Why I Find Humor in the Nickname I Was Given Due to Epilepsy

“Mrs. Drops-a-Lot.” My brother coined that nickname for me when I was 14. It’s definitely a good one. It’s exactly what I do. I drop – a lot.

When I was 14 I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I had grand mal seizures that took me to the ground and I usually hit anything around me. A few years later I would soon find out I also have convulsive syncope due to symptoms from something else I was diagnosed with called POTS, which stands for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Some of the symptoms of that alone are syncope, falling and just needing to sit down – and that’s not even hitting the tip of the iceberg.

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I’ve adapted very well to the name. My entire family has. I don’t get offended. When most people hear it they get shocked that I’m not upset. My attitude is: if I can’t laugh about it then I will cry about it. I refuse to cry about it. Don’t get me wrong – there is a time and place for that, but I’ve realized my diseases are not going anywhere and have already caused me to lose so much such as not being able to drive or losing countless jobs. I depend on others, but I can guarantee they won’t steal my joy or my humor. So if someone gets offended, it gives me a chance to share my story and share my humor and why I won’t let these disorders take everything from me.

I love my brother. He cracks me up and “Mrs. Drops-a-Lot” is just a pure brilliant nickname for what I face. I thank him for bringing humor and life to my situation!

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Thinkstock photo via gpointstudio.