Every disease, celebration, or movement has an awareness month and its own colored ribbon. Purple is the color for epilepsy. Congress declared November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month in 2003.
I have had epilepsy for over twenty years. I didn’t know about November or purple ribbons until after a life changing experience. That experience made me a true Epilepsy Advocate. A lot can happen in one minute.
In 2008, my insurance company made me change to generic epilepsy medication. The company that makes the generic form of that brand name still helped control my seizures. Unfortunately there is many generic brand epilepsy medication. All generic brand medication companies charge different prices and are made slightly different. The pharmacy where I got my epilepsy medicine switched companies to another generic brand company. This company’s medication didn’t cost as much as the one that helped control my seizures. Since it was cheaper, the pharmacy decided to buy the cheapest generic medicine. I had to take the cheaper brand in October 2009. The cheaper brand caused me to have a breakthrough seizure while I was driving. I had been seizure free for seven years.
The seizure I had while driving is my life changing experience. My daughter was in the front seat. Her ankle was broke into many pieces. After 5 years, and having surgery every year, her ankle is fused. She was 18 when her ankle was fused. She is 20 years old now and has arthritis in her ankle.
I started talking to people online. I have made friends online because of epilepsy. I learned more about Epilepsy Awareness while I was taking care of my daughter after her surgery. It took me a long time to write about that day. I call myself an Epilepsy Advocate because everyone needs to be informed about epilepsy!
Please wear purple or a purple ribbon this month. You will help people become more aware of epilepsy.
Thank you everyone.