Epilepsy Awareness Month: Living Life

Life with Epilepsy is not just about seizures, doctor appointments and medications. People with Epilepsy – even with uncontrolled seizures – live their lives! They hang out with friends, go to family events, ride horses, travel, and volunteer. 

They bowl, golf, get married, write poetry, watch baseball and tell jokes. They graduate from high school and go to college. They join a church and become involved in bible study. They do their shopping and cook dinner. 

Epilepsy doesn’t stop people from living life. 

The effects of uncontrolled seizures on a person is wide-ranging, though, and can be devastating. Some may need round-the-clock care but they are able to give their mom the sweetest hug or a sly smile. Others live independently and some just need a modest amount of help. 

Robert lived a full life. He loved to travel with our dad and would remind me and Other Brother (and anyone else within earshot) that he had been to Hawaii five times. He went to Disneyland more times that and enjoyed trips to Las Vegas too! 

Robert made friends everywhere he went. He had friends at school, at church, at Day Program and at the Skilled Nursing Facility. There was something about Robert that everyone loved. Maybe it was the dimples and curly hair. Maybe it was his never-ending jokes about drinking whiskey and going to New York City and then laughing at his own absurd joke. Maybe it was because he was so darn polite! 

Robert had uncontrolled seizures his entire life yet did all the things I listed above. Except write poetry – I don’t think he did that. Oh and he watched football more than baseball. Plus, he was married but it was annulled after just a few days (turns out his “wife” wanted a honeymoon to Hawaii more than she wanted to be married). 

Robert definitely lived a full life. He lived a life with joy (although, don’t get me wrong, he could get pretty darn cranky and stubborn but we can talk about that another day). 

For now, let’s remember that there is so much more to a person with Epilepsy than just the disorder.