HERO Stories

[Lisa]

My heros are my parents. After my accident my parents took care of me even though there were no garantees. Not only did they have to deel with an adult daughter who had the ability of a 5 year old, but the strange actions that turned out to be seizures. They knew just when I needed a extra push, and when to leave me alone. Even now that Im strong enough to live on my own, my dad will come and help me out w/ my house. Today when I got home he had cleaned out my gutters. Im not sure how things would have turned out if it havent been for my parents!

[tinasmom]

David -

What a wonderful poem. Reading some of these stories reminds me that God does not make mistakes and he always puts people in our lives for a reason. I do believe that there are really angels on earth and they come to us when we need them the most.

[Jemma_x]

I have 3 hero's who i honeslty dont know what i would do without them. Firstly my mum and dad who helped me get back to full health after i was ran over and then 6 years later when i was diagnosed with epilepsy.

If it wasnt for my dad i wouldnt be here now, i had my first seizure at the top of the stairs and my dad had been at the bottom shouting me and he caught me at the bottom which i do feel so grateful for. when i was diagnosed, i couldnt except it, that i was different and my life wouldnt be the same. Everything my doctor told me not to do i did, i didnt take my medication at first and if im honest it didnt get me anywere and it did me no good because i just kept having seizures but i wanted to prove i wasnt different and i was like that until one afternoon when my mum and dad sat me down and told me i wasnt different i was special, you cant change your past but you can make your future. A few small words but they meant so much to me and they made me see that yes having epilepsy does change your life and you do have to be extra careful at times but epilepsy doesnt ruin your life, it just makes you stronger.

My 3rd hero is my boyfriend, when we first met i was worried my epilepsy would put him off me but he has been so great. All the times ive felt down about my epilepsy, he's always been there to cheer me up, when ive had doctors appointments and appointments with Neurologist he's always been there by my side. When ive had seizures, he's been there when ive come around and just the little things like asking me if i still feel funny and am i ok now mean so much.

Without these people i wouldnt be where i am today, they have helped me so much with everything that has happend and there isnt anything i could do to thank them enough.

[skillefer]

I have 3 heroes.

1. My dad....without his laid back personality, I might have ended up a very scared and up tight adult. He taught me how real men were supposed to be. And the poor guys I dated had to live up to him as my role model of a "real man". But it was definitely a good one.

2. My mom....looking back, I realize how hard it must have been watching me have seizures and not being able to stop them. She pushed me and never let me settle for second best from myself. I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for her and my dad.

3. My husband...I had a seizure about a month after we met. I thought he'd run screaming but he stuck by me. He goes to all my doctor's appointments, and has even called off from work when I've had a seizure. When I wake up after a seizure, it's to his smiling face. Back in February my family and I were camping at a nearby campground. The tents were all set up, and we had just finished dinner. We were sitting around the firepit enjoying a nice camp fire. The next thing I knew, I was staring up at my hubby. One of my eyes hurt and I asked him what happened. The look of relief on his face. He told me that I had had a seizure and gone tumbling into the firepit. I had hit my eye on a chunk of concrete in the firepit. My poor eye was black and blue. My hubby, noticing that I wasn't getting up out of the firepit ran through it with just a pair of sandles on, picked me up, and put me down on a piece of carpeting. Surprisingly, he wasn't burned. And my hubby had to put up with dirty looks whenever he and I went out together. For that, and so much more, my hubby is my hero.

[rumhud]

AS I was going through jr. high school which was the hardest thing for me. Because I went a school out of my district because the jr. high down the was atwo level school and I wouldn't make it to class on time so I switched schools. It was very hard getting used to the different school .Most of the students I did not know . So the trouble makers took advantage of that and picked on me and caused fights. So that's when my mom and the school intervened and started having meetings with all my teachers and principals and that helped alot. Thats when I started becoming friends with the teachers and athletes and others that cared about me. So when It came to my ninth grade year the coach of the track team took me under his wing as a friend. I became the track manager that year. I also became the audio visual tech. But to get back to my track coach his name was coach Hudson and he became my second father because my dad was never around so he always took care after school he taught me everything about being a track manager. When I made a mistake he such patience and showed me the right way he ghome. Anytime we went on road trips he paid for my meals, he gave me advice the coach even had a special track manager t-shirt made just for me he was the greatest you could ask for. But in 1990 during spring break he had a sudden heart attack at his cabin near lake ivy and died! It was very sad because he taught me everything just like a dad. And the cool thing is he would go home to his wife each and talk about, but for some reason he talked about me as if I were his son! So at his funeral I was already in shock because of his death. But when his wife told the pastor to talk about me during the funeral I was surprised I meant that much to him. And he was my hero.At the end of the year the votes for the person who had most succeed at that school in9th grade and I was nominated before he died so When I got this life award I got a standing ovation it shocked me.And that's why I say Coach Bobby Ray Hudson is my hero!!!
1940-1991

