X Factor winner Sam Bailey has revealed the tough times her and her family have been going through following her son’s epilepsy diagnosis, saying that the past year has been ‘traumatic’.
In a post shared on Instagram, the singer – who won the ITV series in 2013 – emphasised the need to spread more awareness about the condition, which the NHS explains is a ‘common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures’.
‘This month is epilepsy awareness month! So here I am, showing you how traumatic it has been for us the last year!’ wrote the 47-year-old.
Sam also shared several pictures of her son Tommy, the first of which showed him lying in bed with headphones on, surrounded by several wires as an NHS worker knelt next to him.
In another picture, the 15-year-old could be seen wrapped up in a thick Deadpool jumper while lying on what looks like a hospital bed.
‘Anyone who needs to understand epilepsy, just know this… as a family we are like sitting ducks everyday, wondering when he will have his next one, he is on medication which we have to administer twice a day, Tommy will forget if we don’t physically put it in his mouth,’ Sam wrote in her caption.
‘He gets tired, he gets frustrated with me wrapping him in cotton wool but that is all I know how to do.’
Sam, who has three children, revealed that her youngest ‘can’t even be in the same room’ on her own with Tommy because ‘she is petrified that he may have another seizure’.
She continued: ‘We worry every second of every day and yet Tommy just takes it all in his stride! This is our “normal”.’
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a common condition that impacts the brain and causes seizures.
On the NHS’ website, it outlines that epilepsy ‘usually starts either in childhood or in people over 60’, and while it is ‘often lifelong’, it can ‘sometimes get slowly better over time’.
Symptoms can include
Fits, that involve ‘uncontrollable jerking and shaking’
Staring blankly into space
Becoming stiff
Collapsing
A person with epilepsy might pass out and not recollect what happened
They might also experience ‘strange sensations’, including ‘a “rising” feeling in the tummy, unusual smells or tastes, and a tingling feeling in your arms or legs’
The NHS advises calling 999 if someone is:
Having a seizure for the first time
Has a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes
Has lots of seizures in a row
Has breathing problems or has seriously injured themselves
The musician ended her post with a series of thank yous, expressing her gratitude to Tommy’s epilepsy nurses and consultant, to the East Midlands Ambulance Service and and the non-profit organisation Young Epilepsy.
Several people sent Sam messages of support and encouragement, with one Instagram user called Beverley commenting: ‘So sad 😢 it must be heartbreaking as a mum to not be able to help him . Sending love ❤️.’
‘My little boy has epilepsy too. It never seems to get any easier 😢 x,’ wrote Louise, while Susan added: ‘Sending love and hugs Sam I have 3 children out of 4 with Epilepsy so fully understand you xx.’
Sam shot to fame in 2013 when she won the 10th series of The X Factor, beating runner-up Nicholas McDonald in the final after being mentored by Sharon Osbourne in the over-25s category.
She ended up securing Christmas number one with her cover of Demi Lovato’s song Skyscraper, becoming the first X Factor winner in three years to achieve the feat.
Sam also went on to support Beyoncé on her world tour of The Mrs Carter Show after her win.
In July this year, it was announced that she’d joined the cast of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical with Nina Wadia, with performances due to take place in January next year.
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