Hi my name is Mel I have epilepsy I was diagnosis went I was 8 yrs old ,I have t

hree dogs and they can sence it went I have one.Having epilepsy make me a strong
er person because so people do not understand this condition,it better to give t
hem information about epilepsy so if they see someone have a sezuire the know wh
at to and to make surethey don't hurt themselves and move sharps objects like ta
bles because tables have sharp edges and and if they have one they can hurt them
selves real bad .Because this condition is not fun at all ,but I'm a very lucky
man I have a wife who always for me,my wife ,my co-workers and my mom and my cou
nsins they been there since day one , that why my wife and my co workers help me
everyday plus they help me with a walk my work was happy to do itand they love
do it.I'm so glad that I have great friends like that I can count on them.My coworkers donate money and they donate there time to do this walk with me and the
other once donate money online too.It was great that I had my wife and my co-wor
kers they are a great group of people to work with,but I raise some money for ep
ilepsy .That why I have a great group of friends on my side the best thing is h
ave your family always on my sidethought the good and the bad for me the good th
ing is having a great wife and great friends and great co workers and they treat
me like everybody else went I need help with something they are there if the st
uff heavy they tell me they have it because they don't went me to get hurt.The b
ad side is went people tell me went you can't do my job it hurt sometimes but it
make me more stronger went they that I just smile at them then laugh off so the
y don't see my pain.It make me a stonger person and it make me do my job a lot
better and more focus.I been ay Home Depot for a 11 yrs and my co-workers are th
e best because they understand my condition because they know went I have a sezu
ire they sit me down and they get me something to drink and they make sure I'm o
k.Some peopledon't care and there some people that do care very much went I'm at
work I have some customers ask me the question why do you work so I tell them t
hat I have a family to support and bills to pay.But there is a device out there
it call the Vagus Nerve Stilmulation the device stop sezuiresit a implant it a s
ize of a silver dollar.I was athe third person in the state of Maryland to have
it done and was on tv for it,it a great thing to have it safe my life forever an
d it can save thounsand of people that have epilepsy.The battiers last 15 yrs th
en after that I went back and I got new battiers put in it a in and out procedur
e,the best part is that my medical insurance pay it all.But I still take medicat
ions for my epilepsy.it like any other condition you can die from it,if I don't
take my medication I can have a sezuire that that why I take my medication medic
ation everyday but I make sure,I don't take it with alcohol or I will have a sez
uire I try that once at my nience wedding and I had a grand mal sezuire I make s
ure I take my medications with tea or water.But I make sure I have a normal lif
e everyday.I have two kinds of sezuires I have the small one there call petit ma
l and I have big ones there call grand mal sezuires over 65 millions people worl
dwide is affect with this condition people at any age can get it.More than 300.0
0 children under the age of 15 and more 750.000 adults age 65 and above have thi
s condition.Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the Unit
ed States.I live with this condition 24-7 I feel embarrass sometimes went I have
a sezuire but my co workers inbrace me everyday some people who have this condi
tion and tell them it ok and they tell us there for you,I feel like a role model
because I can show people with this condition we can do anything like working a
t a job and having a normal life.But somtimes it get ruff but the co-workers I w
ork with they help me get thought the day and my wife and my family they always
give me a postive attitude about myself I need it a plusthey treat me like a nor
mal person not someone that has epilepsy it a great feeling,now I married to a g
reat lady who there for me epilepsy is a brian disorder that what I had went I w
as a baby,now I have repeated sezuires but it control by very strong medication
for my epilepsy.If I don't take them or miss a dose I can have a sezuire people
with epilepsy can not drive by law but if I was sezuires for one year then I can
get my drivers license but I can't because I have sezuires once month.I know no
t to mix medication with beer or wine because I can have a real bad sezuire.I sh
ould know I did it once now I take my medication with water or tea.After all the
se years now I'm writing this book epilepsy I'm putting a bowl thontogether to r

aise money for epilepsy all the money is going to research for epilepsy so they
know what to do for this condition like better medication,it not a bad having ep
ilepsy it has it good side and it bad side the good thing is I have my life,the
bad side so people freak out because I have epilepsy but I'm not 8 feet under.I
have a great wife and a lot of friends on my side,I don't know why people are af
raid of people that has epilepsy it just a condition not something you can't cat
ch it,it not conagious it something that had to do with the brian like me I was
born perfect normal but I had one of my blood vessel onone side of my brian bust
