Swallowing his pride and asking for help has been a big learning curve for Angus Billing, a fiercely independent man who grew up with spina bifida.

As a 34-year-old, Angus thought he had his disability pretty much under control, besides, he was luckier than most because he could walk unaided.

Out of the blue and without explanation, Angus suffered a massive seizure as a result of the epilepsy that often comes hand-in-hand with spina bifida.

His epilepsy had been dormant for over 12 years and Angus had been living an independent life in Mount Gambier.

After the seizure, Angus went from being independent to dependent overnight.

He had to learn to ask for help, lean on friends and swallow his pride.

He also took the plunge and began to pursue a long-held dream to study journalism.

This is Angus' story.

"I have faced a lot of challenges in my life, most of those relating to the fact that I live with spina bifida.

"I was born with a damaged spinal cord, a hole in my back which needed to be stitched up.

"It has resulted in a lot of medical issues that I've had to have addressed over the years.

"I had fluid on the brain that needed to be drained so I have a shunt in my head.

"There are lots of mobility, strength and balance issues, constant and ongoing.

"Some confidence issues occasionally, which for me are only minor.

"I'm one of the less severe cases, a lot of people are in wheelchairs, I'm able to walk which is quite lucky.

"Sometimes people with spina bifida can develop epilepsy, which I have.

"In my younger years I used to have a lot more seizures than I do now, for which I've been on medication my whole life".

Growing up different

Until Angus was about eight-years-old he walked with splints around his ankles.

"The strength in my ankles and legs was pretty poor.

"They were big, plastic things to keep my legs straight and help me be able to walk.

"I gradually grew out of them and was able to walk on my own.

"I did get a lot of teasing from the kids, I think that's to be expected with kids that don't understand, but it was hard.

"Even through high school, there was a bit of teasing going on just because I was different".

Career choice

Angus, who was born and raised in Adelaide, moved to Mount Gambier in 2007 to work as a carer after completing a degree in social work.

He admits his choice of career has not been what he had expected and perhaps chose it for not the right reasons.

"I thought that I had a natural ability for helping people particularly in a counselling capacity so I chose that as a profession thinking that was all that was involved, but I quickly found out there was a lot more to it than that.

"It was a lot more draining.

"There is a lot of daily running around case management stuff which takes you away from the pure counselling that I initially expected it to be.

"I like to think of myself as a compassionate person which I think stems from my disability, I'm a lot more understanding because of it.

"But practically, my disability does hinder me, I'm slower at doing things and I fatigue easier".

Setback of a seizure

"Last year, I had my first epileptic seizure in more than 12 years.

"At the time, I had been doing work experience at the local newspaper.

"Out of the blue, I had this major seizure.

"I had to stop driving for three months and consequently I had to stop work for three months because my job as a carer required a lot of travel.

"I had my medication doses checked and they were fine so the reason for my epileptic seizure remains a mystery which is the frustrating part".

Swallowing pride

"The support I got from my friends offering to drive me around places was just incredible.

"It was frustrating though, because I like to think of myself as a very independent person.

"I really had to swallow my pride and ask for help which was something I had to overcome.

"It was such a relief getting my licence back, especially the freedom.

"Not having to get my friends to drive me to the shops just to buy a carton of milk, I couldn't quite believe that I could just jump in the car whenever I wanted.

"You don't realise how much you take those things for granted.

"I've been very careful not to do things like driving when I've had a bit to drink in case I get caught and lose my licence because I know what it's like not to drive".

A future without seizures?

"It's something I'm daily aware of now, waiting for the next one to come along.

"I thought it was all behind me until this one came out of the blue without any explanation.

"It reminded me that it can happen at any time".

Disability support

Angus applied for a disability pension and registered with interwork in Mount Gambier, an agency which assists people with disabilities find work.

"I prefer not to be on that, I prefer to be working and earning my money.

"But I had to swallow my pride when I couldn't work".

Journalistic future

"I recently took the plunge and I'm studying post graduate journalism online.

"I'd been talking about it for years and years, always finding excuses, so I finally did do it and it's been exciting, it's been good," he said.

Spina bifida

Spina bifida comes from the word for 'split spine' in Latin. It is one of a class of serious birth defects, called neural tube defects (NTDs), which involve damage to the bony spine and the nervous tissue of the spinal cord. Some vertebrae of the spine don't close properly during development and the spinal cord's nerves don't develop normally. They are exposed and can be subjected to further damage. At birth, they protrude through the gap instead of growing normally down the bony spinal column. (Better Health, Victorian Government)