Robert - Interview 37

More about me...
Robert is 17 and a full-time student at college. When he is was 6 he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Robert remembers having what he used to call "funny turns" when he was little, as early as Year 1 in school. He says he didn't know anything about epilepsy at the time and didn't realise that these were in fact seizures. Robert went to a special needs school and he found the work too easy. He is now at college which he says he enjoys much more.
When Robert was 16, 10 months before the interview, he had neurosurgery to treat his uncontrolled seizures. Robert says he was nervous about the operation but decided that he definitely wanted to go through with the it because he wanted to free from the seizures. Straight after the surgery Robert found it difficult to remember things like his friends' phone numbers and also walking was difficult at first. Robert recovered well and when he went back to college he noticed major changes for the better.
The brain surgery has changed Robert's life in many ways. Robert says he used to be really hyperactive and his moods would be up and down. He also used to find it difficult to work things out in maths, for example. Robert describes himself after surgery' “I was more calm and I could think lot more, work out things,” and he didn't need his teaching assistant anymore either. Also his hearing has improved and he says he's much more able now to hear the lyrics in music and the chords the music is played in. He is now training to play his guitar by ear, rather than by reading the tabs. Robert has been seizure-free since the operation and says he is really happy that he had it. Robert still takes his epilepsy medication as it is a long process to wean off.
Robert lives at home with his mum. He is into heavy metal music and says he'll be able to go to gigs and festivals more often now. He also likes hanging out with his mates. Robert would like to be a plumber and plans to take a plumbing course after college.
Robert describes how he felt just before the operation and the pain he had straight after.
Robert describes how he felt just before the operation and the pain he had straight after.
Morning comes. They take every needle out my foot. Now the plastic ones weren't painful, but the one in my head I had to lean aside and, 'We will take this out. It won't hurt.' Bang it comes out and they stitch it up really quickly and it was actually quite painful, it was. Then I just like fainted. Woke up a couple of hours later, all fine just feeling all dizzy I did and that was it. Just like I couldn't think straight. It was quite hard.