I am homeschooled. Not because I have epilepsy, but because this was a decision my family made. I have been homeschooled since kindergarten--long before my diagnosis. Every year my mom asks if I want to go to public school and each year I say "no". I like being homeschooled!
I would describe myself as somewhat forgetful. Sometimes I have difficulty remembering things that happened recently. I can remember what I had on my pizza on our vacation to Florida when I was 5 years old, but I can't remember where I just put my phone. My mom explained that I have a little trouble with my short term memory so I have to work a little harder to switch things over to my long term memory. This applies with my school work, music, and even my pitching (although a lot of my drumming and pitching is muscle memory, I still need to flip certain aspects of it to my LTM).
My current seizure type is absence seizures. Mine are so brief that you will miss it even if you're looking at me. Because they are so brief, we don't know if they are under control or not.
I started a new curriculum this year which is a little more challenging for me. My mom doesn't believe in making life easier for me just because I have epilepsy. So, even though I started out this year having trouble with my school work, my mom would not let me give up or change curriculums. (rolling eyes) Both my parents are always challenging me to be all that I can be, even with epilepsy.
I have to take careful notes- then rewrite them onto notecards and review them often in order to do well on quizzes and tests. Sometimes it's a pain to have to study so much but seeing my grades makes it all worth it.
I would like to erase the stigma that is associated with epilepsy. People with epilepsy are NOT stupid or unable to learn. People with epilepsy just may have to work harder and do things differently. There are more devastating forms of epilepsy in which learning is delayed, thankfully my seizures seem to be controlled, and it's only my memory that seems to be delayed. :P
I also work hard at learning to play the keyboard and drums. It's easier for me to play by ear than read the music, but my teachers are challenging me (demanding really...) to count out loud and read the music as I play.
What I've learned from my epilepsy is this: I am no different from anyone else, physically or mentally. I can do anything I put my mind to doing. Chances are, if you tell me I can't do something because it's too difficult, I will figure out a way to prove you wrong. I REFUSE to let epilepsy have me!
Love,
Kaitlin
What a wonderful post Kaitlin. You do not cease to amaze me! You should be very proud of yourself!
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you hang in there, and keep challenging yourself. My daughter had many challenges in her school work after developing epilepsy. She was told by one teacher she would never make it in college, but she recently made the Dean's List. She learned new ways to learn, re-taught herself in ways that made sense to her, and yes, wrote LOTS of index cards to study from...she still does. She switched from flute to sax as it was an easier/different instrument to learn after the seizures. (IDK, something about positioning of the instrument and parts of the brain that get have to do the learning???).
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