As I write this, the media is full of Wally Lewis and his surgery. Every bulletin gives an update on his condition/ Now while I - like most Queenslanders- have enormous affection and respect for Wally, it makes me rather sad to realise it is not until someone with the high profile and popularity of Wally is diagnosed, or discusses the fact that they have epilepsy, that this really common condition is talked about openly by the average person.

Like ‘King Wally’, I also have had epilepsy. Mine started from a lengthy febrile seizure I had, as a baby. Febrile seizures are not considered to be epilepsy as lots of babies have them when they have a rapidly rising fever. However if they go on for a very long time, as mine did, they can leave some scarring, which in many cases can then develop into temporal lobe- or partial- seizures in later years. And this is what happened to me.

I didn’t know what it was as a child. I just knew that every now and then I would get a strange bitter taste in my mouth, or a peculiar feeling in my stomach, almost like my stomach was rising up to my chest. It used to frighten and upset me, and people around me didn’t know what was wrong. Later, I would have complex partial seizures, where I would just stare in a bland way, say nonsense words, or smack my lips together and wander around for a few minutes in a daze, almost like a sleep walker. I never remembered these, but I was certainly aware of the way other kids -and teachers sometimes- used to view me afterwards. A mixture of making fun of me, and being annoyed with me.

Later still I began having convulsive, or tonic clonic seizures, these used to be called grand mal, and even though for me it was a total blackout, I hated them, because when I came around everyone was fussing and panicking around me, and didn’t want me back at school for the next few days.

I was very bright at school, but after a few seizures, I felt like I was in a fog, unable to think straight, and probably the medication I was on made that fog worse at times. I tried many medications over the years. They helped, but didn’t stop the seizures happening occasionally.

In High school it was difficult also. When people knew I had epilepsy, a lot really changed the way they treated me. Maybe they were afraid of what they would be expected to do if I had a seizure, or maybe they thought- like quite a few ignorant people I have met, that having epilepsy made me weird in some way. However I did have a couple of really good friends, and at least I knew they were my friends and I could trust them. High school is difficult I think at the best of times, as is adolescence but it is more difficult if you have a health condition or are different in some way.

I managed to finish High school with good results, despite frequent simple and partial seizures, occasional tonic clonic one, and medication side effects. I knew if I had a condition like epilepsy I needed really good qualifications and skills if I was going to be employable, and lead the kind of life I wanted to lead. It wasn’t always easy, and I had to fight hard for a lot of things, but I was accepted into university to study law. I felt there was a lot of discrimination against people with epilepsy, and thought as a lawyer I may be able to help others.

I loved university, but the seizures were getting more frequent and severe. Surgery was something I was aware of as a possibility, and even though the thought of brain surgery is as scary as hell, I wanted to look at all my options. I actually went through all the tests here in Brisbane, and as I had scarring in the left temporal lobe, I was considered a good candidate. I had the surgery done in November at the end of the university year. It all went well, with no complications. I ended up taking six months off Uni, although I really didn’t need that long, but I wanted time to fully recover, to get fit, to rest and to do a few other things. I graduated from law two years ago, and now work in a large city practice. I have had no more seizures, and feel wonderful, and also so grateful that this was possible.