Stories That Connect Us

I am 19, and I was diagnosed with absence seizures and generalized epilepsy on my 6th birthday. At such a young age, I didn’t realize then how much my life would change until I was having to take medication every day and night. I was very uncomfortable talking about epilepsy for a few years, and I was made fun of and bullied for having epilepsy in elementary school. Once I accepted that I would possibly be living with epilepsy for my entire life, I started to talk more about my seizures. 

I tried many, but no medications worked that well for me until I was 14, when I started taking medication that has helped me so much. I had always dreamed of driving and getting my license when I turned 16, but that wasn’t the case for me. I didn’t pass my 24-hour-long EEG, so I wasn’t able to get my permit or even my license. At 18, I came to accept the fact that I may not be able to drive like others, but right when things got dark, and I was giving up on driving, I went in for my doctor’s appointment. My neurologist then told me the amazing news that I was cleared to start driving after another, more recent EEG test. I was so happy that I started to cry. It was the best day of my life. I thought it would never happen, but it finally did! 

I gave up on myself so many times, but this is your sign to never give up on yourself. Even though it seems hard now, it does get better. Hopefully, your neurologist can find the best medicine for you, and it can help you get to where you want to go, even if it takes longer than others. With time, the struggles become fewer.

Even when it gets tough, and you think that epilepsy controls your life in ways you thought it never would, things do get better. Your life may look different than others, but that’s just because you were meant to go down a different path than they did, which is okay!

I’ve always wanted to tell my story in a way people would understand, and if you are thinking of telling your story about epilepsy, do it! Even if you think you are very different from others, there are people out there who feel the same way that you do. People want to hear your story and can relate.