Life With Epilepsy

Aunjanue had been living with Epilepsy for the last five years. She was thirteen when the seizures began. Her mother died a few mere months later. A month into seventh grade. She’d been fine one day. A brain aneurysm took her life. Out of nowhere. It’d broken Aunjanue in ways nobody understood. She’d not been sure. How to go on with life. She’d already been dealing with more than enough in trying to figure things out with her seizures. To lose her mother months later became too much for her. Therapy helped. To an extent anyway. She’d begun drawing her life away.

Her doodles caught everyone’s attention. People who cultivated what had clearly become her passion. She’d stopped playing sports so she could focus on her drawing. Her waking moments were spent drawing when she wasn’t at school. She’d done well in Art class. In Middle School as well as High School. She’d not wanted to do anything else with her time outside of school. She knew she wanted to do something with her drawing skills. She just wasn’t sure what just yet. She knew she’d do well regardless of what she chose to do with her life after graduating.

She’d made the conscious decision to never drive a day in her life. Or have kids. She knew neither thing was ever going to be safe. She didn’t want to get behind the wheel, get in to an accident because having a seizure, and kill herself or someone else. Hormonal changes were triggers for her seizures. She knew the extreme hormonal changes that came with pregnancy would likely kill her. She wasn’t willing to take any risks with either. It didn’t keep people from trying to convince her of doing both. She’d put them in their place every time with the same response.

She’d always been outspoken about her Epilepsy. She’d thought about becoming a Public Speaker. She’d made the decision to go with that. She’d make little doodles while she waited to be introduced. She used her platform to sell her drawings. She’d donate portions of what she made to help research to better understand Epilepsy. It was the feedback she got that meant more than most thought. People were shocked at the discrimination she’d gotten when looking for jobs as a teenager. Places didn’t want to hire her because of her lack of job experience. The legal way around her Epilepsy and no job experience was. That she wasn’t a good fit for the job.

She’d begun selling her doodles while still in High School. She’d created a website where she’d post pictures of her drawings. Her marketing skills were simplistic. Her pricing was fair. Her drawings sold out in what felt like no time at all. In reality it’d only be a few days before her drawings were sold. She’d have more by that time. The system she made helped her make money to support herself. The speaking engagements took her across the country. People were surprised to see someone so young walk on stage to share her story. To share the harsh realities of her life. To show she also led a mostly normal life.

She’d taken some time away for herself. She’d moved to Miami Beach. She’d wanted nothing more than to enjoy herself. To not have to worry about much. Or anything at all. She’d managed to find her peace by doing so. She’d found a place where she wanted to move to. It’d meant she’d be closer to her paternal grandmother as well. An opportunity came her way. A job as a Columnist. It gave her Carrie from Sex In The City vibes. She took it knowing she’d be able to share her story with the local community.