Hi i’m Fran, aged 26 and living in Cornwall.
I was hospitalised in March 2018, was put into a coma because of uncontrollable status epilepticus and diagnosed with Autoimmune Encephalitis. As a result i have brain damage, severe memory loss, cognitive impairment and Epilepsy. This has all lead to me losing my dream job after just 2 months of having it, splitting up with my Fiancee and several family members and friends detaching themselves from me.
My seizures started when i was admitted to hospital, tonic clonic then vacant, focal and non-epileptic. The tonic clonic ones stopped when i was discharged but started again 10 months ago and i have finally received the diagnosis of Epilepsy – not necessarily something i wanted but at least i had an answer to what was going on!
I have been on 4 seizure medications all at the same time since leaving the hospital; Lamotrigine, Lacosamide, Levitracetam, Clobazam and now starting on Brivaracetam. My recent appointment in Bristol i was told that i fall into the 30% whereby medications don’t work to control the seizures.
I am desperate to get back into work, obviously i suffer from the seizures and then associated fatigue and, combined with my memory loss, fear that i may not necessarily be employable. I have accepted that i won’t get a job in the marine industry which is what my Degrees are in but i don’t know where to start in terms of looking for something else and whether i would even be considered? I seem to have lost any passion for a career path and just don’t know what to do.
Any advice would be very gratefully received!
