u/EpilepticEmmm

I'm epileptic and have semi-regular focal seizures. They basically cause me to do lots of weird crap but especially repeat random words or phrases that don't seem to make sense but always have a connection. I went to the dentist last week and then a few days later had a seizure saying 'teeth' etc.

The most recent seizure I had I kept saying 'lovely squirrel' and everyone thinks its from this show!! I've been rewatching it loads and clearly the jokes are in my brain!

I reread this today and it made me cry! I've loved the tv adaptations so much, and revisiting the book was something else! I absolutely love the idea that we're essentially reading Tracy's life book, her diary, her account of her thoughts and feelings. Her friendship with Peter was my favourite part of the book. She feels too cool to be friends with him yet sort of likes him and wants to be his friend, and that scene where she helps him sort out his bed wetting is so lovely.

She talks about feeling awful for Justine when her dad doesn't show up and you can just see her compassion come through, their sort of up and down friendship is one of my favourites.

Tracy is probably one of the most famous Wilson characters, but even so I think she needs so much more appreciation, she's wonderful.

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I'm 19 and still living at home, I'm in university although not now because it's summer but I go to uni an hour away and because of my health couldn't move out so I commute.

I'm curious, if you're roughly the same age as me do you feel guilty about living at home or like you should be more independent? For example, my epilepsy means I can't drive and so my parents drive me pretty much everywhere, similarly it makes it hard for me to cook so they do that although I make my own lunches etc.

It just feels a bit like I'm taking advantage but at the same time I'm not sure I could physically do more?

I'm on holiday so in a different bedroom, sharing with my cousin (I don't share at home). I've been awake since we all 'went to bed' at around 11pm - I don't want to mess my sleep cycle up.

Am I better just lying here? Trying to sleep? Getting up and starting my day?

As my username says I'm also epileptic so there's that risky feeling.

Is anyone else really anxious about public transport? I'm 19 and have been catching the bus to university for a year now but trains make me so anxious. I've never been on a plane so I don't even want to think about that!

I'll happily go on the train with my family but I'm too embarrassed to do it with friends, I've been going to the two train stations I usually use since I was a child so I really don't know why it's so scary - if I had a seizure it would be fine (I have focals that last 2-3mins).

Anyone else?

I take focal seizures, at the start of this year they had really clear triggers - i had a seizure the day after my mum went to hospital, a seizure while waiting on exam results, a seizure after a funeral etc.

The past two months I've had multiple every single week for no apparent reason. I've been diagnosed 9 years now and I'm so insanely tired. They only last around 2 minutes, I'm unaware during them and to be honest the only post ictal phase i get is migraines.

I'm 19, all of my friends are driving, getting jobs, moving out, I just feel completely useless and like this is taking over my life. Is there anyone on here who went through teenagehood epileptic? How did you deal with it?