November is “Epilepsy Awareness” month….but I often wonder is anyone really aware or how much do people really know? We are a family who has been affected by Epilepsy. We know what it is like to live with this daily; we know what it is like to live a different life 
than most. We know what it is like to consistently tweak our schedule, routine, meds, family events and almost everything else. We know what it is like to just think that “we got it”, to find out we don’t…and what we thought caused the seizures changed again.
I wanted to write something about some of our challenges when trying to live a “normal” life and also in spite of this thing called Epilepsy.
How has Epilepsy affected our family….let me list a few things that either you will relate to or hopefully will give you some insight to what “normal” is for us…
- Seizures daily
- Mood swings daily
- Anger issues
- Depression
- Loss of full time work
- Loss of friends
- Way to much advice from everyone as to what we are doing wrong
- Loss of a drivers license
- Large medical bills
- Health insurance issues
- Always trying new meds
- Trying to balance being a parent with your kids when Epilepsy gets in the way
- Trying to balance being a spouse with your wife when Epilepsy gets in the way
1 in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. An estimated 3 million Americans and 65 million people worldwide currently live with epilepsy. Each year at least 200,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy. In two-thirds of patients diagnosed with epilepsy, the cause is unknown.
http://www.cureepilepsy.org/ or http://www.epilepsy.com/
Epilepsy is real and does affect many, many families. Each story is different and each person is unique!
I write to you today not to complain but to explain. We are a typical normal family with an added member call Epilepsy. We believe that this is part of what has been ordained to be
the package that makes up our family. We call ourselves the #teamgwilson
….and we strive to live each day to the fullest, we try to beat the odds, aim for a
fun filled live, not hold onto what we do not have etc…
Our greatest strength comes from the Lord! We also find strength in our church family, family and friends and some support systems that we have put in place.
With most disabilities we as humans are normally frightened by it. It is different…we don’t know what to say, what to think, where to look etc… Just remember that these people are human, and have feelings. DO NOT treat them different or like they have a rare disease. DO NOT offer advice when you have no clue what is going on. DO NOT pamper them. DO NOT ignore them when they walk in a room, walk the other way and DO NOT feel sorry.
My husband is one of the strongest men if not the strongest man that I have ever met. He is a true example of what a life with Epilepsy can be when someone purposes in their heart to live a filled and purposeful life.
We will be writing a 3 part articles this month to share and encourage you all on this subject. To help paint a full picture the articles will include….what is like to be the wife of an epileptic, what is like to be the son and grow up with an epileptic dad and then what is like to be the EPILEPTIC person.
Feel free to let us know part of your story in the comment below.
Thanks for sharing our lives with us!
Lynn A. C. Wilson – Resume of a mother
2 Corinthians 5:8b (NLT)
there’s no place like home.” The older I get the more tender those words have become for me.
…and we needed to head out right after a long day of work… many errands were scheduled for that night. The rain and the darkness
now. Or even a person who is not well has referred to the fact that they just want to go “home”. Where is this “home” that they are referring to? That feeling or longing to go home to a safe, secure place, a place with a sense of freedom, a place so indescribable, but you know that you want to be there.
all it my home. Are you ready to go to this home if the Lord were to call you? Have you done your housework so to speak? Have you made things right with Him so that when it is time to go “Home”, you will be ready? As the verse above states…….for then we will be at home with the Lord.
She was born to the Wilson family over in the continent of Africa….while she was a very young girl, her parents, my in-laws became missionaries. She grew up on the mission field learning how to serve others, love people who many might not love and in doing this she found her love of children. Eventually she moved to New Jersey and her life continued in serving others and teaching children. Annette loved crafts and enjoyed being with her family and helping her mom with setting the Sunday table for the guests, family and missionaries that would come to “The Sunday Meal”, as they said in the family.
Annette’s last days were spent at a children’s camp where she was a counselor to them, a friend, a mentor and someone they could feel safe with and share their hearts. Annette was on top of a green grassy hill, sitting in the sunshine, and under a large tree. I can just picture her sitting there with her beautiful full red hair blowing in the breeze that day as she taught 5 or 6 young girls how to do needle work. All of a sudden she had a very painful headache and went to the infirmary for some meds and the rest is history. In that short moment in time….Annette passed from the green 
grass to the streets of gold. Needless to say shock was the term we all used and these young girls were left wondering where Miss Annette went.
lways great to have a family day out and it is even better when you can share it with friends! We attend a homeschooled day out every other week at our semi-local Sky Zone. If you have never heard of this it is a very large trampoline fun place as you can see in the pics. Sky Zone does a great job of accommodating all ages and skill level and they keep the kids moving to each event they offer.
our daily life…..and we are still learning every day what this means to be a family of special needs! We adopted our youngest son 13 years ago and we had no idea the ride we were in for!
we would say since we didn’t know that they were linked to being Autistic. Things like loud noise, certain movements, lining things up, repeated show watching, talking to trees in back yard, repeating lines from shows he has watched consistently, eating certain foods and putting them on his plate in a certain order…. and many more things. I am sure if you have someone in your life who is Autistic you can relate to the above and probably add so much more to this.
and inside out for him. I heard the other day on a TV Christmas program…that if you don’t fit into the box….then get another box! Yes, yes, yes……that is just what we all needed to hear. Gavin’s box or life is his own special package and that is how he was created to be. Could the Lord have stopped him from being this way, absolutely….but he chose Gavin to have this gift of Autism and we feel that he is rubbing off on us so that we can relate & understand him better and others with disabilities. To be able to share some of his struggles and in turn try to can help him learn to adapt to this world we live in, by finding the right size box for him!
For the life of me I cannot remember what movie I heard this phrase from but my husband and I use it often in describing our days. Do you have crazy days; do you feel like time is always running out? I would love to know what it feels like to lay around all day, at least for just one day and watch TV, read a book, sip coffee and do absolutely nothing. Ok….I need to wake up from that dream!!!
. I have warned him of two tips that I have learned and I am still learning…..1. When we are so independent we become so focused on the task and getting it done, that we can forget to allow the Lord to have the space to work in our lives. Also we miss out on blessings of letting other into our lives. That is not to say that we are not capable to do the task…but sometimes the Lord uses others in our lives to teach us, HUMBLE us, and to show us new things. Also, when they are in the process of helping us…..it might be that the Lord needs to use them and to teach and show them something too, it is not always about us. 2. Be open and available to others and do not shut them out because “we can do this”.
Can I challenge you today to look at your life, and to see what time that you might need to tweak in order to spend with others? Do you keep some time open for when someone might call for help? Have you found yourself so busy that you cannot lend a hand when needed? Do you find as I have that you say you are available as you stare at your cell phone and you are walking away as someone is trying to desperately talk to you and get your attention? Ouch…that just hurt!!! How many times do I do this? PUT THE PHONE DOWN LYNN!!!!
Resume Of A Mother 