Off the Floor

Epilepsy has long been one of the most stigmatised health conditions. People's beliefs about it are doubtless partly due to what a fit looks like and its aftermath- the frothing at the mouth, shouting, bleeding, bumps, bruising and injuries - all of which can be difficult to look at. After nearly thirty years of living with seizures, Fran Thomas provides a much-needed handbook for epileptics and non-epileptics alike. It includes everything you need to survive when you are having fits and details what to expect from a life which is constantly throwing you a curveball. These are tried and tested strategies from the author's own experience of repeatedly falling down, getting up, then falling down again and again. This searingly honest and thought-provoking book is the story of the author's fits, injuries and increasing memory loss, set alongside the wider story of epilepsy and society. It shows you how to: - Make your house safe to live in - Train a seizure dog - Survive a night in A&E - Navigate a professional life with epilepsy - Create a support network - Talk to others about your fits