Forever And A Day.

Helloooooooo everybody! It has been so long and for that I am sorry. A lot has happened since July, so I will try to remember everything.

I was finally able to get in to see my neurologist. We talked about how I had been having an increase in seizures and wasn't sure why. It has been clear that my cluster of seizures comes around the same time every month, which is right before my menstrual cycle. It lasts about a day. I have discussed that issue a couple times with my neurologist and each time she says there isn't much you can do. Some women have tried different things, which never work. This last appointment she suggested something new: get a prescription for 100mg tablets of Lamictal. I would take them the day before I started my period and the rest of that week. Of course, I had to have my levels checked first, being that it is dangerous to have my Lamictal levels too high and could cause liver damage. So far, I have used the 100mg pills but I haven't thought much about it.

On August 25th, I left the country and traveled to China. It's a study abroad for my dad's work and my mom and I followed along to take some Chinese classes at the university here. It is my second time here in China, the first being in 2004. I have a whole new perspective on things because I am older now. Also, it has been great being able to get to know the students that are here for study abroad. I'm going to be here until December, so I will have been here for four months.

Okay. I consider China to be my second home. I love everything about it. The people, the language, the culture. However, culture shock has hit me hard on and off. Sometimes I wake up hating everything about China. My day is followed by me complaining about everything and hating everyone. Other times I will be just fine and half way through the day something sparks. For me, when culture shock hits I go into a deep depression, never wanting to leave my room, let alone the apartment. It usually lasts a day and goes away.

A few weeks ago I traveled to Beijing with everyone and my monthly cluster of seizures graced me with its presence. I had to miss some things and stay at the hotel. When they seemed to have stopped, I decided to walk to the store with a friend. On the way there and back I had seizures non-stop. Luckily, I was able to hide them from my friend. She knew I had seizures, but I much preferred to not show them if I could help it. Unfortunately, on the way back to the hotel, she noticed something was wrong. I told her a second after the seizures stopped, that I was sorry. I don't know why I apologized, but she said it was just fine.

My VNS has been lovely. It isn't as noticeable for me as before. Riding my bike is when I do notice it. It will sometimes show itself causing my breathing to get heavier, but that rarely happens. It could be because I am getting in shape. Who knows?

It's been hard for me to get on my blog because of culture shock and also my classes. However. I will try to write once a week at least.