a different thursday Morning

hey guys!! so I'm really excited to share with y'all about my epilepsy journey! I normally don't post stuff like this because I don't want to put pity on myself and that is in no way what I am trying to do, but the Lord placed this on my heart to share. I want to be raw. I want to be real with you. So everything I say here is what I have been through in the past. Although my seizures are not 100% cured the lord is continuing to work and I have seen major improvement.

One Thursday morning in fourth grade I went to a early morning church gathering that they have once a month at our school. I was not of age to go but since my whole family went my mom let me sit in the back. It was very early before school around 7:00. I remember the pastor talking, I stayed up really late the night before so I fell asleep on my moms shoulder. I soon found out that I didn't necessarily fall asleep. As I hear the sirens of an ambulance I didn't know I was the one they were there for. So as the paramedics carry me out and place me in the ambulance, I was very confused. They made me slurp this gross lemon jelly stuff to try to give me sugar. Soon we find out it was a seizure. This was the beginning of a life changing journey ahead of me.

Entering the hospital, my parents are a wreck and my siblings got out of school so they could come see me. The doctors suggested we run some tests to see if I had epilepsy. My parents shut them down. My dad was convinced that it was just a one time thing, that I stayed up to late. My mom also agreed with this which is understandable because tests cost a good amount of money.

A couple months passed and I was going to tennis practice with my friend Carson. I went ahead and got in the car and was ready to go. Soon thereafter I was laying on the ground flailing and drooling. That's when our family decided that I needed to have some tests done. I had an EEG and an MRI which stated that I had absence epilepsy. My parents were still in denial, they thought it was just another freak accident.

Once they took it in I had to meet with a doctor and he told us all about it and explained the medicines and thats when I went on a medicine called Kepra. It had cured the mini daze offs that I had but the grandma (big full out flailing seizures) ones got a lot worse. One of my favorite people and fifth grade math teacher, Cassie Hurtado, was like my second mom. I had most of my seizures in the morning so it was perfect that I had her class first. My mom could always let her know if I was off in the mornings or didn't get much sleep. I had many seizures in her class and am so thankful she was the one there. I know many friends that have seen me have seizures and that can testify that they are very scary to watch.

So after I got off that medicine, my mom did a lot of research and found out that a low carb diet might help. So the second semester of my fifth grade year I was eating less that 10 carbs a day. I lost so much weight and was tired all of the time because of how skinny I was. Every morning I would beg my mom if I could have a donut or even just a bottle of gatorade, but I always had to have water or this zero carb lemonade. We even made homemade lemonade popsicles so when kids at school brought desserts I couldn't eat them I would be able to go to the nurse and get a popsicle. My mom was really good at finding things for me to eat. remember buying all these Adkins meals and Kroger 4 carb yogurt.

After 6 months of that my mom wanted to go to one of the best neurology hospitals in America. It was in Dallas so we took a quick trip up there and stayed with my grandma. As we talked to the doctor, he explained to my mom that by being on this low carb diet it will never get rid of my seizures. So I immediately looked at my mom and smiled. I told her I wanted to go get two Braum's milkshakes and eat all junk food because I hadn't had it in so long. That was really exciting, but then we still didn't have answers.

Well this is really embarrassing, but when I was in fifth grade, to lighten up the mood my sister and I made up this rap. I can still remember some of it today. I used to sing it and my friends knew it too. Here is the little bit I remember.

"I'm on a 24 hour low carb diet, eating lots of bacon I encourage you to try it, Im not just saying this because I don't have to buy it, my momma supply it. eating lots of chicken, then I got more chicken. Well I went to the store with my momma, and my sister she got us some pizza, I said no, and I threw it on the ground. I threw the rest the box too, that aint going in my system man, that stuff aint good for you. My momma said no, I paid for that, you gonna eat it I don't car if you get fat. I said no momma you don't understand im bout to throw this junk in the trash can. The next day, I went to school. These girls walk around thinking they were cool, they walked up to me offered me a breadstick, I said no girl thats gonna make me sick. I said go away I don't like you, now take your breadsticks and take your friends too."

Well those situations aren't real and the song probably is a little overreactive, but I was just a little fifth grade girl trying to find a way to forget about what I was going through.

I remember at nights I would sleep with my sister and ask her, what did I do to deserve this. I don't understand why this happened to me. I haven't done anything wrong. One thing she said to me has stuck with me forever, she said

Sometimes, God gives his biggest battles to his toughest soldiers.

I still remember that quote today. The devil first attacked me and tried to blur my vision from God in the fourth grade. He used this as a tool to distract me from becoming close with the Lord, and it worked.

Well after the low carb diet we had to come up with a new plan. When we visited the doctor he prescribed me on a new medicine, that worked, and I am still on it today. It has very little side affects and I was on the lowest dose. My last seizure was October 13, 2014 and I could not be more thankful. Although even though my medicine worked, the devil never failed to continue to be in my head.

I can remember some days that I stopped taking my medicine at morning and night because I was so frustrated that I had seizures. I would lie to my parents and tell them I took it so they would think I did. I just wanted to escape the thought.

Seventh grade is really when the Lord had a change on my heart. I started living for him and he taught me that life isn't about us. Its about how we love people the way Jesus does and be a servant to all. Thats when I came to conclusion that this was Gods plan for me. He has brought me to him through one of the toughest situations in my life.

Its hard to say this but today when my mom brings it up I still tend to be in denial sometimes and get upset when people in my family talk about it because it is very close and tender to my heart. I can just remember the other day when I got frustrated with my mom because she was talking to our nurse about keeping an eye on me at school.

Every year or two I have an annual EEG and meet with the doctor. I am so thankful for everyone at Children's Hospital for all they have done for me and comforting my family.

Today, I have to put aside thoughts that the devil brings to my head, and know that the Lord is holding me in his right hand, and that I don't have to live in fear. Seizures are a big part of my life and an everyday struggle, but with the Lords strength I can face it with love and hope knowing I am found in him.

These are some verses that have pushed me through and brought me where I am today.

Jeremiah 29:11

Phillipians 4:13

Today I get to live in the joy of the Lord because of everything he has done for me. Good News: My last EEG which I had a month ago has come back with better results than ever! Although my seizures are not completely healed, I have made major improvement, thanks to lots of prayers and our almighty and powerful God.

lots of love,

Piper Greer