that why I have sezuires for the rest of my life.Epilepsy is not a bad word it
only a condition we are doing more research on it so the doctors can try out new
medication and it may control sezuires much better. Maybe one day they will fin
d a stronger medication foe epilepsy I will do everything in my power to help pe
ople with this condition,but I make sure the people that have this condition wil
l have a better life maybe one day that will be cool.Maybe my life is not perfec
t but people think I can't do anything,think again I can do anything went I put
my mind to it,I try to hide my condition but it does not work.I wish people know
how hard it is as a person with epilepsy it not fun at all people think they kn
ow about epilepsy,but try to live with 24-7 it not fun the funny thing is went y
ou make a different for epilepsy that went I can show people that Ican do anythi
ng like work and raise money like I am doing.My doctor is the coolest guy in the
world,went I was diagnose I did not know what epilepsy was at the time since th
an.Went I have a sezuire my left side of my body goes num,my wife and my co-wor
kersis great about my epilepsy they know what to do.Went I had my first sezuire
it was a huge scare plus my whole body went num my body was dead weight ,I don't
know went I'm going to have a sezuire there no warning at all just like if I ha
ve a big one or a little one I don't know which one coming .There is a group cal
l Abilities Network they are a great group of people that I know I been with the
m since I was 18 yrs old.I can tell you by experience they will help you with an
ything like helping with goals like me writing a book or getting my ged that why
I walk for epilepsy every year,I feel like I making a different in life because
I do something about my condition like different things like a bowl thon to rai
se money for epilepsy. Sometimes I wish I can switch places with someone in my f
amily and see has it feels to have sezuires sometimes it hurt went my family say
you ok that really burn me up ,some people don't know about epilepsy it a part
of my life and it takes great friends to have on my side it make you feel better
.That why people with are sometimes feel very protective so people don't hurt th
em.But I have some people that want to help with anything,epilepsy it just part
of life that all with me I can play guitar and I can bowl too.It not bad so I ha
ve epilepsy but I don't let it bother me at all I'm a very strong person epileps
y does not let me down it just make mea positive person that a great thing,but s
ee someone have a sezuire it scare me sometimes because I know what there though
t.I wish sometimes I can comfort people with epilepsy that has epilepsy to be th
e best because I can do it.I'm very lucky to have a positive people who are very
proud of me because I doing something with my life since I have epilepsy my wor
k family and friends and my counsins who always there went I'm having one that c
ool,people with epilepsy can surprise you like me I only have one good hand but
I can do well like bowling or working and helping someone with things and loaded
on a car or truck,I will be the first person with epilepsy to do a fun raiser t
o raise money for epilepsy.I can't wait to do this fun raiser the best thing hav
ing this it make me pound of myself because for thinking of this event on my own
as a person with epilepsy I so glad I got help with people who cares about me v
ery much.One day I'm going to school and college to educate people about epilesp
y if I can do that great,there is 40 kinds of seziures in this world I have two
of them the one is call petit mal sezuires were it last a few seconds the other
one is call grand mal sezuires they last a few mintues.The grand mal sezuires f
eels like you are running a race until all your engry is out of me and it feel l
ike someone punch me in the stomach and hurt me real bad that how it feel. I fee
l lucky to be alive because those day went I was growing up they did not have th
e equipment now they have advance equipment now in the hospitals so they can bet
ter diagnosed epilepsy better and have better medication too.Went I was growing

up I was taking over 32 pills a day it put a lot of weight on me when I have gra
nd mal sezuires went I get them I fall out of bed on to the floor I hurt my arm
a lot.Now I'm on better medication but there are people out there more worst tha
n me went I was diagnosed I was scarer I did not know about epilepsy now since I
have it I learn more about it everyday.In my personal life went I was 8 months
old I had a stroke I was in icu for 32 days,over 65 million are diagnosed with e
pilepsy everyday went you see a person having a sezuire call 911 or make sure th
e person does not hurt themselves it happen to me a lot.My brian is like a batte
ry went I have a sezuire my brian short circult my co-workers at the Home Depot
they really care about me very much because the know about my condition and what
I go thought everyday with my epilepsy.It very hard for me to tell people about
my epilepsy because there are good people who will help you.I can remember the
first time I had my first sezuire I was scare big time and it scare my family me
mbers too.There are 7 common sezuire triggers1.missing medication and not taking
it on time2.sleep deprivation it means lack of sleep3.when you are depression4.
