I've often wondered why people always comment on me being resilient and why in particular I'm strongly resilient, in almost exactly the same way as my friends with epilepsy and why we have such similar goals?
You hear a lot of people talking about someone having "good genes!" But I often think, (with no disrespect to my parents), that the resilience is more to do with growing up having had epilepsy. I wonder if the fact that I understood what was really unpleasant and what was just something which was a bit of a challenge, might have stemed from using the epilepsy, in particular the kind of fear aura's I would have so many of on a daily basis, as a measuring stick?
People seem to always talk about silver linings to everything, but in the case of epilepsy, I genuinely think there is one, of the person the condition produces at the other end. It's not an arrogance I hope, to say that I can accept I'm resilient, because it's the one thing that makes me proud to belong to the epilepsy community. The resilience and determination I see so much in my friends with the condition is inspiring to me, I'm proud that people feel I have similar qualities.
But the problem that makes me bang my head against a brick wall, is that other people without the condition don't see the same people, I and those close to them, see. If employers knew about the inspiration they are, if they embraced the fact that people with epilepsy possess qualities which makes them assets and not risks, as I've heard it being described, then it's a huge benefit to both sides.
It is however easy for me to talk about this from the comfort of my home, well over 2 and a half years seizure free. I was interviewed on Tuesday, on the BBC London radio, breakfast show about my experience of epilepsy and what living with it day to day is like. In all honesty I felt one over-riding feeling... that I am extremely, extremely lucky.
Less than 5% of people are candidates for surgery that have epilepsy.
- I was one of them.
Despite the epilepsy re-occurring, I still feel incredibly lucky. Because I even had the chance to join the Police, because I have the opportunity to cycle across America and by god, I want to relish the opportunity. I have the privilege of belonging to an incredible group of people, but without going through what they do on a daily basis.
I feel guilty sometimes. People with epilepsy shouldn't have to go through what they do with the condition and still get the side effects from medication, never mind the stigma they experience on the top. I complain about the stigma, but that doesn't mean I don't want to try and do something about it. I just hope I can turn my good fortune into awareness.
The reason I was being interviewed on the radio however, wasn't really to do with anything that I had done, but the incredible development of a potential new therapy, possibly even cure for the condition. People with epilepsy, could actually be injected with 'good genes', that calm down the electrical activity in the brain, preventing the seizures. So I guess we really could answer, "I've got good genes", when asked why we are the way we are. Unfortunately the science is at least a decade off, but I so hope that people are afforded the same luck I had with how well I was able to be treated.
As for the way I am if anyone asks... It's got nothing to do with nature, or even my levi's, I just have amazingly inspirational friends.
I just hope, I can eventually do their inspiration justice in the coming year and a half.
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