure
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This story dredged up some childhood memories for me. My mother was a grand mal epileptic and would have massive seizures four or five times a week. She was a big woman and the seizures gave her super-human strength. The most terrifying aspect of these seizures was how quiet she was.

Because she had a habit of swallowing her tongue my dad used to put his fingers in her mouth to prevent this if he couldn't find anything else. He regularly had his fingers in splints because she would crush the bones.

In between these terrifying attacks she would have several milder ones each day. These generally took the form of uncontrollable laughter - but the sort of laughter that you did not want to join in - it was the essence of evil.

She was never aware of having had a 'fit' and the only way we knew that they were over was when she would say "Give over, Dad, what are you doing?" - always the same thing.

You can imagine that we were not welcome in many shops and I was usually sent in to do the shopping. If I could take my dad round the shop, his blindness and my extreme youth (between 4 and 8 years of age) ensured that we got excellent and rapid service.

I learned to be deaf to the reactions of other adults once I learned that it was only their fear and ignorance that made them say my mother should be 'locked up'.

I am sorry to hear this. Everything I have read says do not put anything in their mouth, but what do you do if they are going to swallow or bite their tongue off? Her first seizure she was sent to the hospital. After 4 hours of observations she was sent home and had 2 in the vehicle while her father was driving. He put his fingers in her mouth - it was not good.

Hi Merian. Thanks for the info. When I was in college, I knew someone who had these seizures. It was heartbreaking to watch. You are right. Once you are on the medication, stay on it.

James Emery Vigh Feb 5, 2010 12:59

This very well written intel got a 5 from me, Merian.
Great information that needs to be shared.
Best wishes.
Frederick

frederick Feb 5, 2010 20:21

Wow...this brought up a memory for me too. My son was just 1 year old when he had a seizure after getting his DPT shots. Needless to say, that was the last time I ever let any of my children have immunizations.
I hope your daughter continues with her meds or an alternative, either way that's scary when she is caring for a helpless little one.

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