McKenzie’s Epilepsy Fund

Hello, My name is McKenzie Smith I am a Daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, and a friend too many genuine people. Growing up I watched some of my family members struggle with Epilepsy, Breast Cancer, and Heart issues. Even though it was a scary thing to watch, and question why my family was going through this everyone explained this, “ God always gives his strongest soldiers, the hardest battles knowing you can overcome them and prosper them”. While watching them continuing to live, deal, and overcome the struggle of their health, and keeping their heart still grateful to be alive, knowing it could be much worse. I learned to be grateful instead of hurt for what happened in March of 2021.

On March 30, 2021 was The First Day I had a seizure, followed with two more that day. I didn’t know what had happened, why it happened, or what had caused it. It seemed like the first neurologist I saw didn’t know either. It took over 31 seizures after that day, in a span of two months, multiple different neurologist, Six different hospital stays, multiple ER visits, multiple long ambulance rides to be transported. All just to find the one hospital to help me, University of Miamis Epilepsy program and Dr. Melo Bicchi’s Neurologist team. Out of all the doctors I had seen inside and out of the hospital, they were the only ones to really look, listen, and test to understand where it was coming from and why.

-Epilepsy

-Brain seizures

-Grand Mal seizures

-A Damaged Pariental Lobe

Multiple CT scans, MRI scans, Spinal Taps, Enormous amounts of blood work, Month of EEGs, Two week sleep studies, and EKG/ EEG studies regularly.

To be told the Pariental Lobe in my brain is sending the seizures in waves, that caused my Lobe to be permanently damaged. This causes my body/ brain to loose 75-80% sense of touch, and feeling, numbness in parts of my body daily, weakness everyday, dizziness everyday, hallucinations on the hard days, along with some more issues.

Although some of the medications help my seizures, most don’t. I have tried 10 different medications, while continuing to do more and more testing. There are different approaches going to be taken soon, but I will not be sharing just yet.

This has affected so much in my daily life, I am no longer able to drive, work, attend school at a steady paste, even be alone by-myself.

However, it has taught me so much in the process. God chose me to be another soldier in his world, to show me that there are much bigger things in life.

I spend my weeks now continuing to do research to learn about my condition and what I can do to help it, and even suggest to my doctors.

Along with doctor appointment, after doctor appointment trying to help me and making sure nothing gets worse. Continuing to push myself every day just a little bit more than the last. My limitations may have restricted my body physically and mentally but I have overcome one of my biggest goals from this, and that is respect for why this happened to me.

I have been on medical leave from Paul Mitchell for the last three months. I have tried going back to school twice when I had A “good day” but I never lasted more than two hours without having a seizure there. I have five months left until I graduate with my license. I hope to try and return soon once my treatments have helped me stay seizure free both body, and brain. Meanwhile, I am never left unattended with my family always helping me daily, and teaching me how to adjust to my new “normal”.

I have been looking into getting a ESA DOG (seizure dog) . This will help me feel more comfortable when alone, in stores, or just walking out to get my mail. The dogs have the power to alert someone near that I am having a sign of a seizure, or having one. They can also be trained to help me while it’s happening. This is something that will make the process a little bit easier physically and mentally.

with the training for the dog to be able to help alert and assist me the cost runs very high, and time consuming.

my medication‘s for my epilepsy is not covered completely and runs for a pretty high expense, along with my new neurologist who is the best in the state of Florida, but doesn’t take my insurance.

I know this is a long, and costly process that is why I am reaching out to friends, family, and even those who are just hearing my story for the first time. My family and I are doing everything we can’t do these tough times, and thank you for every bit of support that has been thrown my way. Once again I want to thank you for the continuous thoughts and prayers, you are all making the process a lot easier on my family and I.