Sharing your epilepsy story, no matter where you are in your journey, positively impacts our community. During our Walk to END EPILEPSY – Coastal Bend, Alicia Esquivel from Nuevo Leon, Mexico, tells her story, how she perseveres through the daily challenges of living with epilepsy, and the importance of support.  

At 13 years old, Alicia was diagnosed with epilepsy in her hometown of Sabinas Hidalgo. Alicia began feeling a warm, numb sensation in her right leg, unaware at the time that they were auras. Neither she nor her family had experience with seizures, so she didn’t know how to communicate with her parents what was happening.

On August 20, 1995, Alicia had her first tonic-clonic seizure. Her family rushed Alicia to the hospital in Monterrey. That’s when Alicia found out she had epilepsy.

 Alicia describes her first neurologist as one of her biggest supporters, “He aprendio muchas cosas, porque el doctor que tenia en Nuevo Leon, Monte Rey me explico muchas cosas.” To this day, she remembers her doctor’s unwavering support and patience as he helped her with all these things that were new and foreign to Alicia, like auras, seizures, and AEDs.

Along with Alicia’s doctors, her parents cared for Alicia day and night, always by her side. Whenever Alicia had a seizure, her mom would lay her on the couch and talk her through it, assuring Alicia she was safe. Although physically unable to respond, Alicia heard everything her mother would say. “Siempre estaba pendiente,” she said about her mom. Her father worked tirelessly for the family and to help cover her seizure medications’ cost.

Today, Alicia is 16 years seizure-free, and her goal in life is simple: keep moving forward. “La meta seria seguirme cuidadon para que no me de… ir a adelante.” Alicia’s advice to those newly diagnosed with epilepsy or continuing their fight with their seizures is to strive to have a normal life and not to let epilepsy keep you closed in. “No es por que tenemos esta condicion quiere ser que te vas a enserar en tu mundo, tienes qu ser una vida normal.”

Having a good support system is essential, whether you’re in the early stages of being diagnosed with epilepsy or if you haven’t had a seizure in years. Here at the Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas, we have several support groups available, including our newest group, in Spanish, where we meet monthly to stay updated on each other, get support, and learn more about epilepsy. These groups are designed for those diagnosed with epilepsy, including caregivers, parents, and family. Use this link to sign up for a group.

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