As I’ve mentioned recently, I’m almost 50. Fifty-year-olds probably shouldn’t be dyeing their hair. Well, not purple at least.
The picture I chose for Come So Alive’s “About” page shows me with a full head of intense purple hair. I wore purple hair for the first time on the day of our 2020 fundraising walk for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota – which was cancelled due to covid.
More specifically, the large, Twin Cities’-wide walk was cancelled. EFMN suggested individual teams walk around their neighborhoods, inviting others to join them and raising awareness through yard signs and chalking sidewalks (Remember chalking sidewalks in covid? Someday people won’t know what that means).
Our team of two families decided to meet another family new to epilepsy at a county park with lovely hiking trails. We all wore our purple epilepsy shirts, the moms painted their nails purple, and, for some reason, I wanted to dye my hair purple.
I’m still not sure why.
But I found a spray that washed out on the same day it was used and so bought a few cans to take to the park.
As the families congregated, I pulled out the spray cans, explaining I wanted a swipe of purple on my bangs and down the side. My friend’s husband’s eyes grew huge as I explained I had enough cans so we could all spray our hair purple. I’m sure he went home grateful to be married to her that day and not me.
As it turned out, five of us sported some purple hair for our hike. I was the only adult.
The picture my husband took of my swipe of purple got so many “likes” on Facebook that I thought I must be on to something. The next day I created a Facebook fundraiser for EFMN, offering to spray all of my hair purple and attend our city’s upcoming pumpkin festival – and take pictures to post to Facebook.
Shockingly, I exceeded my goal. Friends were thrilled to embarrass me…I mean, support a good cause.
I have worn purple hair in public for three years now as friends have continued to support our yearly fundraiser.
And by supporting that good cause, those friends are supporting us. They are supporting my son as he grows up with epilepsy, maturing faster than other kids because he has to manage meds and sleep and missing out on evening activities with friends.
I wear purple hair so he doesn’t feel alone in epilepsy and so he is never ashamed or feels he has to hide it.
I wear purple to bring awareness to a disease that is often hidden and largely misunderstood.
It’s Epilepsy Awareness Month, but if epilepsy isn’t part of your life, do you really need to be aware of it? Well, 1 in 10 people will have a seizure sometime in their life. Would you know how to respond?
If you get nothing else from my blog posts, please remember this:
>>For a convulsive seizure, never put anything in someone’s mouth. Yes, it sounds like they are choking or will break their teeth. They won’t choke unless something is put in their mouth and what is forced in their mouth can damage teeth more than the seizure itself.
>>Make sure they are lying down, something soft is under their head, and roll them onto their side. People often can’t swallow during and/or may vomit after a seizure so being on their side can prevent them from aspirating fluid.
>>No matter the type of seizure (there are many like staring or lip smacking), stay with them until the seizure ends.
>>If the seizure doesn’t stop within 3 minutes, call 911.
>>If they turn blue, don’t regain consciousness after the seizure stops, or another seizure starts, call 911.
>>If you are scared spitless (because they still terrify me even 8 years later), call 911. EMTs are trained to assess if the person needs medical assistance.
>>Most seizures are not life threatening. But some may be.
There, now you are epilepsy aware.
So, I wear purple hair because it’s noticeable.
And maybe by noticing it, you’ve read this post.
And maybe someday, because you’ve read this post, you can respond to a seizure and possibly even save a life.
Because I wore purple hair.
Click the link for a downloadable seizure first aid chart.
Other resources:
Epilepsy Foundation of America