Written By Jenna Martin Senior Editor of epilepsy.com
Living life with epilepsy can be a colossal struggle. Nevertheless, if you Chillemi, it is a challenge and an opportunity to help others.
Stacey Chillemi is 32 years-old, a mother of three, a wife and writer. Her reason for being is defined each day by the happiness in her children’s eyes people with epilepsy she has helped through her writing. “Through this epilepsy I have learned to accept my limitations and to change the way Through my writing I am able to help others and just knowing I’ve helped reward,” said Chillemi.
How it began
At five-years-old, Chillemi contracted encephalitis from what doctors’ surmise an ear infection. For four days, she lay in a coma and doctors were unsure would suffer from paralysis as well as the extent of the brain damage. Fortunately, recovered from her bout with encephalitis with no paralysis. However, she with epilepsy. Since her diagnosis, 27 years ago, Chillemi has had seizures severity from mild seizures in her sleep to tonic-clonic seizures.
“Having epilepsy and being a mom is difficult at times because I have a seizure and I am unable to recover fast enough, that my kids will Chillemi. In fact, the entire time Chillemi has been a mother she has had clonic seizure resulting in serious injury.
According to Chillemi, she was with her children when she felt a seizure coming on. She immediately instructed children to go inside and wait downstairs for her. Following the seizure, she had suffered a head injury and reached out to a neighbor for help. After clonic seizure, Chillemi decided to write a children’s book, called “My Mommy Has Epilepsy”.
Her goal was to help children understand epilepsy in an age as well as to help dispel some of the fear she had witnessed her own children “I don’t want my children to get nervous or to worry about my seizures clonic seizure really motivated me to write a children’s book to help them cope and understand epilepsy.”
She admits she is also limited by not being able to drive, but attributes her for help when she needs it as one more lesson learned. “At first it was difficult other people to drive the children and I places. I felt bad asking family and now I’ve accepted my limitations and accepted who I am.”
Wisdom for Women
Chillemi cautions women with epilepsy to monitor their stress level. “Don’t accomplish too much. Do as much as you can and remember to set realistic reward yourself each day.” She also believes that in order to live with epilepsy maintain a positive attitude it is important to focus on one ’s self. “ Don’t worry what other people can do, only focus on yourself and your abilities because if compare, then you are adding to your stress level, which leads to being drained and ultimately leaves you open to experience more seizures.” She with epilepsy to educate themselves about their epilepsy and believes knowledge alleviate.
Chillemi is in the process of publishing her second book, which she coauthored Blanca Vasques called “Epilepsy and Pregnancy”. She has also published You’re Not Alone” and “My Mommy Has Epilepsy”. “Eternal Love: Romantic Straight from the Heart.” For more information regarding Chillemi’s work, http://www.authorsden.com/staceydchillemi
Written By Jenna Martin