Queen Creek family shares story in honor of National Epilepsy Awareness Month

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. - November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, and one Queen Creek family knows all too well the scray toll the genetic order can take. Now they're seeing some major changes after undergoing a procedure at Phoenix Children's Hospital. 

"It was terrifying, it was so terrifying," said Heidi Bailey, Olivia's mom. 

That was Heidi Bailey's reaction when her daughter, Olivia, was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of three.

"As a mother trying to deal with a child with epilepsy, you feel so incredibly helpless because there is nothing that you can do that makes it better, there's nothing," said Heidi. 

"There was no protecting from this, there was no way to stand in the gap for her, there was no way to provide a solution and at times even to provide hope," said Dustin Bailey, Olivia's dad. 

"Nothing worked 100 percent, nothing worked, it was constant seizures, they would subside, they would seem like they were getting better and then one would happen then three would happen then five would happen," said Heidi. 

Olivia could have upwards of 30 seizures a day. Then they went to Phoenix Children's Hospital and underwent a laser brain surgery. 

"We basically make a small incision in the scalp and in the bone and place the laser probe right into the area that we're concerned about," said Dr. David Adelson, Olivia's doctor. 

"Since her surgery date, March 1, 2018, she's had a total of maybe 50 seizures," said Heidi. 

The family says it's given Olivia a new lease on life. 

"I couldn't ride a bike and now I am, and I couldn't go on rollercoasters, I can now go on almost all roller coasters if I'm not scared," said Olivia. 

"I'm so looking forward to seeing without this massive hurdle of epilepsy and seizures and no sleep to see what's going to happen because she is so strong.