GOD BLESS
DAVID HAIR

David, I'd love to talk to you more about this story, so if you feel so inclined, please send me a PM. I'm an author of a memoir about raising a little girl with a rare brain malformation. ("Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with His Wordless Daughter", St. Martin's Press 2008.) I am a disability advocate and will be speaking at a number of speech/language conferences in the coming months.

More importantly, perhaps, Bobby Ray Hudson is my father, and the subject of my next book.

I hope you'll write to me soon. Thanks!

-- rrh

[Belinda5000]

MY DH who's always there for me when I'm upset and crying because of a seizure.
He's always been understanderstanding and been my shoulder to cry on.
I've cried on him so many times in the 18 years I know him.And I've ask him wy he sticks with me because of my seizures he says I love you and you can' t help you have seizure.
That means a lot to me.

Belinda

[BuckeyeFan]

MY DH who's always there for me when I'm upset and crying because of a seizure.
He's always been understanderstanding and been my shoulder to cry on.
I've cried on him so many times in the 18 years I know him.And I've ask him wy he sticks with me because of my seizures he says I love you and you can' t help you have seizure.
That means a lot to me.

Belinda

Sounds like a great guy. It sounds like they know how to treat the ladies in Georgia.

[Cinnabar]

I would have to thank my live-in compainion who has stood by my side, while my coping with two psychological disorders. When I had my first T/C seizure he was by my side, knowing the right thing to do...not restraining me, tilting my head to the side and calling 911.

When adjusting to larger doses of Lamictal and couldn't walk, loosing my balance having to hold onto furinture to cross a room, he'd be there to strongly hold me up. Whenever he hears a thump at the other end of the house, he comes running to make sure I didn't have another drop down.

Two psychological disorders and now Epilepsy, I often feel like a three ring circus but he's helped me keep my balance, both psychologically and physically, while I now walk the tight rope, having Epilepsy. Thank you M

[brain]

I just have to say my son is my Hero, far more
than anyone can imagine! WHY? Even though he
is 24 now, going back to when he was a little one;
having grown up with a "Mom with Epilepsy", there
have been numerous times he's had to handle me
because of seizures, all because daddy worked nights
or was on the road (truck driver). He's had to phone
the Doctors, phone the Medics, phone the Ambulance,
handle his Mom in emergencies all by himself and he's
even saved his own mother's life multiple times.

He's not just my son, my caretaker, but also my
guardian angel, and my watchful protector and defender.
And with GOD being in control - it can't get any better
than this!

[Meetz1064]

would be my best friend, Katie. We've been each other's support system for nearly 25 years now...and she's seen me through almost every seizure that I've had in that time. My husband, who SHOULD have been the one to do that, would just walk away......so she would step in, and take over. To say that I love her with all my heart is a GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT. I would have been dead several times over if it weren't for her.........

[ellie]

My hero would be my fiance who I have been with for 5 years. So many times he has caught me when I have fallen. He has been so understanding and when I feel like a burden he just tells me its not my fault that I have E and he loves me whatever happens. Also my mum and dad as they went through so much when my seizures first started. It must have been so scary for them. My mum died 6 years ago but I no she is always with me like an angel. Im glad I have shared this with everyone as these people are so special. lol xx

[stilldancing_98]

I am glad that we have these hero's in our lives. There are so many people who don't have them. And Brain, I understand the Hero of a child. My son is my hero to. He is what keeps me going every day.

[walksalot]

Do you think it's possible to have a deceased person as a hero? I think of my
Father-In-Law as my hero because he was the best man I have ever known.
I never saw him without a smile on his face and an answer for any problem you might have.
I wish he was here today to lean on.

[BuckeyeFan]

Do you think it's possible to have a deceased person as a hero? I think of my
Father-In-Law as my hero because he was the best man I have ever known.
I never saw him without a smile on his face and an answer for any problem you might have.
I wish he was here today to lean on.

Yes, I do believe a deceased person can be a hero. My Dad has been gone almost 9 years already, but he is still a guiding force in my life. He taught me a lot simply by example.

