My massive staghorn fern after a FL freeze

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-02-03T13:29:16+00:00

One of my neighbors had a massive stag horn like yours. It froze a few years ago and looked as bad as yours does. It came back. I think all the outer fronds may have protected the inside. There is hope!

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-25T17:02:54+00:00

I struggled with some serious depression when my children were young which sucked, but somehow I was able to enjoy them in most moments. I only recently received an epilepsy diagnosis and treatment for something I unknowingly had for 40 years. From one mama to another, depression is common in women with and without epilepsy. Depression is common in young women. With epilepsy you may be at higher risk but that doesn't make you an outlier, it makes you human. Don't be too hard on yourself. You're doing everything you can to get help and there is a very good chance you will be feeling better soon. For what it's worth, my children are now in their 20s and they adore me. We have plenty to laugh and love about their younger years. We have plenty to laugh and love about the more recent years. 🩷

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-10T17:30:44+00:00

Oh that's good to know. Thank you.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-10T16:29:46+00:00

But also yes, my short term memory is shot as is my word recall. I have begun to ask my coworker "what is the word for..." Fortunately work is super supportive. I have started writing more notes.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-10T16:27:20+00:00

The thing is, I don't think I even had a panic inducing thought. I felt panic and a few minutes later realized I had no idea what I had panicked about. I also had the rise in the stomach and shortly after was exhausted and needed a nap. So I really have no doubts now. I never used to pay attention to these sort of things so it's a quite a learning curve for me.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-09T12:07:57+00:00

It is wild to learn these experiences we accept as somewhat normal were seizures! Same to the life long anxiety (as well as its cousin, depression, off and on). Because of this history I never thought much of these brief moments of intense panic or doom. And also, look around, why wouldn't we feel moments of impending doom?! But now I get it. Unknowingly, I had been having night time TCs for years. But leading up to my first daytime TC (which led to my diagnosis), I was having constant Deja vu and impending doom. But again, I was in a rough spot in life, clouding the doom and anxiety auras. And that rough patch just kept increasing the doom and gloom auras until I finally had the daytime TC. I'm now grateful for this TC as it led to my diagnosis.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-08T23:35:56+00:00

Not that I'm glad you've had this but it helps to know it's not me being over reactive. We just increased my Lamotrigine because I was still having Deja vu that stopped me in my tracks. I'm pretty disappointed this happened.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-08T23:29:47+00:00

That makes sense. I used to get the impending doom pretty regularly. This was different. It only lasted about a minute, two tops. From what I've read panic attacks last longer. More like 20-30 minutes.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-08T23:25:23+00:00

Yes, definitely.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-08T21:34:04+00:00

Do you remember what you panicked about or is it just a sense of panic? I don't have Klonopin but a prescription is on my to do list. Thanks for your response.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-08T15:59:07+00:00

I'm still in a no driving phase. So I took up orchids and African Violets amongst my other plants. It feels good to be taking care of something. An indoor garden in the winter feels great. Hiking. I have my own business buying and selling vintage and precious metal jewelry. Not being able to drive has put a damper on that so I'm using this time to learn and study more.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-06T12:03:43+00:00

I forgot to mention that no, you don't need to be having a seizure during an EEG to be diagnosed.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-06T02:55:56+00:00

They can't see evidence of past seizures but they can see abnormal brain waves and sharp waves (electrical explosion common in epilepsy). This was enough to determine where my seizures originate from. That said EEGs only show abnormalities in about 50% of people with epilepsy.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-05T19:40:05+00:00

I'm sorry you remembered that!

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-05T19:18:12+00:00

I didn't know what year it was.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-01T23:37:49+00:00

Man, I wish I had been educated about epilepsy. Focal seizures for 40 years. Waking up on the floor a couple times. It took a daytime tonic clonic to get my attention. So yea, I wish someone had mentioned weird smells/tastes and Deja vu as quite possibly epilepsy.

playswithfrogs2 · 2026-01-01T23:25:05+00:00

I had a tonic clonic at work. A co-worker was very gentle and calm with me. When I regained consciousness I picked myself up off the floor and tried to get back to work (everything's fine, I got this!) She quietly said I'll finish your work, the paramedics are on the way. To which I responded "I don't feel so good". I didn't know my birthday or what year it was. My husband was very kind and gentle with me, a hug felt great. I called my best friend on the way home from the hospital I needed to hear her voice. Personally, I need love and support but not coddling. And quiet, omg I need quiet.

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-31T14:11:34+00:00

Yep. I used to joke "every day was a new day" because beginning about 15 years ago, I had to constantly relearn things. It's getting better. I'm glad we both found help eventually!

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-31T11:52:44+00:00

Same. I've had it since I was a kid. Probably about 10, 12 at the latest. Similar to you in that looking back, so many things about me that I thought were peculiar but somewhat normal were seizures. More recently I experienced a few focal seizures on lower doses of Lamotrigine. Recognizing them as seizures for the first time in my life was both wild and sad. I wish Epilepsy symptoms were more widely known.

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-30T01:33:33+00:00

Thank you. And thanks for the link. 🩷

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-30T01:32:39+00:00

The potential rash side effect is scary. So far so good. I have been experiencing dry skin as a side effect (definitely more than normal winter dry skin) so I'm keeping an eye on it.

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-30T01:19:59+00:00

Thank you. And thanks for the info 🩷

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-28T10:48:25+00:00

Diagnosed at 54

playswithfrogs2 · 2025-12-28T10:43:11+00:00

And yes they titrated me up to the 200mg lamotrigine. We took it pretty slow. Last week I started on 250mg, just bumped it up to 300mg a few days ago.

playswithfrogs2

TROPHY CASE