Skp to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Innovation

        Innovation

      • Overview
      • Capabilities
      • Innovation is
      • Pipeline
      • Drug discovery
      • Clinical studies
      • Publications

      You might be interested in...

      Hypothesize That logo
      Page

      Hypothesize That! Discover our new science podcast, where science meets conjecture and curiosity

      Page

      Publications - A dedicated space where we share a collection of our scientific peer-reviewed...

      Page

      Pipeline - Check out our clinical development pipeline spanning several therapy areas

  • Solutions

        Solutions

      • Overview
      • Healthcare professionals
      • Diseases
      • Medicines

      You might be interested in...

      Page

      Hidradenitis Suppurativa – Learn more about Hidradenitis Suppurativa an inflammatory skin disease

      Page

      WoCBA - Closing the gaps in research in the care of women of childbearing age with chronic diseases

      Page

      Clinical studies – Click to find out more on our clinical studies

  • About UCB

        About UCB

      • Overview
      • Management
      • Sustainability
      • Our positions
      • Ethics & Business Integrity
      • Collaborate with us

      You might be interested in...

      Page

      Integrated Annual Report 2024 - Click here to access the report

      Page

      UCBCares® - Discover what UCBCares® is about and the services they offer

      Picture of the Arkelia building on the Braine-l'Alleud campus in Belgium
      Story
      10 Feb 2025

      Driving innovation forward: UCB unveils new R&D facility

  • Newsroom

        Newsroom

      • Overview
      • Press releases
      • Our stories
      • Resources
      • Contact details

      You might be interested in...

      Press releases teaser image
      Press Release
      11 Apr 2025

      Global data show real-world effectiveness of romosozumab for patients at high fracture risk

      Press releases teaser image
      Press Release
      7 Mar 2025

      BIMZELX[®] (bimekizumab-bkzx) five-year data at AAD 2025 showed sustained skin clearance and long...

      Press releases teaser image
      Press Release
      27 Feb 2025

      On Growth Path for a Decade plus: Strong Launch Execution driving Company Growth

  • Investors

        Investors

      • Overview
      • Equity Story
      • Performance
      • Corporate governance
      • Shareholders
      • Download center

      You might be interested in...

      Press releases teaser image
      Press Release
      27 Feb 2025

      On Growth Path for a Decade plus: Strong Launch Execution driving Company Growth

      Press Release
      5 Nov 2024

      UCB completes sale of established brands and updates 2024 financial guidance

      Page

      Download center – Click here to view a collection of useful documents

  • Careers
  • Go to global site 
Country Navigator

Audrey

Listen

You are here

  • Home
  • Patients
  • Life Stories
  • Audrey

Spotlight on Audrey

Impending doom. It happens every time I am about to experience a seizure. It comes from a place deep inside, and it is very hard to describe. It is not anxiety or worry but more like a feeling that something bad is about to happen.

No tunnels or bright colors. No heavy weight on my chest or shortness of breath. Physically, I liken the sensation to when I was in nursing school.

In anatomy class we had to dissect frogs, and as they were still alive, we first had to euthanize them. I still think about those frogs. Sometimes I feel as the frog must have felt when a cannula pierced the brain sending a shivering wave through their spine, thus ending its life as humanely as possible.

There is also a sense of déjà vu that I have been in this place before even when I am not familiar with the actual surroundings. A ripple in time that reminds me that indeed I have been in this moment before, that each seizure is a mini-flashback that ultimately reminds me of what is happening in the present. Even this graphic imagery does not truly illustrate the way it all feels when I am having a seizure. Once I emerge from this void, I begin the task of reorienting myself to what I was doing and where I was doing it. I try to comprehend how much time has passed and whether others have witnessed the seizure. If I see what I call “saucer eyes,” it is a good indication that people have seen me, and I try to help them feel less afraid and worried. It is frightening to me to go through a seizure, but I am not fully aware, of course. However, many people do not know what to do, and I always try to make them as comfortable as possible after the fact.

There are numerous myths about epilepsy, and I try to dispel as many as I can. Please do not put something in my mouth so I do not bite my tongue, for example.

Once I have made it through to the other side of the seizure, I assess the situation around me. If I am out in public, my immediate urge is to get back to business and begin “acting normal,” as if nothing ever happened. If I am home, I rest. It’s a pattern that is both familiar and surprising and defies true description. Each of us has our own unique way of interpreting the world. This is mine.

I don’t feel anything during the seizure, at least not that I know of.

 

 

Back to life stories page

Choose a Country

  • Global Site – English
  • Australia – English
  • België – Engels
  • Belgique – Anglais
  • Brasil – Português
  • България – Български
  • Canada – English
  • Canada – Français
  • 中国 – 中文
  • Česká Republika – Angličtina
  • Danmark – Engelsk
  • Deutschland – Deutsch
  • France – Français
  • España – Español
  • Ελλάδα – Ελληνικά
  • India – English
  • Ireland – English
  • Italia – Inglese
  • 日本 – 日本語
  • 한국 – 한국어
  • Luxembourg – Anglais
  • Luxemburg – Engels
  • Magyarország – Angol
  • México & Latinoamérica – Español
  • Nederland – Engels
  • New Zealand – English
  • Norge – Engelsk
  • Österreich – Deutsch
  • Polska – Polski
  • Portugal – español y portugués
  • România – Engleză
  • Россия – Русский
  • Slovensko – Anglický
  • Suomi – Englanti
  • Sverige – Engelska
  • Schweiz – Deutsch
  • Suisse – Français
  • Türkiye – Türkçe
  • Україна – Англійська
  • United Kingdom – English
  • U.S.A. – English

© 2007 - 2025 UCB S.A., Belgium. All rights reserved. Last updated on: January, 03, 2024

Social media links

  • linkedin
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube

Footer menu

  • Contact us
  • UCBCares®
  • UCB Worldwide
  • Legal Notice
  • Privacy policies
  • Cookie policies
  • Cookie preferences
  • Payment disclosure
  • Sitemap

© 2007 - 2025 UCB S.A., Belgium. All rights reserved. Last updated on: January, 27, 2025