Tag: Epilepsy

Epilepsy Awareness Month

November is Epilepsy awareness month. A close family member was diagnosed with epilepsy. We didn’t really know much about this disease. In the past, I have donated items for the Epilepsy Foundation, but that’s about it.

The book cover – written by Hailey Adkisson, Illustrated by Kelsey Diaz.

We were gifted the book What is Epilepsy? A simple explanation of a complex diagnosis. It is a children’s book, which is very helpful in keeping explanations simple and easier to understand. 

The book starts out explaining our brains are electric, and our brain power “sends messages to your entire body. But in some people, the electric activity in their brains becomes stormy and chaotic, causing a seizure.”

Descriptive illustrations.

It goes on to say, a special doctor, who studies the brain, is called a neurologist. He studies pictures of the brain to see how it’s working.

And, “There are many different reasons people can have epilepsy.” And, “No matter the reason for someone’s epilepsy, it is always very important to try and stop seizures from happening.” 

According to the website cureepilepsy.org, each year more than 150,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy.

At this time there is no cure, but as with many diseases, researchers continue to discover more and more about epilepsy and possible cures.

The color purple is associated with epilepsy awareness month. I have a purple wristband I will wear as a reminder to think about, and pray for those living with this disease. 

Here are two links for more information: Epilepsy.com  and Cureepilepsy.org

Hope…

HOPE

As the fog of the past few days slowly lifts, I think of it as a symbol of the old year fading away into a bright new year.

Looking at my glass star hanging in our bedroom window.

In looking back at 2024, I marvel at how fast it went. And so much happened. We had a fun, month-long road trip traveling many miles and visiting several friends in the southeastern part of the states. A precious, baby grand-daughter was born in the spring. We went camping with two of the grandkids, agonized over a family member’s health diagnosis, and had visitors from Norway in the summer. 

And then…we started the process of building a house in the fall. It was very stressful and fun, exhausting and exciting, all at the same time, and it changed the tempo of our lives the second half of 2024. 

Fog hangs over the field outside the back of our new home.

Now that we’ve settled some (and really are happy in our new home) I hope we can start up some of our old routines, yet create new ones too. I hope to get back to walking daily, reading and writing, going out for coffee/lunch/dinner, traveling, feeding the animals at the farm, blogging more…things I enjoy doing, along with continuing to decorate and “de-box” (new word???) our new space. 

The word hope has been so much of this past year’s prayers and dreams that I am bringing it along into the new year as my word for the year. I will continue to hope and pray for healing for others and for continued good health and new growth for myself. 

My new year’s resolution is to try a new style of journaling. Tomorrow, January 1, 2025 I plan to print the word HOPE in large letters in my new journal, as we begin another year, in all its uncertainties and wonder.