Family affected by epilepsy seeks community’s help
CHESTER COUNTY, Tenn. — One family effected by epilepsy is looking for solutions.
“You don’t know how long 30 seconds is until your witnessing your child have a seizure,” said Katie Newsom, the mother of two-year-old Anistyn Newsom.
Anistyn Newsom started having seizures in January. After a series of tests and trips to different hospitals, they saw no change and had no answers.
The seizures quickly progressed, so her family took her to Vanderbilt for another opinion.
“Just one thing led to another. Ended up being overnight stays for EEGs and MRIs, and they ended up finding out she has a cortical dysplasia. It’s right in the front center of her brain,” Katie Newsom said.
The cortical dysplasia is what causes Anistyn Newsom’s epilepsy. Some of the seizures have caused her to be unresponsive for hours.
She is now on two different anti-seizure medications, but the family is still constantly in and out of hospitals and clinics.
“I was scared to go to work to leave her because she was having so many seizures, and it was all very new to me. I’ve never had any experience with seizures until January, so I ended up quitting my job to stay home with her full time,” Katie Newsom said.
“We also have another three-year-old daughter, and with all the visits to the hospital, the overnight stays, you know it’s a struggle because she doesn’t understand. She thinks that any time we drop her off with someone that Anistyn is going to the hospital and that’s just hard to cope with,” said Katie Newsom.
They have recently been informed that a seizure response dog would be very beneficial.
The dog will allow Anistyn Newsom to be more comfortable in the hospital setting, and it will occupy her attention while getting procedures necessary for her epilepsy.
The dog will also be trained to retrieve her emergency rescue medication and to alert the parents if she is about to or is having a seizure.
“Whenever the dog gets that scent that she’s about to go into a seizure, the dog will begin barking to alert my husband and I that, ‘Hey, a seizure is coming. You need to get here,'” Katie Newsom said.
“My husband and I, we don’t sleep much at night with her because she has been known to have seizures at night. The dog will be able to alert us at night, so it’s kind of a peace at mind that while we’re sleeping. At least we know that we will be alerted if a seizure occurs,” Katie Newsom said.
They have already found and met an English Lab named Rogan that is trained to help. Unfortunately, the service dogs are very expensive.
The family is asking the community to help with the cost. Anistyn Newsom’s big benefit is Saturday, May 22.
There will be an early morning 5K, an auction with live music, and a yard sale.
The family hopes after this Saturday, they will have raised the money and be able to purchase Rogan for Anistyn Newsom.
“Thank you for all the donations, all the prayers, all the messages, checking in on Anistyn. Chester County has always been known to show up and show out when there is someone in need,” Katie Newsom said. “And when you experience that first hand, it’s just so humbling.”
To find more information on the events to help the Newsom family, click here.
