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A wonderful Q and A session with another fantastic epilepsy warrior! As usual, the Z is for me, Zanna, and the C is for our guest Caprice. Without further ado, here it is:

Your name and age? Caprice Ringold, age 38
Zanna: How old were you at diagnosis? 18
Z: Tell me about how you first became aware of your seizures.
Caprice: I was at work cashiering at Wal-Mart during flu season, I took some meds to avoid sickness, and the next thing I knew I was in the hospital. I’d had a seizure on my shift. The doctor said it was most likely epilepsy; after several tests, they concluded that it was.

Z: What is your type of epilepsy? And how would you describe your seizures?
C: It starts on one side of the brain and progresses to the other side. I really don’t feel them coming. I do have them when my hormones are different– that time of the month. Recently my average is two a month. I always have an awful seizure hangover afterward.

Z: How did you respond to your diagnosis?
C: I was just graduating high school, and I knew it was a life changer but didn’t know what I was up against.

Z: What was your initial reaction?
C: I didn’t know the magnitude of the diagnosis. At first, they were happening every other day. It was horrible!- and I was so stubborn that I didn’t want any help. About a year later I went to college at the Art Institute of Denver. I struggled functionally and emotionally, then I went to CCD. I took every art class and photography, it was awesome. Got accepted to UCD and I was very much the minority as a black femaie, which was tough. I found a vocational counselor who helped so much! She made sure I had a smoother college experience. Some of the teachers weren’t willing to give me any leeway and she fought for me, like when I’d have a seizure during a final exam. I needed a new doc since I’d moved and found one finally. I was definitely a unique patient; my seizures were complicated. I think my downfall was I was on so much medication (11 meds at once) that it made me suicidal. After my 3rd attempt, I was put on a 72-hour suicide watch. And my neurologist helped me taper off some of the drugs.

Z: This is heavy, Caprice. How did you move forward from that dark place?
C: I started reducing my meds after that. I know some of the meds cause depression as a side effect. Keppra was my enemy! I thought I’d have to quit college, but I got my associate’s degree. I had a seizure during my math final and I thought, I can’t win no matter what! I had to be done with college but kept working as a tutor. I taught kids how to program and code. Still, This wasn’t where I wanted to be- I felt stuck, on disability and working part-time jobs. I wanted to own a home! How? Then in 2019, I lost my job. And I decided to bite the bullet and start my shirt design business. What else did I have to lose?

Z: Let’s step back a moment. What did you do to work toward healing and relieving your mental strain?
C: I had to find a way to get back on my feet. Tutoring was great, but I couldn’t let the students see any my troubles! My students knew I had epilepsy, but nobody knew that I was living on my own and the weight of all I was dealing with- working 2 part-time jobs, school, etc. While I was on that 72-hour hold, I had a counselor who urged me to do some writing and use art as therapy. And then I found other outlets- got a therapist too. I love art! So the best advice at that time was to put all my emotions into my art. I loved to write also, which was helpful.

Z: What was your scariest or strangest seizure experience?
C: I had one when I was walking home and ended up at my friend’s house, but I couldn’t tell you how I got there. Another time I fell over in the middle of the street! One that really got me was walking by construction workers when I’d had a seizure the day before, I’d fallen and hurt my face,and a guy said “You’re too beautiful to be beaten.” He just assumed it was abuse! And I was like, I can’t do this!

Z: What’s been the most frustrating part of medications for you?
C: To the docs you’re often their guinea pig, so you have to speak up! I hate being the lab rat, you know?

Z:Along the same lines, what has your experience been with doctors & neurologists?
C: Dr Maa (an experienced epilepsy specialist) is the one who helped me get on disability, and honestly I’m not the easiest patient- I give some pushback! I don’t like laying around and don’t like needing help. But his help was tremendous.

Z: What other difficult choices did you make in your quest for seizure freedom?
C: I never found meds to control my seizures so I decided to get a VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulator: a device implanted into the brain which acts like a pacemaker to reduce the electrical misfiring)- and I’d had enough drugs!…so I hoped it would help, but the effectiveness was minimal. Finally, I got on a newer med that I take as needed when I think a seizure is coming. It’s helps a littel, but now I’ve been on it for a while and it’s not a magic pill.

Z: What would you say is the biggest life adjustment you’ve had to make?
C: Giving up all my dreams. (Through tears)But I’m working on finding new dreams. Maybe I can start doing my art again! My t-shirt designs are part of that, a form of expression and sharing my passion.

Z: Have you experienced any surprising or unexpected gifts or blessings because of your diagnosis?
C: I was writing a speech for an upcoming gala, and I realized I may not have finished college, but I’ve been put on a path to teach and mentor, and not only did I help the students, but they helped me. And now I have found my purpose…I sometimes think this is all I can take! But a different perspective now is to ask, what do I do with it?

Z: What do you wish the general public understood about epilepsy?
C: That there’s so much more than one seizure type, a lot of people see someone with a helmet or something, but there are many forms of epilepsy that you can’t see. it’s messing with our brain, which is strong but sensitive at the same time! Just because I live on my own doesn’t mean I’m not facing these challenges.’s

Check out Caprice’s awesome clothing & accessories here:

http://www.butterflyapparelboutique.com

https://www.instagram.com/mizzclassic26/