I Am Living With Epilepsy

So to continue the tale of Christmas with Boyfriend's family..
Obviously once we got back from the Christmas Market I was in no fit state to be around family for a few hours so boyfriend helped me upstairs, helped me into clean clothes and I just went to sleep.

Their random Christmas tradition is to have a Chinese takeaway on Christmas eve so I got up and went downstairs for that. I guess even after them being so great at the time, I was expecting a little residual awkwardness but it was nothing like it's been when I've had seizures in front of new people before. And as far as I know, boyfriend had been upstairs with me while I was asleep so it's not like he'd briefed them to act a certain way.

The girls came straight over to me and insisted on sitting either side of me. The oldest said that if I felt "funny" I had to tell her so she could help me. I promised her I would. Boyfriend's dad came in with the food and he ruffled my hair and said "you look better after that nap".

We just ate and chatted and pulled Christmas crackers. After we'd eaten I offered to wash up with his sister and nobody protested that I should rest. Which I was so grateful for. I hate it when people treat me as fragile after a seizure. She was washing and I was drying and I just said something like thanks for earlier. She was like "for what?" I said "for helping me and for teaching the kids what to do."

She gave me this look like I was daft and said "I know some mums would hide that stuff from their kids but those girls think you're amazing. I want them to know what's going on and how to help you if you have a seizure. I don't want them scared stiff because they haven't got a clue what's going on. And now they know what to do if they see someone else have one so it's a lesson learnt for them into the bargain"

When we went back into the living room, one of the girls sat on my knee and poked the side of my head and asked "what does it feel like in there when you have a seizure?" I thought it was the cutest question. And it started a really good conversation between us all. After she got her answer she was done and went to play with her sister but us adults carried on talking for quite a while about epilepsy and seizures so her question sparked quite a discussion.