Faces of the Foundation: Ted

How I Champion My Health With Epilepsy

By Ted Hardaway

When I was twelve, I experienced a grand-mal seizure that for me and my parents was extremely scary and concerning.  Over the course of years, I saw neurology physicians and underwent testing to see what was the cause of the seizure.

It was determined that I had seizure-like activity in my brain and that I would be on medications for life.  This was something that I would have to deal with.

Fast forward to 2018 I became a strong champion of my health and lost a total of 65 pounds by my own choice. This was accomplished by healthy eating and improving bad habits.  I closely looked at all areas of my life.

When it came to having epilepsy I closely looked at my sleeping and my medications. When I experienced seizures they occurred at night while I was asleep. With sleep being one of the areas I needed to improve on.

I wanted to know how much rest I needed to make sure I received nightly. Also, I wanted to know were there any other things I needed to make sure I do.

After receiving information from my current physician,  I made the necessary adjustments to my sleep routine and times for bed.  Having a different outlook on my health helped me to hold myself accountable even more to make the changes needed.

I made sure that I took my medication as precribed and made sure not to miss taking it.  My mindset is to be a champion of my health in all areas.  I have been blessed to be able to get the best care for this area.

Currently, I have not had a seizure in years, and overall I feel amazing.   I am glad I improved all areas of my life and became and a champion of my health. I encourage anyone that has epilepsy to be a champion of your health and seek helpful resources that will assist with management of epilepsy.