drugs and alcohol it means do not take medication with alcohol or you will have
a sezuire5.extreme emotional stress like you worry about something 6.blood sugar
eat three meals a day 7. bright lights like flashing lights can cause a sezuire
.Tonic-clonic sezuires is when the whole body jerking and it take all the engry
out of you and you breathe very hard it like your heart racing too until your bo
dy go num,sometimes it scare me went I'm sleeping it wake me up sometimes I have
a grand mal in my sleep or a petit mal sezuire yoga can give less sezuires.But
if anyone went information about epilepsy it online or you can talk to someone w
ho has this condition,In my hometown of Baltimore they have a indoor trahlon to
raise for epilepsy it was founded in 2005 they start with 32 participants and th
ey raised $3,200 the foundation raise over $15,000 to $20,000 a year, now they h
ave 2,500 participants in the past nine years this is 6 others states that does
the trahlon they are Washington,Connecticut,Virginia,Pennsylvania and Arizona.I
work for Home Depot for a 11 yrs and I love it my co-workers and my superviors k
now about my epilepsy and they know what to do if I have one,I'm not a shame tha
t I have epilepsy it was not my fault at all I just feel lucky that I'm living.I
am very lucky man and having a job with great co-workers that cares very much o
f my health and a great wife who always on my side since day one,I feel the dang
er went I have to many sezuires in one day that has happen to me sometimes it no
t a great feeling because if I in a dead sleep it will wake me up include if my
body go num then I can't move at all.I walk every year for Abilities Network who
sponcer this this event I feel great do this event because I can show the peopl
e out there that we can do something about it and be proud of it.I had the Home
Depot Kids Workshop there and they support me with this walk and I can tell you
something they had a great time at the walk and I can tell this I am so proud to
be working for this company with a great group of people who I call my friends
because they came out for me that has this condition it means so much to me pers
onal.I found out if you put your mind to it you will get the done like I putmy m
ind on writing this book or putting a bowl thon together to raise money for epil
epsy.But don't let anyone tell you you can't do anything they are not your frien
ds,I think we should education them about this condition so they know what to do
.The most important thing to have on your side is your family for sure.All the A
bilities Network from the US to Canada do different things to raise money for ep
ilepsy,like Canada has purple day in Canada they wear purple that day,in the sta
tes we have walks.It not easy to writing something like epilepsy because I have
this condition all my life.It very hard for me I try to tell people how I feel a
bout this condition it very hard for me ,but this is only way I know to tell peo
ple about epilepsy.If you are sitting in the shower it does avoid injury if you
fall doing a sezuire make sure you are in a open space were it safe.Went I was g
rowing up people said I had everything hand it to me on a silver plate that not
true it been ruff since day one but with a great wife and great co-workers that
so important to me. Iwas call every name in the book it falt like someone pull m
y heart out of my chest,but with one good hand and my epilepsy I made them look
bad because Imade something of my life.I feel like to tell people what you think
,this is not easy life it not at all with this condition you have to make do wha

t you have.Here in Maryland they have a walk every year which I'm very involed e
very year it very close to my heart it feels great to walk. There is a guy in Lo
ndon England on channel 4 news bbc radio his name is Alex Thompson he has a son
who has epilepsy since he was 3 yrs old,I can remember went I was a kid a I used
to play basketball and baseball and football with no pads with my friends somet
imes I would have a sezuire I would drop the ball after I stop my sezuire I woul
d pick up the ball and contuine playing ball let me tell you something about how
I deal with my epilepsy it not easy sometimes are easy but most of the time it
good but the worst time is went you are in a dead sleep and I have a sezuire in
my sleep it wake me up.Went I have a bad one my left side of my body goes paraly
zed and I can't move my left side from my left arm to my leg it feels like dead
weight,went you saidy epilepsy to someone they get scare sometimes and other tim
es they said we would never know that you have epilepsy because I tell them abou
t my epilepsy and they are surprise,but some people would say you should not be
working at all I think if you can work with epilepsy I say go for it.But I been
work I have a job with Home Depot then I can make a point that matter does matte
r if they like it or not.Because people with epilepsy they have a life too they
can have jobs plus having a family that really cares,it really funny people with
epilepsy can teach you a lot of good things I can remember went I was in high s
