‘I have been left to rot in lockdown’
A man with epilepsy told how he had 28 seizures during the past year when he normally has one ‘once in a blue moon’.
William Hendren, known as Billy, of Mossblown, has joined Epilepsy Scotland’s #BeyondCovid campaign to highlight the impact of the virus on people living with epilepsy.
The 26-year-old, diagnosed with tonic-clonic epilepsy in 2012 aged 17, has had a difficult year being cut off from his usual support systems, including not seeing his support worker and not being able to attend Mass as a devout Roman Catholic.
Billy, who is partially sighted, said: “It’s been pretty difficult due to the
fact that my routine’s been shaken up. The seizure count is now up at 28. I don’t usually take seizures in a year, it’s mainly once in a blue moon.”
Pre-covid, Billy would meet his support worker a couple of times a week to go out for a meal or into Ayr town centre, and on Fridays they would go bowling, to the pub or visit Craig Tara for the arcades.
Billy hasn’t seen his support worker in 15 months and added: “What the government needs to realise is this pandemic has had a very, very big effect on those with additional support needs. They don’t seem to get it. We’ve basically just been left to rot.”
Billy is keen to highlight the signs of seizures, which for him manifest in slurred speech and an increased heart rate amongst others.
He said: “My triggers are stress, overheating and if I am angry about something. I can’t tell you when I’m going to take a seizure but I can tell you what’s happening. When I took one recently my brain was bubbling like an over-boiling pot on the stove, my stomach was starting to tighten and the old ticker was going at 10 to the dozen. The number one misconception for someone taking a seizure is people automatically think you’re drunk.”
I don’t usually take seizures in a year, it’s mainly once in a blue moon.”