Catch-22

I think I speak for everyone affected with epilepsy when I say that it is unwanted.

We don’t want seizures.  They are annoying and painful.

They make us DIFFERENT.  However, people with epilepsy should not be ashamed.  They do not deserve the discrimination they often encounter.  In this way, we are much like other minority groups.  There is a difference, however.  For us,
we are fighting on two opposing fronts.  One, to continually promote awareness.  And two, to find a cure and finally eradicate the disorder.  While most other groups are generally proud to wave their identity banners high in the air and advocate for their causes, people with epilepsy and other medical conditions do everything they can to get rid of theirs situations, hoping for a cure.

We say, “I have epilepsy, but epilepsy doesn’t have me.”  But that promise is broken on those horrible days when epilepsy takes over your life and you are truly “seized.”  There is nothing you can do to stop it.  You may be in public having a tonic clonic seizure shaking like crazy, at home in the shower having hit your head and spending the evening in the ER, or with a group of so-called friends who start making fun of your seizures.

You may think that when we have found a cure, we would not have to deal with epilepsy any longer.  And you would be right.  We are looking for something that will end it once and for all.  That’s why we have themes such as “End Epilepsy” and “Be Seizure Free.”  If we could rid the world of epilepsy, it would be such a relief for all who suffer from it.  Then, we could go on and live as if it never happened.

Or, could we?  The knowledge we have gained through the scientific research has yielded a lot of information about the functions of the human brain.  This we cannot throw down the toilet.  There is so much more to learn.  Life will continually challenge us.  If there are no obstacles to overcome, it is pointless.  And having epilepsy and/or being educated about it has made us stronger, whether we acknowledge it or not.