Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

An “absence seizure” (formerly known as a petit mal seizure) is a sudden loss of consciousness in a person with epilepsy. The person appears to “blank out” and may not remember the brief episode later. I had an opportunity to witness this type of seizure first-hand years ago. My college roommate’s sister had epilepsy, and numerous times a day she would stare into space blankly for periods of 15 to 30 seconds. At the time I found it strange and interesting as she simply “zoned out” and then, blinking her eyes, suddenly came back in less than a minute. I could have assumed she was daydreaming. But she shared her medical history with me, so I knew what was happening. The memory of that experience came rushing back when Josh began his episodes of staring out at nothing, at nobody, into some unreachable alternate universe beyond my reach and immune to my love. I recalled seeing my roommate’s sister do the same thing... she would simply stop and stare out into space at nothing. Although she was deemed normal in every way, she was visited multiple times a day by these “silent seizures.”

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures

Silent Seizures