In 2014, I immigrated to America after surviving the Syrian civil war as my house was bombed. The following year, I was diagnosed with epilepsy, PTSD, and anxiety.
Dealing with my epilepsy diagnosis at 9 years old was hard. The uncertainty, and the lack of understanding of what it meant to take medication every day and whatever 9-year-old me thought an EEG was. Compartmentalizing that at such a young age really affected my mental health, and my schooling as well, making me miss near the entirety of my 6th grade year.
I didn’t get the childhood that many else had. I couldn’t go out and ride bikes, I couldn’t go to the park, my normal was EEGs, MRIs, and the understanding that I could have a seizure at any minute.
Many years later, I’m almost 20, and have my seizures controlled with medications thanks to my incredible team of doctors at MGH Boston, including Dr. Catherine Chu and Dr. Alex Bender. If I could tell 9-year-old me that his epilepsy diagnosis doesn’t define him, I would do it. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, and there’s a million stars in every dark sky.