What’s for lunch?

The first time I went to the neurologist here in Puerto Rico I was given some rules, thing I can’t do when living with epilepsy. Some of these I can do now that I have been able to control my epilepsy for so long, others I still need to reach the two years, and there are some I’m still not sure.

I can’t drive until I’m at least two years seizure free, which I totally get and I enjoy always having a ride. I can’t go to the pool or the beach by myself in case I have a seizure but I really don’t think anyone should do this, something can happen even if you’re not at risk of having a seizure. But there is one that has been really difficult for me to follow. I can’t use the stove or oven when I am alone.

I love to eat, I think I have mentioned this before and I loved to cook. I loved making rice and beans or rice with anything else, I liked making cake or brownies. I mostly used the stove, but I also knew how to use the oven. Most of that was left in the past after I was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Yes, I said most. I follow all of my neurologists instructions, but if I’m alone for lunch, I need to eat. So most of the food we get for my lunch can be cooked in the microwave, but from time to time I want other things, stuff that you cook on the stove. I know I’m breaking my epilepsy rules but I’m hungry. In fact I think I take more care of making sure the stove is off than when I didn’t have epilepsy and cooked almost every day, and I have never burned down the house.

Besides, I kind of remember my seizures happened at night and I never cook at night. I just always need to make sure I took my anti epileptic medicine before I even think about cooking or just always make sure I take it no matter what.