"Are you ok?"
"What happened to you?"
"How did you do that?"
These are the typical questions I get asked when I walk into a group of people who have no idea that I have seizures, sporting a rather fetching minor black eye. Or any other injury for that matter.
My tutors at college are aware that I have Epilepsy as are the main people I hang around with, but as for the wider audience in my life, I tend to work on a need to know basis. When I join a new group of society I don't just blurt out that I live with seizures. Instead I only tell the people who I will be spending a large amount of time with because of the likelihood of me having one whilst I'm with them. Fair's fair. Others, I leave to get to know me for me first. It may then come as a shock to them that I can be (dare I say it) a completely "normal" human being on the outside then bam a seizure strikes which they will either witness themselves or be witness to the effects of, and they soon learn a valuable lesson.
This week was the first time I had to walk into a classroom full of unsuspecting people, with a grazed face and freshly banged black eye. First came the looks and slowed hush around the room. I'm totally ok with that as to be honest I am quite likely to do the same thing if I'm honest. It's natural to wonder. Then once I've sat down amongst people come the questions. One person will be brave enough to simply ask "what happened?" or something along those lines. To which I will reply with the honest answer similar to "oh I have Epilepsy and I had a seizure and banged myself on something. It's ok though I'm used to it and this injury doesn't hurt too much now." Usually accompanied with a smile that says "thank you for asking" as believe me, it relieves this invisible tension thats hanging around the room.
Throughout the period of time following, which will last from now on really, I'll often receive questions about living with Epilepsy and I'll forever be totally open about it. It's less pressure on me and the people around me and makes it less awkward.
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