Just have Hope.

Another appointment today. But before I get to that Let me share a little, uhm before hand, recent stuff.

Over the past few years God has done A LOT of crazy things in my life. Amazing things Things I just-- Everyday thank Him for. Truth right there. For the most part I've tried to stay pretty positive. Stay pretty Strong. I'm -- and I know it :) a loud outgoing person naturally. I use to be shy and quiet and really just kept to myself. Boy did God break me of that over the years. I just really don't care what anyone thinks of me anymore- I'm gonna be me whether you like it or not, I know my limitations- sometimes I kinda make things a little shaky but Hey- I'm not perfect. but- if you don't shake things up a Little, what point is there to life?

Recently Its been a struggle- I've had a lot of feed back from people because they Just don't understand whats happened-- well guess what I don't understand what has happened to me. Some days its a front. Some days Its harder than others. Ive had questions Like " are you depressed", " are you on drugs" , " whats really going on",  Am I offended?  To an extent yes- because I'm not even given the time and day by some to explain. Not that I really give them an explanation to make them understand- but some-- some do.  I won't discredit all.  I'm not depressed. I'm not -- well not on illegal drugs anyway. I can't answer whats "really" going on to you because I don't know. Dr's don't fully know. We may never fully know. I have Epilepsy. Apparently its severe. Apparently its affecting a lot of everything. To eating to talking. To communicating with people. NO! I don't want a poor me- poor boo hoo crap of a thing. I want a normal life again.  Thats what I want. I want people to stop dropping off the face of the earth on me because they find out I have seizures. I want friends to be friends. I want people to stop treating me as if I am some type of communicable disease. I am not. Im a normal human being. I can still sit down for coffee with people I can still do things. Yeah I cant be as active ( although I still am I'll admit it) or do just a few things others can-- but Im realizing I can do normal things. IF- something should happen there is that 3 digit number; 911 for a reason, not only that but most of you know what to do if I were to have a BIGGER seizure anyway. If you don't well-- thats when the 911 comes in handy.  I am sorry if this comes off strong- but I'm tired. I'm tired of this affecting me. I'm tired of it threatening my Job. I'm tired of not being able to sit through a church service and etc.  I can do normal things- like normal people.

Another recent struggle with all this--is people just assuming the unknown to them. Grant you people don't matter. It is really amazing what happens in the Christian world/relm of things.  Pray this. Pray that. Pray more. Your not praying enough. This/ That. This has nothing to do with my Church. I come from a pretty solid church and I am extremely blessed-- BUT not everyone is perfect. were not perfect and we- I, definitely don't have it right all the time. We just love God. Love people. Then you have some who just don't get it. Don't get anything. Don't get what dealing or facing a problem is. Maybe I am going about this the wrong way.I don't know. Maybe I should't be so public about it. But quite honestly- I'll be real-- here we go
if I had it my way- id avoid this just like I did for many years. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at 16. First Seizure I had I remember sitting in front of my deep freezer, and next thing I know Im across the kitchen floor big bump on my head. I had quite a few after that. One swimming. One in a post office. Quite a few at a purity conference. One at a youth convention. MRIs after MRIs- Multiple stupid concussions. Then EEG's. I can't tell you how much school I missed between junior/senior year. --- Epilepsy, a Seizure Disorder. Me. Then put on meds for years. I was fine. Or so I thought. my 3rd Semester of College I had a really bad seizure. I didn't know it was coming. I didn't feel it. Nothing. I just went down. I smacked my head on the metal frame of my bed, along with the floor, in the midst of going down I hit my shoulder on something and ended up with and obvious concussion. On top of leaving for Christmas break 2 days later and a 2 week recover

At age 20 I cold turkey'd that Med I was on, I started having HORRIBLE side effects from it. Most people didnt even know I had epilepsy. Unless- you were family- or witnessed a seizure. Then all of a sudden.  a year and a half later- everything went down hill. No meds- seizure free. This past summer at a cookout with my church, I had to leave. I was really sick. I thought it was due to taking to much tylenol and ibuprofen combined.  Nope- I was told I had a chance of having "bleeding" - "swelling" on my brain, I needed to see a specialist.  Wanted to keep me- Im stubborn and left AMA. I found out I'm allergic to Dilauded and then 5 days later I was seeing a Neurologist- ordered some more test and blah blah blah. See guys a lot more going on than you think. Before all this I was just trying to get my license. I even had them. Bought a car and was working on getting it fixed. then they took my license away. Met another doctor after being put on some meds. Was diagnosed with Intractible focal epilepsy with Complex Partial seizures with Secondary generalized seizures. then talk of  surgery and finding the focal point until then more meds and more meds. these meds mess with my moods. my apetite. I drop weight. I gain it. Some give me horrible headaches. Some make me not to be able to sleep.  You don't get it. You don't understand and I don't expect you to. but please. Just- don't tell me something if you don't know. I appreciate the few people in my life who do listen. Im thankful that I know God is able. I thankful I know Gods Grace to put up with me when Im crabby and I'm learning to pull away from things when I get to off key. Its not fun.

Then todays appointment.- No bueno.  But I have to say I am blessed. I didn't have to pay a 40 dollar co-pay. :) Its the little things. I had a neurology appointment this morning. Not a specialist or anything- thankfully. Those are the worse. I have to see them soon though. But my neuro wants me to go back into the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Another Outpatient EEG. and I have to go for a Higher tesla MRI. All at the Good O'l Cleveland Clinic. Apparently- my seizures, the meds, the side effects of the meds, are all interfereing with me living a normal life- as if I didn't know that. (not saying that in a bad way just stating the obvious) Seizures that I only feel/know about. Some to small to Hit an EEG but some that they thing that are progressing past Meds control and want to really reconsider uhm- surgery as an option. I have to call and schedule a closer appointment with my Epileptologist and doctors at the Cleveland Clinic. Im prepared to have meds changed again. i just cold turkeyed one and etc. But till we find something that works and i am believeing we will find something that works.

My neurologist kept stressing something today- "Keep holding on. Have hope. This is hard. We know it ...have hope"  Its a frustrating thing to deal with. its one of those things thats Hit or miss. You never know when a seizure is gonna happen. You truly just HAVE to trust God. with the testing- you can have negative results one day- positive results the next. its a serious issue that you just HAVE to trust. The fact that she kept saying you just have to have Hope. You just have to keep holding on and do this and surround youself with people who will support you. I just have to keep going. I've come this far.


You see- I just keep it real. I'm not gonna cover it up with classy cliche christian slang. well- I know God is able. I know who God is. Trust me. I do. Ive said it once and I'll say it over and over and over again. This-- this isn't my ending- yes this is my story. not the end of it though. God had brought me through so much-- and this-- ha- I don't doubt one bit that He will continue to carry me through. I will continue to do my part. I'll continue to serve as I can and where I know I am suppose to. I love it! I love doing what I know God has for me. I stay in the word-- grant you I could probably study a little more. I'll stay in prayer. I'll keep those close to me that know the situaton who are praying. Ill keep asking them to pray. This-- this has changed my life. my relationship with God. Who I am as a person. God's Grace -- is Sufficient. I Know..  I don't just know but I KNOW that God is Good ALL the time.