How it all started

It was 9 AM on August 11th, 2000, when my mom told me it was time to wake up. I kept telling myself that her voice was just a part of my dream, but I knew it wasn't. I remember I had a routine doctor’s appointment that morning; otherwise I never would have woken up so early. The sun was shining so bright through my window that I had to squint just to get out of bed. It was such a hot summer day that both the air conditioning and my ceiling fan just weren’t doing the trick. However, something didn’t seem right that morning. First of all, I didn’t even have to pee, which I always do when I first get up. I also got dressed before I even entered the bathroom to do my daily morning routine, and I never do that. It was as if my mind was somewhere else that day. Things were out of order, but I just kept reassuring myself that it was just too early to think straight.

With the sun still blinding me, I managed to pick out an outfit. I remember the exact outfit I wore. I dressed myself in dark blue jean shorts, a pink tank top, and my hair pulled back into a ponytail. I didn’t really care how I looked that day because first of all, it was 9:00 in the morning and second of all, I was just going to see a doctor for a check up. My day would start when I got home from the doctor. When I finished getting dressed I finally entered the bathroom to start my routine that consisted of brushing my teeth, washing my face, fixing my hair, and applying some make up. Since I was almost 13 years old, make up was now starting to become part of the routine. Turning the bathroom light on was the last thing I remembered.

Voices of Epilepsy

On February 12, a health article was published on The New York Times website. I was doing some browsing on the Internet, and found this incredibly intriguing website. It is called, "The Voices of Epilepsy", and introduces us to six people with epilepsy who are willing to share their story. What makes this article so unique is that there is a link that brings the viewer to a website where you can actually hear their voices. Each individual briefly talks about how epilepsy effects their lives. They talk about when they developed epilepsy, how they cope with it, and different ways they control it. I almost found myself addicted to this site, because it's not a site I usually visit. Listening to the people speak was much better than reading about them. Hearing them made it feel more personal, and a chance for other epileptics to relate to their situations. I admire them for sharing their inspiring stories with the world.