Karla

I got married at 18 to my high school sweetheart. I am now 34. I had epilepsy my whole life but was not diagnosed with it until I was 21. I thought it was normal when I was little. when I got older I was to scared to say anything. Then once when I was an adult and after my first pregnancy (I had twins) at age 19 I started to have seizures all the time. The kind where you stare and very little if any shaking. The only thing that changed my HS is the frequency. My husband and girlfriends would say they had conversations with me and tell me things and I would have no recolection of it. I thought I was loosing my mind and went to see a shrink. Luckily she had epilepsy and sent me to a neurologist who did a work up and gee. I have epilepsy. So, my husband didn't have a choice in the matter but it was very hard on our marriage. My seizures were uncontroled for all the years. I had up to 30 a day then started having grand mal. I couldn't work, drive, etc. I had the babies. I was not suppose to bath alone, much less bath the babies alone or take care of the babies alone. They were afraid I would drop them. I had another son. So I have 3 children total. The medicines are not good to take if you want to get pregnent either. So as for family life: Are you going to work? Are you going to get pregnant? If so, Are you prepared to stop taking meds and suffer seizures (which may harm the baby also)? who is going to take care of the baby and children?

When we would go out with friends to relax and play cards I would have a seizure and then I would sleep. He knows it isn't my fault but yet the stress is there and men don't always relate and deal well with illnesses. Alot of times he would act like i did it on pupose even though he knew I didn't .

I guess what I am trying to say is marriage is not impossible if you have epilepsy. You just need to make sure that your partner understands your epilepsy at its best and worst. How it could effect your marriage at its best and worst. Make sure they are willing to live with it on your terms and love you "in sickness and health"