05/29/2026
I want to give a shout-out to Seven Stones by Kimberlyfor making a custom bracelet that genuinely means the world to me.
A bit of backstory—I’ve been fighting to get my daughter Karina diagnosed with epilepsy since she was under six months old. From the very beginning, I noticed something wasn’t quite right. She would have these episodes where she would just stare off blankly for long periods of time, and there was something different about her presence right from early on. I also noticed she wasn’t hitting milestones the way other babies typically do.
During those spells, I would see things like hand twitching and other subtle movements, and I knew in my gut something was going on.
I first brought these concerns to her pediatrician, along with early concerns about autism, but everything was brushed off and dismissed. That included the possibility of absence seizures, which I also started to suspect as time went on.
After being repeatedly ignored, I sought a second opinion at Wascana Rehab. While there, I again brought up my concerns about what I was seeing. In that setting, an episode actually occurred in front of a provider, and she agreed that what we were witnessing did look like a seizure.
Even after that, there was still ongoing resistance and disbelief from her original pediatrician, and I continued to be dismissed despite what I was seeing firsthand.
Fast forward a few years—Karina is four, and I had a three-month-old baby at home. I was in the kitchen cutting a freezie when I noticed Karina had dropped her tablet, which was unusual for her. A minute or two later, her eyes rolled back and she started having a convulsive seizure. She was foaming heavily from the mouth and struggling to breathe. I truly thought I was going to lose her in that moment.
I had a three-month-old on the floor screaming while I was trying to talk to the 911 operator. I was trying to get Karina outside and looking for the ambulance. I had to leave her on the floor for a minute or two so that I could get her into a safe spot once the convulsions stopped, and I quickly put her into the playpen.
That moment is what finally led to her diagnosis after four years of fighting to be heard.
But it shouldn’t have taken my daughter collapsing and seizing in front of me for anyone to listen.
It really opened my eyes to the gaps in our medical system, especially for parents who are just trying to advocate for their children and are not taken seriously.
This bracelet now holds so much meaning for me. It represents her journey, her strength, and everything we’ve been through. It’s something I can look down at during the day and be reminded of her in a small, grounding way. It’s even become something I’ve talked about with people involved in her care.
So thank you again to Kimberly from Seven Stones for creating something so thoughtful and personal. It’s more than jewelry—it’s a reminder of my daughter’s story and how far we’ve come.
