March 26th 2024.
When I woke up in the hospital, I was disoriented and in pain. My sister and brother-in-law were there, looking at me with concern. I had no idea why I was there or what had happened. I couldn't remember anything.
Fearful, I asked them what had happened. My sister explained that I had a seizure and my front tooth had come out. At the time, I was too shocked to even think about the cost of replacing the tooth. Little did I know, it would have a huge impact on my financial situation for years to come.
I was first diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 26 years old. Before that, I had one seizure at school when I was nine, but it was dismissed as a one-time occurrence. It wasn't until I collapsed while grocery shopping in 2005 that I was finally given proper tests and diagnosed with epilepsy.
Being epileptic was not easy for me. I was no longer allowed to drive, which felt like losing a part of myself. I had to be careful with everything I did, especially when trying out new medications. I couldn't use hair straighteners or take deep baths. I had to constantly assess potential risks that others take for granted. Over time, I had one to three seizures per year, which led to me becoming more and more anxious about going out and losing confidence. It eventually led to depression.
My daughter Poppy was only nine years old when she first witnessed me having a seizure. At first, she was scared, but she quickly learned what to do and how to help me. It was heartbreaking for me to see her grow up so quickly and have to deal with something so traumatic at such a young age.
In January 2017, I had a fall that resulted in losing my front tooth. I was meeting a friend for dinner and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed, covered in blood. My friend found me fitting face-down on the concrete floor, with a large amount of blood and my tooth on the ground. She had seen me have seizures before, but she said this one was the worst.
The NHS could only offer me a fake tooth on a retainer, which I couldn't handle. So, I decided to look into private treatment and was told I could get a dental implant for £3,500. However, the cost ended up being much more as I also had two wisdom teeth removed and other dental work done.
Looking back, I'm not sure if all the additional work was necessary, but I was vulnerable and depressed at the time. I went along with what the dentist suggested. It took me nearly two years to pay off the credit card debt I incurred from the treatment. I now have no savings and live paycheck to paycheck with my daughter.
Recently, I've been experiencing some issues with my implant and the tooth next to it. It feels like my implant is pushing on my other teeth and I have a constant feeling of tightness in that area. However, I can't afford to go back to the dentist for further treatment. I've reached out to the NHS for help, but all they have offered is advice.
Living with epilepsy means dealing with a lot of bumps and knocks. A few years after my tooth incident, I had a seizure and ended up with severe burns on my chin, arm, and leg from falling on a hot radiator. I now have padded insulation on the pipes to prevent that from happening again. Seizures can be incredibly traumatic, both emotionally and physically.
That's why I fully support The Epilepsy Society's FixIt4Free campaign, which calls for free dental treatment for those who have suffered dental injuries during seizures. It's a great campaign and would have been incredibly helpful for me in 2017. As it stands, I am barely able to keep my head above water after paying for my dental work. I wouldn't be able to afford it again.
Having epilepsy comes with many costs that people may not realize. Share your story and join the campaign to raise awareness and help those who are struggling with the financial burden of dental repairs after seizures.
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