COME OUT

Category: Falling Down Funny BookMark HawkinsSeizuresUncategorized Comments: 3 comments

I had a seizure around some people who don’t know me very well.  Naturally, they were incredibly uncomfortable around me for the next several days; trying to say things that were supportive or interesting or whatever.

 

A young woman walked up to me.  She was obviously nervous.  “So,” she said, “how was your seizure?”  The minute the words sunk into her head, and before I had a chance to say anything, she turned and walked away.

 

People have no idea how to deal with us.  Do you know whose fault that is?  Ours.  It has been easier for us to live in secret for as long as possible rather than let people know about us.  As a result, people do not understand who and what we are.  Those people who say stupid things to us usually mean well.  But most of their knowledge about seizures comes from television. And TV does not portray us well.

 

It’s time for us to stop being so quiet.  It’s time to tell people we are epileptic.  It’s time to show people that we are absolutely normal.  Well, kind of  normal.  It’s true: we fall down once in a while.  But once they get used to the fact that there are so many of us out there and what we live with is nothing to freak out about, then they will stop dealing with us like we are lepers.  They will most certainly be surprised to learn how many of us they know.

 

More and more people are living with some life-long disease. More people than not, actually.  In 2005, half of all Americans had at least one chronic disease (http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/index.htm).  Everybody is dealing with something.  We are, in fact, more “normal” than we have allowed ourselves to believe we are and we need to start talking about it.  As long as WE continue to view ourselves as “abnormal” how can we ask the world to stop treating us differently?

 

Go forth.  Come out to your friends.  Talk about epilepsy to strangers at parties (I mean, some of these people have some pretty crazy notions.)  And bite your lip when they say stupid things.  Educate them and kill them with kindness.

3 comments to COME OUT

  • RQ  says:

    Hi!

    I found your blog at epilepsy.com

    Seriously? The woman asked as though she were a first day waitress who was checking to see if you were enjoying your wilty caesar salad?

    That’s terrible. And funny.

    Question: What format is your book in? Is it a paperback or ebook?

    I love your blog entries. Blog. Ewww. Yes. I call my “blog” a diary because my sense of humor never evolved beyond thinking that diary and diarrhea are funny words.

    RQ

    • Mark Hawkins  says:

      thanks for your comment…

      the book is just a pdf…should be on amazon as an ebook any time now – that has turned out to be more hurdles than anticipated…but soon…

      and yes – completely true story…her boyfriend and i were just talking about this story last night…this story happened about a year ago and he says she is horrified that it happened…i think she just wanted so badly to be “cool” and say something to show that she was NOT upset – and it came out wrong…but still – funny…

      thanks again for your comments…

      mark

    • Mark Hawkins  says:

      Book available on download from amazon and paperback from “create a space”…

      both links above…hope this helps…

      mark

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