It was supposed to be a fun last day of the third grade. Instead, my life changed in a matter of minutes. All my friends were out on the playground while I was darting for the nurse’s office trying to make it there in time before I had my seizure. I was fortunate to make it so I could land on the bed as I fell during my grand mal seizure. The next thing I remember is waking up in my dad’s car driving home, along with some other details I don’t want to mention. On this day I was diagnosed with epilepsy, and my life changed forever.
If you ask my parents, they will tell you that I embrace challenges. This was just one of many challenges in my life. This challenge came with multiple doctors’ appointments, medical exams and a few surgeries. I handled every one of those with ease! Like in golf, you must take it shot by shot. Obviously, the invasive surgeries weren’t fun, but they were experiences I will never forget. Challenges aren’t meant to be easy. I believe they were given to me because I can handle the stress and physical toll it takes.
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Enough about me; I wouldn’t be where I am without my family, friends, and medical professionals. When times got tough, I could rely on my parents for encouraging words or talks. I could count on my siblings for sarcastic jokes to make me laugh too. When you climb a mountain this big, you’re not always going to be around your family. I can’t thank my friends enough for helping me when we’re out. I can count on my friends to be there for me if something happened to me when my family wasn’t around. You’re not going climb your mountain alone; you will do it with family and friends from start to finish.
This may be hard for some to grasp, but I believe you should use your epilepsy to your advantage. We have the power to inspire so many through social media, word of mouth, events etc. Go out and tell your story; people will be amazed! Show everyone how strong you really are because until you tell your story, no one knows what you’re going through except you. The best thing I ever did was tell my story, and it opened so many doors for me.
This mountain may be big, but remember you aren’t alone through the journey. You will make it and have stories to tell others.
Getty image by Solovyova.
Hello! My name is Kyle Kieffer, and I run an internationally recognized disability blog. I'm also an inspirational speaker talking about over coming living life with a disability. My goal is simple; inspire the epilepsy community one person at a time.
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