Life Alert systems....Are they worth it? - Epilepsy Message Board

Ksavage · 10-02-2002, 10:57 AM

Hi everyone! As some of you know, I am expecting my first child in December & am a bit worried about how things are going to go with a newborn & my seizures. I will be home alone with my baby for about 9 hours a day & am thinking of getting one of these Lefe Alert systems for my home. Can anyone tell me if they have ever used one of theses sytems & how well they work. I have Gran-mals & I am not even 100% sure that I will be able to push the button in time.
Thanks for you r help!

Kim

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Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, today is a GIFT, that it is why it is called the present.

nicola76 · 10-02-2002, 12:21 PM

Hiya Kim!

You must be getting so excited! December is just around the corner!!

Honestly I've only ever heard good things about those Life Alert Systems. There are systems over here where people wear something like a watch and when they push the button the paramedics are called. Are you thinking about something like that?

Getting a system like that would probably give you some peace of mind and that in itself would help a lot.

Take care hun! E-mail me when you can. *hugs*

Nic

Ksavage · 10-02-2002, 12:39 PM

Hey there stranger! Yes that is the type of system that I am looking into. There will be a machine in our house & if I get into trouble & I need help then I have to push a button that I wear around my neck or on my wrist & somebody will start talking to me on the speaker phone & they will also call 911 in my neighborhood & notify my husband & whoever else is on my contact list. I am just wondering if I will even have enough time to push the button before I have a seizure. If we get this we have to sign a 3 year contract & pay $300 to have it installed in our home & then pay $75 a month for the monitoring service. Whish is well worth the money I think IF & only IF I am able to use it. That is my fear. That we will sign all of these agreements & get everything hooked up & when & if I do have a seizure & I am not able to push the button & then it will all be useless for me. That is why I am a bit confused about getting one of these or not. Just wondering if anyone else out there has ever tried one.

Kim

10-02-2002, 02:18 PM

I don't know about the system but I started having my seizure (which are only the grandmals) 3 weeks post pardum. I only get about a 10 second warning so I don't think I could push the button fast enough. I actually just have friends and neighbors check on me every so often to make sure i'm ok.

Good Luck!

Ksavage · 10-02-2002, 02:45 PM

Could you maybe give me a few safety tips on how to ensure your baby's safety when you seize? I am very concerned about dropping her or falling on her & then as she gets older & in the todler years how do you know that she is not going to get hurt or get into something while you are out? My husband says that I am usualy "out" of it for about 10-15 minutes. That is not seizing time but I gues what you would call somewhat of a recovering time. I am just so worried about all of these things. Everyone tells me how I really need to use a changing table in the nursery & that is one of my first concerns is that my baby will be left for 15-20 minutes unsupervised 3 feet off of the ground. I know that I will not use this changing table. I just wish my friends & family could understand why I am ALREADY worried about these things. It is just something that I can't help. I want everything to be as safe as possible for myself & my baby. I am not due until December 27th so I do have some time to prepare as much as possible for all of the changes that come with a new baby, but as well as the delima of being an Epileptic Mother of a newborn. First time Mom need I add!

Thank you so much for your help!

Kim

[This message has been edited by Ksavage (edited 10-02-2002).]