chool I was made fun of because it was the way I walk and I could not used my le
ft arm because I had epilepsy it hurt my feelings real bad it was not cool.I try
to help someone like a customer and they ask mewhy do you walk with a limp or w
hy you have one good arm and I tell them why, I tell them I have epilepsy went s
omeone talking to me they look at my hand went you are talking to me you look me
in the face so me people tell me you walk with a limp I get that a lot.Went I w
as a kid I was made fun of but I show them I used to play baseball went I was in
my teens,if I did not have epilepsy I would be driving my dream cara black tran
s am with flames.I have a neurologist his name is Dr. Steven Strauss M.D. he bee
n my neurologist for the last 20 yrs he is my best friend he always ask me how m
e and my wife doing and how many sezuire I had plus he ask how my mom doing too,
he ask for blood work but sometimes I surprise him we laugh about stuff but he i
s proud of me what I'm doing in my life like keeping a job plus getting married
too.Went I found out I beat the odds went I was a baby it made me a much stronge
r person a better husband and a better papa for my grandchildren I think if anyo
ne found out about you were diagnosed with epilepsy it would crush your life bu
t don't let it prove yourself and your family and friends that you can do someth
ing with your life I know from personal expect.I prove myself that I can do anyt
hing plus I love to help people yoga can help people with sezuires I can help pe
ople with epilepsy and I can have less sezuires,there are famous people out ther
er that have epilepsy but you can grow out of sezuires there is an medication ca
ll anit-epileptic drugs the first (aef drug)was used in 1912.I can remember went
I was in the mall with my wife and I had a grand mal sezuire outside of the mal
l and she was right there and some people went to call the emt I told them don't
to there was one gentleman who help me up and put me into the car and made sure
I was ok and he told me take care.Sometimes I feel left out of something like d
riving a car sometimes I wish I did not have epilepsy at all, but I'm stuck with
it for the rest of my life.I can remember went I was at hardware I was on the l
adder doing my work and I had a grand mal sezuire and I feel off the ladder I hu
rt myself it took 15 mintues to get help a customer final got a MOD for me,one d
ay I was at my grandmother house help my father and my brother something and wen
t I came out of the house my body just came into a dead stop and had a grand mal
sezuire right in front of my father and my brother they did not know what to do
it scare me and my whole family.went I had my first sezuire it got to me think
how lucky I am,but I hate having grand mal sezuires and petit mal sezuires the w
orst part about this condition there is no warning it can come while you are at
work or just sitting down on a chair or went I'm sleeping.I can remember went my
nience and nephew see me having my sezuire they were scare they told my mom ,I
was sick I did not mean to scare them went I have a sezuire at work I have a sez
uire my co-workers are there they are very caring and helpful too.Went I found o
ut I had epilepsy my parents did not know nothing about epilepsy I was born perf

ect normal but something happened to me went I was 8 months old then later in li
fe,I found out I had epilepsy at first it scare me at first but nowit a normal t
hing in my life I hada lot of medication that I took early in my life but now I
take less medication and I don't weight lot like I used too,went I was taking a
lot of medication and I was a heavy man because of the medication it made me gai
n of lot of weight.Now I'm on a diet and I feel a lot lighter and a lot better a
nd I feel more postive about myself it not a smart thing if you are not taking y
our medication because you can have sezuires it better to take your medication t
hen you would feel a lot better,then you won't have any sezuire went the kids tu
rn into young adults it very hard for them to take medication,but to make sure t
he teens are smart enought to take there medication on schedule because if you a
re late like 2 hours you can have a sezuire,there are 80% percent of people with
epilepsy today have there sezures under control by medication,you can not up th
e medication because you can hurt the person or you can over dose the person plu
s you not a doctor.Only a doctor can up the medication went a baby have a bad se
zuire there body bend forward and can stiff up there legs and there arm and tors
o.Went I had sezuires at high school they laugh at me a lot when I was a kid my
sezuires were worst because there was no medication that could not control but n
ow I have medication them a lot better because year to year the medication get m
ore and more advance and much better too, I think people should be education abo
ut epilepsy because if they have a family member that have epilepsy they would k
now what to do if the family member goes into a sezuire the first thing will com
e to your mind is just make sure were that person have the sezuire make sure it
