My senses returned before coherent thoughts did.
I was leaning against an orange seat, my head heavy against my arm.
A man crouched beside me, his hand on my shoulder.
Courtesy of Malia Griggs
The stranger said, gently, You had aseizure.
Like a computer rebooting, thoughts began popping into frame.
Oh god, seizure.
Via Malia Griggs
Im so sorry, I told them, though I had nothing to apologize for.
This was not my first seizure.
Id had one as a baby with a high fever.
Since the two events were so far apart, no diagnosis of epilepsy was given at the time.
I was told to sleep more.
But 13 years later, here I was, wondering,Why now?
I ditched him for a second opinion.
I was told to stop taking anti-seizure medication for the duration of the test.
I awoke, again, on the floor, EMTs clustered around me.
You had a seizure, another strange man told me.
And you hit your head pretty badly.
Another ambulance, another emergency room.
I joked that I looked like Natalie Portman after she goes full evil inBlack Swan.
My doctor instructed me to stop driving, swimming, anddrinking alcohol.
She recommended I take medical leave from my job to heal.
Instead of fear or grief, my initial reaction to this pronouncement was resignation.
The seizures, in a way, made sense as a manifestation of the mounting pressure I was experiencing.
And in those first days after, I couldntand didnt want toprocess the weight of the change.
I assumed those feelings would come later, when I had space to think.
August was spent attempting to de-stress.
Claims, EOBs, HSAs, FSAs, and all that jibberish seemed as nebulous as the cloud.
So, I risked not educating myself, figuring that when the time came, Id learn more.
In an attempt to understand all of these papers, I began researching DIY health-record organization.
Unsurprisingly, Pinterest had a few colorful, cutesy offerings, but I needed more than frills.
What was I supposed to know?
What the hell was I supposed to keep?
What began as one binder of papers turned into two, complete with dividers and clips.
I bought a hole punch and started taking notes at doctors appointments and during phone calls to my provider.
When meeting with friends, I urged them to organize their health before it was too late.
There is something strangely, undeniably satisfying about streamlining my records.
Regardless of your situation, collecting this information into one accessible place will always, forever, be valuable.
How you organize is ultimately up to you.
Figure out a system that works for you.
My health timeline.This includes major illnesses, vaccines, and immunizations.
My familys health history.That was a fun conversation to have with my mom and daddementia on both sides!
Diabetes on mom’s side!
A clip to bundle together important events, like the seizure diagnosis.A sticky note works here, too.
I built a second Insurance/Bills binder for myself.
Even if youre uninsured, keep track of your bills.
Youll still get billed and youll still have to pay, says Anderson.
And youll still need to prove youve paid a bill.
I receive paper versions of my EOBs, usually within a month of service.
Everything the hospital or doctor bills you stems from this date.
This will be useful later, if your hospital or doctor claims you have not paid.
Youre the only one really keeping track of all these detailsand they wont complain if you overpay.
If the bill is unaffordable, ask the hospital or your doctor to set up a payment plan.
After a year, it’s possible for you to shred paid bills.
This could be a class in and of itself.
Take the time to read over these definitions.
They may not make sense the first time you read them, or even the second.
Sometimes, I still find myself asking people on the phone to explain what a claim is.
But the fundamental state of your health is equally, if not more, important.
