To many people, epilepsy is merely a case of somebody lying on the ground twitching, drooling and possibly making some very odd noises. The impact that a seizure can have physically is not something that crosses the minds of some – not even doctors.
And yet, a seizure can cause severe injury, broken limbs and even death.
On Wednesday 28th March I was carrying a box downstairs. It contained the wedding dress from hell that a friend was going to remake into a ring pillow for me.
I experienced one of my abscence seizures as I was nearing the bottom of the stairs. It lasted mere seconds, but the result was spectacular.
No longer realising where I was, I put one foot out into open space and moved the other accordingly… and I fell through empty air before landing, feet first, with my entire body weight crushing them.
My right toe, which took the brunt of the impact
My left ankle and the side of my foot
An overview of the damage. Notice the further bruising and swelling
These pictures were taken this afternoon, so I dread to think how nasty they might have been before checking last night (I was too frightened to look).
When the abscence responsible for this occurred I was making sweet chilli courgettes and had planned to begin dry-brining the vegetables so I could make the piccalilli the following day. Instead I was in so much pain that I finished the courgettes and had to go to bed, where I’ve been confined ever since. On Thursday I couldn’t walk, stand or sit unaided (D, my walking stick and a fortunately placed towel rail in the bathroom being my only means of getting around) and today – Saturday – I still have to place my feet wide apart to spread my weight, with my stick placed between and slightly in front of them. I also still need the towel rail, but thankfully it now takes only one hand and not my full weight.
This is not the first time that a seizure in the wrong place at the wrong time has had severe consequences for me, but is probably the most colourful!
If you should ever witness someone experiencing a seizure or something that looks, to you, like a simple fall, please stop and check for injuries such as those that you see here. Please remember that epilepsy may be a neurological disorder – but its effects are often physical and sometimes fatal.
Tomorrow I will still be unable to put any weight on my feet and am – for once – grateful that I need a walking aid at the best of times else I’d be quite stuck.
Look after your epileptic friends.
I love your last sentence. And thanks for posting the pictures so people can get a visual of the damage that can be done. Your feet look sort of like my right one when I broke my leg. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. Please know I understand and am hoping for good improvement every day.
I’m fairly certain that the big toe is broken, but there’s no treatment for it and I just have to wait for it to mend! I’m glad I was only a couple of stairs from the bottom, or it could have been far worse.
I’m trying to get the epilepsy message out there. When I write about the subject I tweet Epilepsy Action to let them know; they retweet me and others come to read and tweet the article themselves. I think it’s so important to tell people that it isn’t only the brain that can be affected, and that severe injury can occur. I also enjoy the fact that at least one person with the condition will feel less alone and reach to connect with me when I share my story.
I clicked like on this post, I do not like to see your pain. I do not like to see your anguish. I do think it it is admirable of you to take the photos and post them. I always stop and offer help though since my accident I am not much help but I always stop and ask and now if anyone has an epilepsy attack I shall truly check them over. Just as an aside about 4yrs back I slipped and fell and had to sit on the pavement for a while to get my breath, 6 people passed me by one even tutted at me no one helped me !! I would never walk on by.
I’ve been extremely lucky on the occasions that I’ve collapsed in public; even drivers have stopped to ask D if they can help at all. However I find it shocking when I hear stories such as yours, as that would happen in my home town! I’m disgusted that nobody came to your aid when they saw you fall.
Yes one limb are you okay as they rushed by ?? and the rest just ignored me, I think they thought I was drunk…. which I was not..hey ho never mind. I am pleased and encouraged to hear that you have not met with the same. I promise I will carry on trying to help! xxxxx
Typo for limb read limp!! ( hehehehehe just seen a pun there!!) ;D Be well and happy and make sure you have an arm to lean on all day at the up coming wedding day!! XXXX
Don’t worry; my bridesmaid will certainly not let me down
Once I had a seizure & collapsed, falling backwards to hit my head on the sidewalk. I woke up a few hours later with one mother of a headache & a concussion. Luckily I was with friends when it happened & they got me to the school nurse when I didn’t get up again. I’ve had a couple that could have been fatal if it hadn’t been for pure dumb luck & help from others (seizing while driving & collapsing face first into a container of primer paint)
Before you and I knew each other I was walking along to my doctor’s – which isn’t far from home – when an abscence sent me tumbling face first into the road as I was attempting to cross. Fortunately the driver who was coming around the curve (yes, there had to be a car involved – I never do anything by halves!) was a sensible one driving at a sensible speed, and he stopped as soon as he saw me and got out to see what was wrong. A lady stopped behind him, immediately realised that I have epilepsy and they got me into her car. She took me the rest of the way to the surgery and sat with me until my name was called. Had that driver been going any faster, or events had occurred so he wouldn’t have been able to hit the brakes in time, the outcome may have been horribly different.
People need to be aware of just how much a person with epilepsy risks their safety every single day just by waking up. Lives might even be saved if there is more awareness.
Thank you for educating those of us who understand so little of epilepsy. I am glad you posted the photos… seeing IS believing!
Yes; to many it doesn’t occur that a seizure can cause severe injury – they think it’s a simple case of falling where you’re standing. I’m fortunate that I was almost at the bottom of the stairs as opposed to being near the top because it would have been a whole lot worse!
I know very little about epilepsy myself and I’m thankful that I’m going to learn a lot more through you. Your feet look so painful, and to think of you stepping forward into empty air is terrifying indeed. I am SO glad you were at the bottom not the top.
Me too, or it would have been more than a toe that got broken!
Those pictures really don’t do the bruising justice; the red and purple on the toe itself were so much deeper and prettier than that, and the side of my foot was deep purple and the blackest black imaginable!
On the plus side, I ate like a horse because there wasn’t much else for me to do! Sadly I’m underweight again now, so maybe I should break something more often to keep my weight and appetite healthy
(I joke, of course, but the idea makes me giggle)
I hope you never break anything again!!! It’s too painful a ‘cure’ for the appetite lol. Glad you can laugh – laugh or cry sometimes, but I truly find how you face life with a smile endearing and inspiring
I had a much more spectacular accident than that one! Four years ago I was at the Discworld Convention with D and I slipped getting out of the bath. I crashed straight into the toilet, breaking two ribs and somehow got spun around so that I was on my back with my feet facing the door. I managed to crawl out of the bathroom and get on the bed to text him, but I was supposed to sing that night and was devastated that I couldn’t. I spent eight weeks living and sleeping on the sofa, because the bed didn’t give me enough support.
I just answered the door to a Parcel Force guy halfway through typing this. I think I accidently flashed him my boobs when I leaned over to put the package down and sign the electronic thingy. Oops!
Wow… you need to aquire a suit made from bubble wrap!
I bet you made parcel force guy’s day!
and perhaps some proper clothing too haha
LOL I probably did! Made me giggle anyway, so I obviously have no shame!
A Kevlar suit might be better! I could look almost as sexy as Iron Man!
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