Chapter 1

Epilepsy: When nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses at a rate of up to four times higher than normal, this causes a sort of electrical storm in the brain, known as a seizure. A pattern of repeated seizures is referred to as epilepsy . Known causes include head injuries, brain tumors, lead poisoning, maldevelopment of the brain, genetic and infectious illnesses. But in fully half of cases, no cause can be found. Medication controls seizures for the majority of patients. (From )

The first time Sam had a seizure was when he was 13. Dean remembered because he had never been so afraid in his life. One minute, Sam was eating breakfast, his chemistry book spread out over John's latest newspaper clippings. The next, Dean had turned at the sound of a sickening crack. Sam had fallen onto the floor; the noise was his head meeting the hard linoleum. Dean watched helplessly as his baby brother convulsed violently, his head repeatedly slamming into the ground as he shook. Sam's muscles continued to fire involuntary then stiffen. It was a frightening cycle that couldn't have lasted more then a couple minutes but to Dean felt like hours. Dean had quickly pulled the scratchy sheets off one of the motel beds and bunched it under Sam's head before dialing 911. Returning to his brother's side, Dean followed the emergency operator's instructions with tears in his eyes as he prayed for his father to return back to the tiny motel knowing that John wasn't expected back for hours. Blood was trickling down the side of Sam's mouth and Dean rolled his brother's now slightly twitching body onto his side into the recovery position. The operator had made it clear not to put anything in Sam's mouth even though Dean's fear of Sam biting his own tongue had now become a reality. Sam had stopped seizing when the paramedic's arrived but remained unconscious. Several EEG's later, it was concluded that this was something that Sam would have to deal with for the rest of his life.

Medications controlled the seizures, but once in awhile, Sam would experience one, normally out of the blue and scaring the life out of his big brother. Dean and John had been trained on how to deal with Sam's seizures. Calling an ambulance was now only necessary if Sam's seizures lasted for over five minutes or if he had more then one without regaining consciousness in between.

Now nearly fifteen years later, Dean felt as if he was in the same situation watching his baby brother's body jerk on the motel floor. You would think that Dean would now be used to it, but the same panicked emotions crept into Dean's throat as he loosened his brother's clothing and waited for the seizure to pass. Even though Dean now knew what to do, he would never get used to seeing Sam's eyes roll back into his head and his body go limp before being racked by painful convulsions. As sudden as the seizure had started, it stopped. Dean gently tilted Sam's head to the side, letting the saliva flow out of his brother's mouth.

Most of the time after a seizure, Sam fell into a deep sleep, his body completely exhausted. Dean usually let Sam sleep about a half an hour before waking him slowly. Sam was always groggy and disoriented after and Dean wouldn't leave his side until Sam was fully aware of what had happened.

Dean watched the slow rise and fall of Sam's chest.

It's okay Sam. He murmured. It's over. Your okay.

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