Seeing my son having an epileptic seizure for the first time!

It was 5:30am… Wednesday 30th December 2020… thanks god I slept near him that night… I felt the bed trembling … he is a teenager of 13 years. I woke up and told him “thias!!?? What the hell are you doing???” I uncovered him from under the bed sheets and I saw him stiff, jumping and having this fit with saliva coming out of his face …. I panicked.

I grabbed him in my arms and started screaming his name ! What ever I have heard about a seizure, what to do at that moment, I just forgot everything… my husband heard me and he came running… he grabbed him and put him on his side and my son stopped shaking… he was looking at us in blank and couldn’t speak well. He didn’t even have strength to put himself up…

I called immediately the emergency and they asked us if we want an ambulance … but we told them we will bring him our self (now I got to know that it was better if we brought the ambulance… for next time)… we went straight to hospital and did a swab test and they took us into a room… they told us he will have to stay there so the day after we do an EGG test.

They took some blood samples and we slept there. I was scared. I couldn’t sleep. I was constantly looking at him afraid of an other … the morning came and we went down for an EEG test … they do a cap on your head and check the electricity in your brain …. while doing it I was hearing the 2 staff saying “hmmmm” and one of them started calling for Dr Calvagnia and I heard him say “there is abnormality “ …. we went up in the room, a nurse came & gave me a letter with an appointment for the 5th January for the results… & told us “you can go home” …

I started packing… a doctor came in and told us please stay here the professor will come and speak to you. Dr Calvagnia came in few minutes after with about 4 or 5 persons more … and he asked Thias to sit… he told me “look, your son is epileptic … he needs to start medication and we might need more tests… but it’s normal… being tired and lots of screen time could have been the reason that triggered it but it was bound to happen… you’ll have to stay for an other 24 hours for further observation “ …

so this was the 31st… New Year’s Eve. We called the family and asked them to bring us more things so we stay in hospital for the new year… (By the way. Cos of Corona no one else is let in… we had the results negative but before the results came in we weren’t even allowed to go out the room… when results came in we were just let our to reception but not the ward )…

my husband brought us food in the evening and my son couldn’t take it. He went out to hug him and we all cried so much… anyway… the night was long… my son slept before midnight… I stayed awake to see that he sleeps well as it is common that this happens between going to sleep mode and before waking up… the day after he did the ECG and it was good. Thanks god 1st January they let us go.

Now after this traumatic experience I sleep next to him. I never leave him alone. If I go to the toilet I’m constantly calling him or with camera switch on… watching him through my phone !! I’m scared and afraid I won’t be strong enough to see him in that state again. But lots of parents and people came and told me their stories and they gave me a lot of courage. If they can do it … we can do it too. It’s scary … but I guess we are stronger then we think.

He is on medication now… increasing dosage gradually… I hope this helps and he will get better soon.

Any mothers of teenagers who had similar experiences? Do they come out of it or is it more difficult?

I have opened a support Facebook forum and I would like to hear your story, Please can you share it on this Facebook page?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/427317618617329