What a great thread...Sergio, you might like this.
Is Epilepsy a spiritual experience? It kind of has been for me, although I must admit, this only happened recently ( allow me to recap, and I apologize for those that know my story and are reading it again)
I am 32, and have had epilepsy most, if not all of my life. When I was seven, I had my first grand mal on the way to my own birthday party!! I was in the car, and I remember telling people that I thought I saw God ( it was quickly dismissed as being crazy, and that I was just seeking attention).
For the next 21 years, I lived a life of seizures, medications, depression, and sometimes, drugs. I suffered from hot water epilepsy, among others, and would often leave the house wondering where I would wake up ( those grand mals in public are not fun)
Then, after I got the VNS in 2004, and quit all meds four months later, things changed. My brain kind of imploded, and I suffered quite a lot. I kind of became homeless after getting fired from a job due to my seizures, and suffered through some crazy hallunications, crazy voices, and the belief I was going to die ( this is all documented in the e-communities).
However, it was this same time that I believe a "voice" spoke to me, and put me on the path I am now. I am not religious at all, but I believe in something ( I just know I am not smart enough to know what that something is) It was this same time that I got the Santa Claus suit at my grandma's funeral, and since then, I have been on a mission to change the world. I don't mean to sound crazy, but I believe during a seizure, I was enlighted, and it is something nobody else seems to understand. I have learned that being enlightened kind of stinks, because not only does nobody believe you, I have had to fend off doctors who only understand treating people with drugs and not listening to them.
Sergio, I am one of the top Santa Clauses in the world. I was able to do all of this because of my seizures, and my belief there is something more out there. The spiritual side of Santa Claus is an amazing thing, and I think people with our disorder could appreciate it a ton. I am hoping to redefine the image of Santa, and already have other Santas interested in working with me. Maybe I will fail, but I have been through a type of hell only privy to a select few with out illness, and it has made me a better person than I ever thought was possible.
I hope this post made sense to you. I rarely like talking about the "voice" I heard that morning, because everyone just calls me crazy. But I believe it is important, and I hope to succeed, and maybe get epilepsy not to be such a taboo in this country.
Scott