So, you asked for it …
Exactly one day before I started the journey “against all odds”, my wife, Ivonne, was on dialysis. As always, every two days, for five hours. But this time something was different. Hugely different, because she got an epileptic seizure. Epileptic seizures can be life-threatening. On the spot measures were taken and her condition improved. I got to know about this only after(!) my business trip to Italy. Ivonne is strong, very strong. The day she suffered the epileptic seizure she said nothing to me. She did not tell me because she did not want me to leave worried the day after.
It takes strength to experience something like that and not to tell anyone. Not even your soulmate.
– Let it be, if you are anxious –
It takes courage to know that you will be alone the next few days, although it may be that these seizures can occur again at any time.
– Let it be, if you are anxious –
Do not read this, if you are anxious
Of course it is dangerous to be alone shortly after a seizure. Of course, this can “backfire”. However, courage and taking risks is sometimes very close to each other. I know many people who – because of a chronic illness or another serious handicap – made experiences that are not that easy to share with anyone. This – extraordinary – life, then does something with these people. Because they have a lot to do with themselves. It sometimes feels like a forced “education”. An education that makes you harder. The reason is the nature of the humans. When something “hits” humans, they either break or hardens them. (PS: same counts for some animals …)
– What does not kill you makes you stronger –
Do not read further. No, really, don’t read any further …
Only after my return from Italy, I got to know about the epileptic seizure. “Oh man,” that was what I thought at the moment. I was happy to be back home. Two days later, I was sitting in the living room with my business partner to discuss something, then it started again … Ivonne sat next to us on the couch and – suddenly – she got a violent epileptic seizure. I jumped up, took the emergency medication that I always had on hand and put it under her tongue – during the seizure. The drug is relatively strong and “calms” the brain, simply spoken. In reality, it blows her away.
For anybody who has never experienced a situation like this, the situation is surreal. When do you experience something like that? Especially if you experience it for the first time ever. As an outsider, you can not do much that can only those who are able to act. But you can only act if you know what to do in such a situation. I know. My „first experience“ with that is old. Since then, I have experienced many more “first times”. You get used to it, curious, I know. But it’s not like you’re used to the seizures. One gets used to the hardness of the situation. You know, I shall rather say, “I know” that there is only one goal at the moment: push away all thoughts and fears and take care of the person who is suffering. Especially if it is a person close to you – some young parents out there feel addressed now – and especially if the last severe epileptic seizure is only two days ago … and you get stuck in snowy Bologna … knowing that this was the third (!) epileptic attack within seven days …
Health is not everything – but the most important thing
Our health is the base for our live. Without this base, our entire life stands on “shaky legs”. It affects our lives and our lives affect our health. Your job affects your health as well, even a lot, but we’ll talk about that another time …
Globally more than fifty million people suffer from epilepsy. Including many celebrities, such as Elton John. All these people show courage because they strive for a normal life. Well, the life of some epileptics was not so “normal” … like Julius Caesar’s. He also suffered from epilepsy.
Epilepsy. Something that you can not – really – control but … you can although create a base for a “normal” life. A brave base.
Together we are strong!
To stay strong together belongs also to our normal life. You. I. We. Because sometimes somebody needs us, somewhere, someday. Then you’re there. With courage. Because in some moments, only that counts. To be there.
When are you there? In which moments are you – fully and completely – there? Tell me!
#BeBrave
