Valentine's Day: Epilepsy, partnerships and "the good in people ...

Diving into the unknown: Megan and Corey

Megan was nervous to tell her boyfriend Corey about her epilepsy, as, at the time, she’d only told a few close friends and family. However, from the beginning, Corey was completely accepting of Megan’s condition, and they’ve now been together for eight years. Corey has stood by Megan’s side, looking after her during seizures, being there for her during recoveries and even filming Megan’s seizures so the videos can be used to train doctors and nurses. When he found out about Megan’s epilepsy, Corey knew he had no choice but to step up for her:

“Megan told me about two months into the relationship. We were having a night in with friends and she felt comfortable to show me a video and explain what could happen to her. It made me feel upset to learn what she was going through and hear what she had faced in the first couple of years of her seizures and diagnosis. I can remember reassuring her that there was no need to be embarrassed about it anymore and around me. I was at the age in life (16) where we were transitioning into adulthood and it was time to ‘man up’ and be brave with situations like this.

“My advice for other couples would be to stick by each other, accept it’s something to deal with and do everything you can to help your partner. Go to appointments, record seizures when you can, write notes to describe the seizures, be there for your partner to talk to.

“It’s also important to not be afraid to ask for support yourself because it is hard as a partner to watch the person you love going through a traumatic time. There’s lots that you can do to help but remember you’re not an actual problem solver – you can’t just fix it. All you can do is be there.”

Megan has previously nominated Corey for an Epilepsy Star Award for the care he provides for her.

“Corey is amazing at looking after me. He always stays as calm as possible. He makes sure that I’m comfortable and will move objects from around me.

“Once he’s made sure I’m safe, Corey begins filming me during a seizures, even though it can be distressing for him. These videos help my neurology nurse to understand more about my seizures and the types they are. Some of the videos taken are of such good quality that they’ve been used by neurology doctors and nurses to train up new staff. I think this is something for Corey to be proud of.

“Over the years, I have had some seizures that have led to accidents. He has helped me to get changed afterwards, clean myself up, and reassured me that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

“We’re lucky that we haven’t faced too many challenges as a couple. I think this stems from us getting together at a young age so we’ve grown up and matured with it. Communication is key.

“My advice to the person with epilepsy in the relationship, would be to just be as open as possible with their partner and not be embarrassed. Tell them everything about your journey and diagnosis. When you find someone like Corey who helps so much and literally changes lives with the videos he’s taken, you realise just how much good there is in people.”