Better

   

     Our daughter seems to be having these very small, very short complex partial seizures which are over in a minute or less. Unfortunately these call into question a couple of falls that she had this summer; we now suspect that they were more of these tiny seizures. The good thing about them is that they are not the massively dangerous, drop-to-the-ground five minute tonic clinic seizures that have dominated our daughter's life with epilepsy. The bad thing is that they are seizures and they are still happening. And of course, if she is standing at the time they occur, she falls, which can be very serious. She has been fortunate not to have broken any bones or teeth so far. Even so our daughter is disheartened by having to start counting the days again. As a sixteen year old she has dreams of buying and driving her own car; she has had a bank account for that express purpose ever since we can remember. So starting over at being one day seizure-free is quite depressing but she is not down for long. Our daughter is wonderfully cheerful despite her challenges.
     The good news is that Special Olympics has brought with it, along with the fun and exercise of a weekly sports game, the chance for new and lasting friendships. Our daughter is always encouraged, despite everything, by the positive aspects of her life. Fortunately for her and all of us in her circle, she views her life as a gift; it is a wealth of possibility with every day full of the ability to be better.