MN woman who had 140 brain surgeries says watch saved her life – KARE11.com

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month and one Minnesota family is shining a light on a device they believe saved their daughter's life. She lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy from cumulative brain trauma.

Like most her age, Oliva Maccoux loves technology. But she wears the most important device on her arm. Its an FDA cleared watch which alerts her before a seizure.

Being a millennial, I have grown up with some pretty awesome technology, she said. I am alive because of medical technology in so many ways, that is the reason I am alive.

Her watch or the Embrace 2 --- communicates when she can't.

Oliva Maccoux has had more than 140 brain surgeries.

According to the manufacturers website, The FDA-cleared watch uses advanced machine learning to detect possible generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and immediately notifies caregivers. It also provides rest and physical activity analysis to better understand your lifestyle.

So, it senses changes in my body and will alert me if it is something that could be alarming, she said.

Olivias parents, Dan and Cathy Maccoux, purchased it after a close call. In 2014, Olivia was alone and had a seizure.

We got it when she had the seizure and was by herself and needed to be incubated. The college didn't want their back unless we figured something out, Cathy Maccoux said.

At least twice this year the FDA Cleared watch, which has GPS tracking, has gone off.

Their hope is every person living with epilepsy can access this technology.

I just think how many lives this could've saved if people knew about it, Cathy Maccoux said. When you have a child with any severe medical condition it is amazing what you will buy to help them survive. You want that miracle device. Well, this may not work miracles, but it quite possibly could have saved her life.

Olivia says the watch, which looks like an Apple watch, is a step toward freedom.

Especially being 23, the independence it can give me. I remember when I had that seizure in 2014, After being intubated I didn't even want to be alone when my parents went to the grocery store, Oliva said. I was terrified. Now I am living life that gives me more peace of mind and my parents. It is freedom and comfort.

To learn more about the Embrace 2, visit https://www.empatica.com/embrace2/

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MN woman who had 140 brain surgeries says watch saved her life - KARE11.com