By Deron Hamel
Sept. 4, 1990 is a day that’s etched into Steve Rutledge’s memory.
This was the day Rutledge received neurosurgery to address his epilepsy. It was a day that proved to be a turning point in the life of the father of three who had, until then, lived with epilepsy for more than 10 years.
Rutledge has been seizure-free since that day. He knew he was taking his chances when he agreed to have the procedure. He was warned the operation might not work. He was told the recovery process would be long and he would experience side effects, like frequent headaches.
Still, he had to take his chances, and today he’s glad he did.
Rutledge began experiencing seizures at around 12 years old, when he was in Grade 7. His family noticed a change in him; he would say words and phrases that seemingly came out of nowhere – and leaving him with no recollection of these episodes. It was at this time he was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Over time, the seizures became more frequent, and by the time he had his surgery, when he was 24, Rutledge was having up to seven seizures a day.
His epilepsy had become unpredictable. He would go as long as 18 months without a seizure, but then the seizures would start again. His doctor would prescribe medications that worked for a time, but then the seizures would reoccur.
At this point, Rutledge had enough. He approached his doctor to discuss possibilities to end the seizures – for good. His doctor suggested he might be a candidate for surgery. Despite warnings the operation might not work, it was a chance Rutledge was willing to take.
Seizure-free for nearly 25 years, Rutledge, a Woodville, Ont. resident, underscores the importance of people living with epilepsy talking with their physicians about surgical options to end their seizures.
Additionally, Rutledge says it’s important for those living with epilepsy to educate those around them – family, friends and workmates – about their condition so they can understand it. This, he says, allowed him to pursue interests in his youth, particularly sports, without fear of being ostracized.
Being seizure-free has also encouraged Rutledge to become active in helping people with epilepsy and raising awareness of the condition. He is a volunteer with Epilepsy Peterborough and Area who helps organize events to raise money and, more importantly, he says, raise awareness of epilepsy.
“I am trying to make more people aware of what epilepsy is and how they can help not only themselves but people around them,” he says. “After all the help that I got, I want to give something back.”
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