Finding Purpose on My Path

Growing up, I was deeply involved in church, music, and cultural events. I loved being on stage, helping in my community, and expressing myself through song and service. I had a bright and busy teenage life, filled with purpose and dreams, until everything shifted when I turned 16.

I remember the night of my first seizure clearly. I was in my room when I began to feel off. I walked to the bathroom to wash my face, hoping it would help me snap out of it. Instead, my hands started to tremble uncontrollably. In the process, I accidentally poked myself in the eye. Disoriented and scared, I stumbled to my parents’ room, tears running down my face. That’s the last thing I remember before I blacked out. 

For the next year, seizures became a part of my life. At one point, I had one every month. It was terrifying and confusing. I didn’t know what was happening to me, and neither did my family. It wasn’t until a horrible episode sent me to the emergency department that I was finally referred to a neurologist. That referral changed my life.

Around the same time, I got my driving permit, which is something every teenager looks forward to. The news that I wouldn’t be allowed to drive unless I was seizure-free for at least three months devastated me. I felt like so much was being taken away just as I was beginning to find my independence. And worse, I felt like I was losing control over my own body.

Eventually, I was diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Through countless appointments, EEGs, and trial-and-error with medications, my neurology team found a treatment plan that worked for me. Thanks to their knowledge, dedication, and the research behind the medications I now take, I’ve been seizure-free for years.

Still, epilepsy changed my life. Some of my dreams, like becoming a military flight nurse, are no longer possible due to the restrictions that come with a seizure disorder. That loss stung, but I’ve come to understand that life doesn’t always go according to plan and sometimes detours lead us exactly where we need to be. I’ve learned to be grateful for my health, for the science that keeps me safe, and for the second chance to dream differently.

Today, I continue to pursue a career in nursing. I am one semester away from obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I want to be a part of the very healthcare system that helped me find answers. I want to show patients, especially young ones, that their diagnosis doesn’t define them. I want to be the kind of nurse who listens, advocates, and inspires, because I know what it feels like to be on the other side of the hospital bed, searching for hope.

For about five years following my diagnosis, I held a birthday fundraiser every year to raise funds for the Epilepsy Foundation. If their work and research can help someone with their epilepsy battle, then I’ve succeeded in my fundraising goal.

Each of the inspiring stories of people who have epilepsy, friends or family of those with epilepsy, has encouraged me to share my story. Sharing my story is personal and sometimes scary, but it’s also powerful. If my journey can help even one person feel less alone or encourage someone to keep fighting for answers, then it’s worth it. Epilepsy may have changed the path I’m on, but it didn’t take away my purpose. In many ways, it helped me find it.