Epilepsy - I am not nuts.

Most people I know thinks that epilepsy is a mental illness, or some sort of disability. Trust me it's not. I was a chess player since I was 6 years old and was beating opponents 10 times my age, I quit chess after I got married although I still play online, I was active on every youth activities you can think of in our neighborhood while i was growing up, I play basketball, I swim, I am a computer programmer, A computer technician, a novice photographer, a bassist, I write poems, I sing, etc. My point is people with epilepsy can function like a person without epilepsy. Although we have some offline moments(my former boss invented this term), with proper adjustments we can perform well on our chosen endeavor. Epilepsy is not a mental illness The truth is people with that way of thinking is the reason why people with epilepsy go nuts. Discrimination can lead to depression, and depression is the real threat not only to people with epilepsy but to anyone whose living on the edge.

1. If you're someone who has epilepsy:

There is hope.
Treatment is 5% attitude, 3% on education of the people around you, 2% on medication, 90% is faith in the power of love and kindness.

2. If you're someone who know somebody with epilepsy:

Trust me. People with epilepsy don't want to be branded as fragile. A doctor asked me to wear this wristband thing so people may know that "i am special". I know it could help me, but every time i look at this wristband i feel sad, i never used it, i don't see anything useful about it, it fed on my self-confidence, it reduces me to something less than myself.

My Epilepsy was cured/controlled by medicine. i don't take any medications anymore. My last seizure was sometime in May, 2004. I'm hoping it will never come back, but who knows? Whatever, I am always prepared to seize it.

I am married
I have kids
I was able to work
I was able to attend school
I am able to do anything I want
I am happy
I have my share of Ups and Downs
I am not perfect but I am thankful because i am loved and being treated fairly.

The hardest thing about epilepsy is educating the people around you. You can cope with seizures, but it's hard to live around people who keeps on telling you that
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!" for the rest of your life, it'll turn you nuts.