October Warrior 2024
Tariq
Tariq’s first seizure occurred while he was feeling unwell with a slight fever of about 38°C. With Dad away for work, his mother moved him from the couch to their bed, where the children often slept when he was gone.
Later, when Tariq’s mother and brother went to bed, they noticed him making unusual noises. Checking on him, his mum could see his eyes moving strangely, and his heart was racing. Realising something was seriously wrong, she called an ambulance, with the operator suspecting a seizure based on her description.
Paramedics arrived quickly and rushed Tariq to the hospital, where he was stabilised in the resuscitation room. After several tests, including an MRI, EEG, blood work, and sugar checks, he woke up in the early morning. The doctors estimated the seizure had lasted around 30 minutes.
Additional tests revealed ongoing seizure activity, leading to a suspicion of epilepsy. After five days in hospital, Tariq was sent home with Keppra.
Less than a month later, while playing football, Tariq experienced another seizure.
He vomited afterward and appeared unwell, prompting another hospital visit. Just as they were about to leave emergency after hours of waiting, he had a focal seizure that escalated into a generalised one.
Tariq continued to experience focal seizures, and after another generalised seizure requiring midazolam and another ambulance ride, it became clear that something wasn’t right.
In July this year, a neurologist confirmed that Tariq had focal epilepsy originating in the right occipital lobe, with the potential to progress to generalised seizures. He was switched to Trileptal and began phasing out Keppra, as it had not been effective.
Since then, Tariq has had numerous focal seizures and a few more generalised ones, including his first significant seizure at out-of-school hours care (OOSHC), which occurred without his parents present.
Life has changed considerably; while they try not to be overprotective, his family now takes turns sleeping with him, as several seizures have occurred during sleep or upon waking.
As a sports enthusiast, Tariq remains active, though his family closely monitors him, because overheating has triggered some seizures. They have temporarily put swimming on hold until his seizures are better controlled, knowing they will need to be by his side when he returns.
Despite the challenges, Tariq bounces back after each seizure, determined to live his best life. He has taught his family valuable lessons about living fully in the moment and not worrying excessively about when the next seizure might occur.
Remarkably, Tariq copes with his challenges better than anyone else.