Epileptic reaches out to fellow sufferers
When Natasha Du Venage was first diagnosed she didn't know what was going on. "It is nice to share what you are experiencing."
MBOMBELA – The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each one connected to 10 000 others. “Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe,” Dr Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist, has explained.
The human brain is also the source of epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterised by unpredictable seizures.
Natasha Du Venage (44) won’t let it control her life. She says there are challenges to it, however, and she would like to set up a support group with other patients.
She recently moved back to Mbombela where she had grown up after spending 20 years in Johannesburg.
“There are a lot of people with epilepsy. When I was first diagnosed I didn’t know what was going on. It is nice to share what you are experiencing.”
She was diagnosed with temporal- lobe epilepsy at 25. She had started hallucinating some years before. One doctor told her she was looking for attention. Another accused her of using recreational drugs.
Eventually it developed into full seizures. At its worst she had 20 to 30 a month. After she had a full fit in front of her ballet teacher, a tumour was discovered in Natasha’s brain.
There are about 40 different kinds of epilepsy. Fits for Natasha take different forms. The hallucinations have stopped, but the world becomes blurry or she becomes nauseous. A seizure can leave her dazed and yes, she smells strange things but can’t describe it.
Natasha says in her case she can feel a fit coming on. It does not always result in her losing consciousness and mostly if she concentrates on something really hard, she can handle it. She just sits down wherever she is until is passes. But sometimes it is too strong and she has gotten hurt from falling down.
A new neurologist and better medication have recently also seen her fits reduce to about two or three a month. And her recovery time has increased too – where before it would affect her for about 45 minutes, the after-effects now usually pass within five minutes.
“The world really looks brighter now. It is more clear. Before I suppose it felt as if I constantly had a hangover.”
The tumour cannot be removed, as it is entangled with her optic nerve and an operation may cost her, her sight and speech. It is also not growing, but specialists are considering removing parts of her brain surrounding it to alter the connections.
“I have been undergoing tests and now a neuropsychologist, neurologist and neurosurgeon have to decide whether such an operation would in fact improve my condition. I find the idea of someone removing parts of my brain freaky.”
In the meantime Natasha makes an effort for her epilepsy not to control her life. She has made changes to her lifestyle, living more healthy and meditating, which helps her, as stress affects the onset of an attack to an extent.
“I have always wanted to do my own thing. I have never let it restrict me. Only I must not drive or fly a plane.”
At the moment she does dance therapy with the children at Dasha Foundation School Centre and Protective Workshop as she can’t continue with her ballet career. She is staying with her family now, until she gets back on her feet, but has lived alone before and quite enjoyed it too. “You just have to be careful. I don’t bath, but shower instead. Once I almost drowned in a bath. You must also be careful around pots and stoves.”
Since Epilepsy South Africa knows of no support group for people in the area, anyone who needs help or support can contact Natasha on 082-480-7816 or at natashaduv@gmail.com