in a open space so they don't hurt themselves.But my parents got awake up call w
ent I had my first sezuire that we went to the doctor that went he told me I had
epilepsy,I hate seeing kids have sezuires it scare me to see that I remember wh
en I was there age having them I know had they feel. Some people can have grand
mal sezuire for 30 mintues or if they have a real bad day they could have it may
be hour to hour half there body can shut down,I can remember when I have bad day
I may have 3 sezuires a day that happened maybe twice month but not affect I te
ll you by personal expect I may have epilepsy but I can bowl and play guitar but
nothing is going to stop me because I don't let it they try but it does not wor
k.The males are sighty higher risk then females of deloping epilepsy plus there
67 children with epilepsy that are idenentified( 35 males 32 females),with teens
that have epilepsy it very diffcult because of the peer pressure and sports the
re are 20% of people with epilepsy are not being helped by medication.I can reme
mber when I was in the mall with my sister and I had a grand mal sezuire my sist
er got scare went we got home we cry together that went I was just diagnosed wit
h epilepsy,it much better to education someone who does not have epilepsy then t
he next time that you see someone having a sezuires you know what to do,don't ma
ke fun of people with epilepsy because it just makes me a lot strong and more po
sitive person.I just want to make a mark on life so went people find out that pe
ople with epilepsy you should think before you speak just watch what you say to
a person, some people they don't know what we go thought everyday and how it fee
ls or they don't know had it scare you in the middle of the night I wish I could
switch places with someone for one day and xthen tell me had it feel to have a
sezuire or how your body goes paralysis too,but my family does not know how it f
eels uthey made be there for me but I'm not a kid anymore they have to let me go
I have a wife who help me a lot,I know my family will always be therer but they
can't mother hen because that how you push your own family member away and awa
yI wish they can let me live my life with my wife,my family is push me to the li
mit I wish they they stay out I'm not 18 yrs old any more.It like when I'm writ
ing this book my wife,my co-workers and my counsins and my facebook friends on m
y facebook friend charles who goes to penn state support me.It very dangerous fo
r me who has epilepsy went the temp is 90 to 100 degrees and the heat index is
107 I can have a heat stroke I should know I work outside and I had two heat str
okes they are not fun at all.I can remember being married the first time she was
a total jerk wzent I got married to this woman she told me that she did not wan
t no kids because I had epilepsy and she think because I had epilepsy,that our k
ids would get it that was my first time .Now since I got married four ago I am a

happy man,my life feel like it on a big rooler coasters since I found out I had
epilepsy it get very scare there are support groups out there with different pe
ople who have epilepsy they have stories to tell you and they deal with it every
day.The first thing I can think of is Abilities Network zthey are a non profit o
rganization I been with them since I was 18 yrs old they been good to me and my
wife for a long time,I see people with epilepsy that have more sezuires than me
and take more medication tooI know how that feels somepeople take more medicatio
n then others because there sezuires are much worst too,I wish more people know
gabout epilepsy more therer is over 80% of people with epilepsy today there sezu
ires is control by medication still if you do have it under controlby medication
that good I should know this is a fact I take medication and I still have sezui
res.If you take medication with illegal drugs or beer or wine you just asking fo
r promise or maybe death or having a sezuire that a big promble.I did that once
I had a beer at the party and I had a petit mal sezuire at my nience wedding my
brother and my wife saw it,but I'm going to be in a support groupI like to help
people in the groups and tell them I'm writing a book about epilepsy.My wife thi
nks a support group is good for me she right,I had a hemorrhage want I was 8 mon
ths oldthe doctors did not think if I was going to live or not I was in the icu
for 32 days I hope we can find a cure for epilepsy but there no cure for it but
I think the cure is the Vagus Nerve Stimulator but I still take medication but I
can stop them too I was the third one in the state of Maryland to have it done
I was on local tv staion to tell them how it feel.I feel like the lucky person t
o get it change my life forever the very first one was done in Dallas Texas a 8
yrs old kid then went they found out it was sucessful then it was done in all 50
states and they are still do it,I'm so glad I swas one of the lucky ones to hav
e it done but it cost $10,000 dollars but my health insurance pay all of it.I th
ink personal more people should get education for this condition some day it goi
ng to be going full circle,one daythe only way to get the word out about this di
