EMILY, WELL I AM GUILTY OF LEAVING THE SITE. I GOT SO FED UP WITH IT FOR THE SAME REASONS. PEOPLE WOULD WRITE AND THEN YOU WOULD SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF VIEWS AND 0 OR 1 0R 2 COMMENTS. SO THERE WAS NO SUPORT. WELL, I HAVE DECIDED TO TRY IT AGAIN. WE WILL SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT.

AS FOR HAVING A BAD DAY, ITS ALOWED. YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE. I SAY AN EXTRA PRAYER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALL THE TIME. I KNOW GOD IS WATCHING OVER YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AND YES WE DO ALL HAVE BAD DAYS. SOMETIMES THEY ARE MANY IN A ROW AS YOU KNOW FROM YOUR OWN EXPERENCE. BUT WE TRY TO DEAL WITH IT AS BEST WE CAN. THATS ALL YOU CAN DO, DONT BEAT YOURSELF UP OVER IT. JUST WRITE ABOUT IT TO VENT, THERE IS NO REASON TO APOLOGIZE. THIS IS THE PLACE TO VENT,, THATS WHAT YOUR BLOG IS FOR.

AS FOR THIS STRONG WOMAN THING. ARRGGG!!! HOW I HATE HEARING THAT MYSELF!!!!! OVER THE YEARS YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE HEARD THAT FROM PEOPLE I WORKED WITH, WERE FRIENDS WITH AND MY WHOLE FAMILY. I GOT TO THE POINT I JUST WANTIED TO PULL MY HAIR OUT. YOU GET TO THE POINT THAT YOU HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO FOR A SHOULDER TO CRY ON BECAUSE EVERYONE EXPECTS YOU TO BE STRONG. IT IS MENTALY AND PHYICALY DRAINING. YOU CAN EVEN TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU ARENT AND THEY SAY OH YES YOU ARE THE STRONGEST WOMAN THEY KNOW. PEOPLE DONT UNDERSTAND YOUR LIFE EM BECAUSE THEY ARENT LIVING IT AND NEVER HAVE HAD TO. THEY DONT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU GO THRU ON A DAILY BASIS. IF YOU ADDED UP ALL THE TIME YOU SPENT AT DOCTORS VISITS AND HOSPITALS THRU OUT THE YEAR AND IT WOULD PROBABLY SHOCK YOU TOO. AND JUST THINK OF WHAT YOU SPENT FOR DOC VISITS, HOSPITALS AND MEDS, I ADDED UP MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSIVES FOR LAST YEAR IT WAS JUST OVER $420.00 A MONTH!!! I BET YOURS IS EVEN WORSE SINCE YOUR DEALING WITH 2 KIDS WORTH OF BILLS.

IT IS NORMAL TO LONG FOR YOUR OLD LIFE. THINGS ARE SO HECTIC RIGHT NOW. YOU ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND ANSWERS. ITS BEEN A FEW YEARS NOW AND THINGS STILL ARE LIKE A ROLER COASTER. AT LEAST I THINK IT HAS BEEN 2 YEARS SINCE WE STARTED WRITING. I GET CONFUSED WHEN IT COMES TO TIME. I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT YEAR I STOPPED WORKING ANY MORE . ITS NO WONDER YOUR EXHAUSTED WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, NO SUPPORT FROM YOUR FAMILY. THEM NOT UNDERSTANDING ABOUT EPLILEPSY IS JUST THEM NOT WANTING TO BOTHER TO LEARN ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT DOESNT EFFECT THEM DIRECTLY AND THEY ARE NOT FAMILY ORIENTED ENOUGH TO CARE.  IT IS A REAL PITY TOO BECAUSE THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON A CHANCE TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH THE KIDS. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE AND WHEN ITS PEOPLE IN YOUR OWN FAMILY ITS EVEN WORSE. WHO EVER SAID IGNORANCE IS BLISS WAS AN IDIOT!!

WHEN KAITLYN STARTS SCHOOL, DONT WORRY. EVEN WAY BACK WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL I DIDNT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY TEACHERS. BACK THEN PEOPLE DIDNT TALK ABOUT IT. THE THING IS, IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GIVE THE KIDS AS NORMAL A CHLDHOOD AS ABSOLUTLY POSIBLE. WHEN I LOOK BACK AT MY CHILD HOOD, I REMEMBER I HAD TO TAKE MEDS BUT THAT WAS IT. OTHER THAN THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CHILDHOOD, PLAYING HARD WITH MY FIRENDS AND SIBLINGS , GOOING TO SCHOOL AND LATER PLAYING SPORTS. I NEVER WAS TREATED DIFFERENTLY. DEALING WITH SCHOOLS IS EASY. MY YOUNGEST HAD A LEARNING DISABILITY AND WE WERE IN CONSTANT MEETINGS. THE SCHOOLS ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK WITH PARENTS WHEN KIDS HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS. THEY HAVE A GREAT NETEWORK OF PEOPLE FOR YOU TO WORK WITH. YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW WELL IT WILL ALL GO. I WOULDNT THINK IT WOULD BE TOO DIFFERENT FROM STATE TO STATE. EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT OK IN SCHOOL , DONT WORRY!

GOD BLESS,

BANFFGIRL

LIFE IS FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE.

Kaityn's  Mom....

I was 14 when I was diagnosed.  It is now 40 years later.  I have run into my share of 'stupid, small' people, but all in all I have been surrounded by caring, compassionate, curious in a good way, and those who are willing to go way out of their way to help.

If it weren't for my parents, I believe having Epilepsy would have been a lot harder.  Looking back they took great pains just to have a normal and understanding household.  I am on a rock solid foundation because of them.

I am not a parent, but from what I have read of your blogs, Kaitlyn has a port in the storm when she needs it, but I believe she will spend more time in the sunshine and love life.  It sounds to me like she will always have a solid footing that will sustain her when she needs it.

Take Care.....

~ CJ ~ 

Hi. My name's kristena. I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2005. It is hard when people judge you. I have problems with that at school, but there are good people who won't judge your daughter. There are heartless people in life, but there are people with good hearts who will respect and cherish your daughter. It's hard to find them, but you will. Don't worry. =).

 Have a great day,

~Kristena =)