Epilepsy Awareness Month 2017

November is Epilepsy Awareness month. So I’ve decided to do a challenge of something I am passionate about.  I’ve tried a million challenges and have always caved and gave up. Last month, my friend who is a song writer and musician completed a 30 day song challenge, writing and singing a song every day. It was so inspiring, check out his YouTube here ….Now it’s time to do something I am passionate about. My passion is to educate people about epilepsy.  So I’m taking action! I’m going to be creating videos talking abut epilepsy issues and pretty much anything that can increase awareness. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to seizures and there is a little bit of stigma about epilepsy that some people don’t know about. Epilepsy is NOT contagious and that’s just one of them. Seeing someone having a seizure is traumatizing and it’s embarrassing for the person having it. I definitely become self conscious and get embarrassed, that’s for sure..

I want to tell you what you should do when you see it. With epilepsy, you have to deal with medications, DMV protocols, health insurance, tests, triggers, diet and much more. Also, in my experience, I’ve been afraid of how do I tell someone I have epilepsy. How does the conversation start? What do I say? I have seizures, I have epilepsy, or I am epileptic? Not sure what makes it less awkward. I have a story on that actually. About how to tell your job that you have epilepsy. That’s difficult for me.

 I’ve been seizure free for about 2 weeks and my challenge for myself is to “aim for zero”. I’m GONNA AIM FOR ZERO and be positive about it. But if I do have a breakthrough, that’s aight, I will pick myself back up, be sad for a bit (because that happens and I can for a little) but force myself to smile and say –Move forward Mel. Excuse me Brain – I’m going to keep fighting!  It will be easier to do that with this challenge, especially if I have the support from you! Excited about this!