sorder is tell someone about it the person to ask about epilepsy is a neurologis
t he is the best person to ask or the person who lives with it everyday,I try t
o hide my epilepsy but it does not work .The only way they know I have epilepsy
is went I have a sezuire some people look at me different.Went I'm at work my cu
stomers look at me different because I walk different and I have epilepsy I'm no
different than anybody else,we are not perfect if we were there would be no epi
lepsy or no research for it for me I take my epilepsy very personal and very ser
ious to my heart it a biggest part of my life until the day I die.I meet people
with epilepsy on facebook and there stories they tell me and I listen to them.An
d how they felt went they found out they were diagnose with epilepsy,people wo
rld wide they do yoga and the people who does yoga it help them to have less sez
uires there are 40 kinds of sezuires out there you would be amazed what kinds of
medication we take for this condition it not fun take them but it keep us alive
.People thinks we get warning went one comes on there no warning at all,here at
story I wrote it was about a walk I did two years ago it was fun now I do the w
alk every year.People do not what we go thought everyday it not fun at all peopl
e that have epilepsy can not go blood drives because the medication that they ta
ke can give a person that need blood very sick they why I can not give blood bec
ause the medication it I can make someone very sick.There are triggers that can
cause sezuires like stress and lack of sleep and being on the computer to long w
ent the kids find out that they have epilepsy they are very fragile or they won'
t talk about it that why the parents have to explan what this condition is becau
se they may fold up in to a little bowl but with teens having epilepsy it a lot
different because they have to deal peer pressure everyday and some kids would n
ot know what epilepsy isplus they would feel embarrassed to,went a person tells
me that I look normal until I tell them that I have epilepsy they are surprise t
here are about 2.5 million people in the USA are effect by epilepsy everyday the
re are people that will to help you and understand what epilepsy and what it is
the only thing I can't get that people do not want to learn about epilepsy.The o
nly wish I have is to teach people what this condition does to people that has e
pilepsy,and you can do something when you see someone having one but it not a pr
etty site it a scare thought include if you have this condition because if you s

ee someone having one it would scare you real bad.I wish people would understand
more about epilepsy that my goal is to get the word out about epilepsy alone I'
m trying to get the word out before I die,there are people with epilepsy who can
work and can live a normal life but there are some people have to be so negitiv
e about things I hate that very much.But went you see a sezuire move all the sha
rpe objects away so it can be very safe went they having a sezuire,like a corner
of the table they can hurt themselves very easy include went you are in a dead
sleep and you have a bad one you may fall out of bed it very important that a fa
mily member or a wife or husband they would know if you fall out of bed so they
know what to do include if you have the inplant I have in my chest that can stop
sezuires right there.Here some famous people that had epilepsy like Vincent Van
Gogh who was born in 1787 and Joan of Archse was born in France in 1412 and two
famous novel had epilepsy they were Agatha Christeand Charlies Dickiens.The med
ication I take is very important because if I don't I know what happened ,don't
take them with wine or beer +because it not a good mix that not a good thing I c
an have a sezuire.For people with epilepsy it not heathly to be in the heat I ma
ke sure I have a bottle of water on me went you find outyou have this condition
they will take your driver license away,you have to be sezuuire free for one yea
r it very easy for some people but not for me,I have it for the rest of my life
I can remember went I was playing pony league baseball went I was a teenager I h
ad a sezuire went I was playing baseball one night my coach rush right out and m
ade sure I was ok.I was made fun of because I had sezuires and I walk with a lim
p then the people who made fun of me in high school now they look surprise today
because I came out better because I have a positive look on life.I havre this c
ondition sometimes it very stressful and it very hard to remember things that wh
y there are supports groups out there for people with epilepsy it help the peopl
e sometimes other people don't like supports groups like me I have my own suppo
rt group it call my family my wife who is my support and my co-workers and couns
ins and very special friend Fran Lane who gave the boost to write this book they
are my support group.I been thought ruff roads all my life with epilepsy all my
life,from fall out of bedwhen I have bad sezuires than having them in a public
places like a mall .Sometimes it not fun having this condition and sometimes