An Edinburgh man has suddenly died after suffering from epilepsy for nearly 40 years.
Bruce Nicholls had an epileptic seizure at his home in Liberton on April 15 at the age of 56. The Hibs fan had been living with the condition since the age of 17.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, his sister Audrey, 50, explained that he was living alone in the family home after they lost their dad to cancer last year and their mum a few years before. A friend had moved in to make sure Bruce was okay.
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She said: "We were complete opposites, he was a quiet lad but no one ever had a bad word to say about him. He was well-loved, well-liked."
However, on Saturday morning, the friend heard a 'thud' in the bathroom and raised the alarm after struggling to get the door open. Neighbours rushed over to give Bruce CPR but despite their efforts, the paramedics confirmed that Bruce tragically passed away.
Audrey was on holiday in Croatia at the time and has been left heartbroken by the loss of her 'big bro'. She has since set up a Go Fund Me to help raise money for Epilepsy Scotland.
"I was speaking to him on the Friday...but on Saturday I got the call from the police. He was only 56 but the seizures - he can't predict them," she recalled.
"I asked him to wear a bracelet to show that he has epilepsy. It's a big issue, a serious condition and people can die.
"I don't think there's enough awareness of it and lots of people don't know what to do if someone has a seizure in the street. His medication kept changing and at one point he was taking one called Epilim and he didn't have a seizure in three years. He considered himself 'cured'.
"But then they changed his tablets, and it affected his mood and his sleep, he was feeling really low at the time. He was then having a seizure every month or few weeks."
Bruce became more anxious about having seizures. Audrey said: "I think it could have been stress. He was taking care of mum and dad when they were ill and made sure they were okay, and he looked after them great."
Audrey, a mum-of-three, said Bruce was a great uncle to her children and loved them dearly. Speaking about their younger days, she explained that he never knowingly had any seizures as a child but had one on a holiday in the West of Scotland when aged around 17.
"We thought it was a one-off, like a glitch in the brain. But he started having them more regularly and eventually he was diagnosed.
"Before Bruce was a plumber, he was a painter and decorator so he was always climbing up ladders. It turned into a dangerous job because of his epilepsy."
Speaking about her brother, she said: "He was always the more subdued one unless you got a couple of beers in him! He had quite a dry sense of humour and was sarcastic but he always had my back. Even growing up, he had my back but maybe gave me a dead arm too! But he was a proper gentleman.
"He was a huge Hibs fan. Football was his thing and was a season ticket holder. His funeral was all green and white and we all wore Hibs tops. It was a busy funeral because everyone he had met through football came. I'm getting him a plaque at Easter Road."
Audrey has now set up a fundraiser for Epilisey Scotland. She added: "Those who knew Bruce would be aware that he suffered from this awful illness which had become progressively worst in the past five years to the point that he found it quite debilitating, he suffered depression, social anxiety, and insomnia because of the fear of seizing also the medication came with some awful side effects.
"I have chosen this charity as it doesn't receive nearly enough funding and to raise awareness. Please donate what you can, I know things are tough for everybody but if you can spare a couple of quid that would be appreciated immensely."
To donate you can visit Go Fund Me.
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