Avoidence of Customers - Epilepsy Message Board

vincentmay · 07-02-2003, 06:45 PM

Hi All

I have Questions regarding seizures, I suffer from Partial/Petimal type of seziures and currently work for a hotel.

Lately I have been asked to take a tray of knives and forks to the study to allow banquetters to polish them
To get to the study I got to go through a load of people standing at the bar. This problem is when I am in front of people with this tray, my heart beats faster/harder.

Is this a sign of worry of having fits in front of people. I do find it embarrassing to have fits in front of other people especially stangers.

People who I know have told me my fits includes me waving my hands/arms, unresponsive and sometimes walk about and they go quickly but however I do drop things during a fit. I also been known to flood the kitchen at work because I was running the tap to fill the sink - and had the fit and a chef told me to go for a break, I forgot about the tap and went out for a break and when I came back the sink overflowed leaving a big puddle on the floor.

If you have read my other post about job loss due to fit. I lost the laundry/linen job I thought this job 1.
Use as therapy to help me to work in front of other
people by carrying laundry 2.. More money.
I did have fits in front of strangers at the hotel but a couple just stared and talked so I took no notice.

As I lost my linen job I am now back to square 1 by getting banquetting staff to take it away instead, If they don't like it, then it is tough as they are lazy when it came to sorting table linen and taking rubbish away

Vincent

maggie39 · 07-03-2003, 08:48 AM

Hi Vincent
I have Grand Mal type seizures, and have certainly felt that embarrasement of having them in public a few times, but I have generally found people to be sympathetic, helpful, and concerned. You're "racing heart" sound like you're just very nervous. I suppose I would be too if Ij just lost a job (or part of a job) because of seizures. It sounds like you really liked your linen job better - could you approach your boss and talk to them about reinstating you in that position? If they took that part of your job away because they thought it was triggering your seizures someway, try reassuring them it was not the job. I hope you can get that back... sounds like you miss it.
In the mean time, just try to remember that most of the people you encounter really won't look down on you just because you have seizures, and those that do I think have big problems of their own!
Maggie

vincentmay · 07-03-2003, 08:57 AM

Thanks for your reply

Banquetters are waitress/waiters for parties. As for the study room, I need to get through people standing at the bar to get to the other side from the kitchen.

I did write this after work last night and worked 9 hours because I had to manually clean the kitchen and finish at midnight.

Vincent