What Epilepsy Did

Along my epilepsy journey, I’d come across a profound poem that most know of, titled “What Cancer Cannot Do.” This powerful poem proclaims statements such as, “it cannot silence courage,” “it cannot destroy peace,” “it cannot shatter hope.” This had quite an inspirational impact on me as someone who lives with and fights back against a chronic condition.

Though my diagnosis of epilepsy, I remained filled with hope. Though the many hospital visits, failed medications, tests, tests, and more tests, realization that there was not yet a cure for epilepsy, I remained and continue to remain steadfast in my faith.

There is so much that epilepsy cannot do.

• It cannot rob me of my joy
• It cannot crush my hope
• It cannot steal my faith
• It cannot take away my happiness
• It cannot darken the light of my spirit
• It cannot blur my vision of the future
• It cannot weaken my strength

There is also so much that epilepsy did.

• It gave me strength to fight back
• It motivated me to speak out about my condition
• It showed me exactly who my real friends are
• It revealed the compassion and humanity of mankind
• It introduced me to other forms of transportation
• It pushed me to love myself, take care of myself better than I ever have
• It healed broken and fractured relationships within my family
• It drew me exceptionally closer to God

I’m not saying that I’m glad that I have epilepsy. What I’m saying is that, in having epilepsy, lemonade has been made out of the lemons that I have been given.

What has epilepsy done along your journey? Share in the comments section below!