[Cinnabar]

Do you think it's possible to have a deceased person as a hero? I think of my
Father-In-Law as my hero because he was the best man I have ever known.
I never saw him without a smile on his face and an answer for any problem you might have.
I wish he was here today to lean on.

...my mother is my hero. While she passed when I was only six, she taught me my first big word "precipitation" when I asked what hail was - "these little rocks falling on top my head"? She never talked down to me. By that early age I'd learned so much from her. She's my hero and my angel. I am always guided.

[Crystal11]

I thought I would try writing another poem. I find the same satisfaction as composing a piece of music. This poem is about my guide dog who also had training in seizure work. I have had him 3 years now and he is 5 now and is a 65lb white lab male. He is the white dog in my photo. He is "my child" and I love him to death.
This is dedicated to him, my hero:

"My Umbro"

When something is wrong
Umbro always becomes strong.
I start to walk off balance
Then Umbro gives a glance,
He knows what he should do.
He stops me instantly as if so say:
"Mom, you're not well",
I then can tell.
He turns into me, not allowing me
to continue on my way.
I then wait and hope I'm okay.
Even though I am afraid,
I know that each seizure will fade.
Umbro is always by my side
He is my guide,
My Umbro.

-Crystal
1-22-09

I wrote this in the creative writing room but thought by suggestion to place it here since my Umbro is my hero. He is always there for me, always on duty and is such a wonderful guide dog who helps me in many ways.

[Cinnabar]

Crystal,
I'm glad you posted one of the most wonderful Hero stories I've heard yet! Animals are so sensitive. How splendid Umbro is able to sense when you're about to have a seizure. Truly, your protecter...Cinnabar

[BuckeyeFan]

Thanks for sharing this with us Crystal.

It is amazing how sensitive dogs can be to a human's needs. This is one of those little quirks of nature that I will never understand. Umbro is a great looking Lab.

[walksalot]

Crystal
That is such a sensitive poem. I, too, had a dog that could predict seizures. He was a Golden Retriever, Charlie. He's gone now, and there'll never be another like him. He would come and either lay his head on my lap if I was sitting, or paw my leg if I was standing. We haven't found a dog like him since. It's like losing a family member. I hope you keep your hero. Umbro, for many years to come.

[katie's mom]

This is by far one of the all-time best epilepsy threads ever!! Thank you all so much for sharing your inspiration!!

I don't have any dramatic rescue stories but so many compilations of day-to-day faithfulness of family, loved ones & forum friends who have helped us get through the often helpless ordeal of having a child with epilepsy. My top heroes would have to be my husband and my mother-in-law. My husband is such a devoted father and does everything that he can to make sure that Katie's life and future are as bright as possible. He has never once wavered in his commitment to seeing Katie through this battle. Watching our daughter's mental & emotional being change & slip away for several months has been extremely painful for both of us and not always easy on a marriage but somehow we have managed to stick through this together and he deserves a lot of credit for that. I know of many men who would have either emotionally shut down or walked out under the pressure, but he has dug his heels in and been the rock that we have all needed. His biggest hero moment for me was the day when we had come home from our 1st appointment with our dietician to initiate the Ketogenic Diet for Katie and he insisted that we step outside to witness a rare and breathtaking vision: a majestic and gigantic rainbow stretching from the mountains in the distance to our own small hill. He said, "Look Katie, it's your rainbow."

My mother-in-law definitely gets a special mention. Most mother-in-law's aren't reputed as the most benevolent types but mine is a SAINT. Not many mother-in-law's would have accepted someone from a totally different background without much of a family of my own and accepted me pretty much as her own daughter without reservation. She cares for Katie during the day so that I can work and keep our health insurance - something we could never pay anyone to do during all of Katie's daily and often day-long seizures. She never complains about the freedom, time, and money that she tirelessly sacrifices day-in and day-out to help pull our family through tough times and she is always there to pick me up when I am at my wits-end. So many times she hears my voice and says "I'm coming over right now to help." Where would I be without my beloved mother-in-law? She is truly a gift from God!!

I also can't fail to mention that all of the people on Web sites like this who are taking their struggles and sorrows with epilepsy and using them to help others are heroes that I deeply admire and always think of every day!! It is hard to express the comfort provided by knowing that others understand what you are dealing with!! I also owe a special thanks to the parents who helped convince me to start the miracle diet that I was so dubious of at first!! You deserve tremendous credit for helping to save my daughter's mind & future!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!

Most of all my precious Katie is my number one hero for all that she has endured while still having the biggest heart you have ever seen in a little girl! She is my greatest inspiration and reason d'etre!!