Happy Thanksgiving!

As we reflect on the many things we are thankful for, I can't help but be reminded of what November represents for our family. November is the month Evan was born, National Epilepsy Awareness Month, the month Evan had brain surgery, the launch of www.SeizureTracker.com and of course Thanksgiving.

We've certainly packed a lot into this month and one of the things we are always most thankful for is the success of Evan's surgery. I don’t know if we’ll ever stop watching for seizures, but we’ve stopped expecting them. Two years ago we spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. On that Thanksgiving day Evan took his first wobbly steps after three weeks of being confined to a bed and having undergone three surgeries. He rode in a wagon to the hospital play room where we celebrated the holiday (and Evan's surgery) with the other families on the floor. There was turkey with all the trimmings and although it was unlike any Thanksgiving we'd ever celebrated, it seemed fitting to be there with this cobbled together group of people from all backgrounds, brought together by different circumstances, to spend Thanksgiving together.

A lot has changed in two years and I am thankful not to be spending Thanksgiving in a hospital, but in the warmth of our friend's home, in good health and surrounded by love and laughter. I am thankful not to watch Evan have multiple seizures every day and thankful for the way his future looks today. I am thankful that the seizures are not a daily occurrence and hope they remain only as memories.

I am thankful to our family and friends who have offered support in many ways throughout the years and who have been with us in good times as well as more challenging times. I am thankful to Aria who is wise beyond her years and reminds us to be compassionate to all living things and respect the earth. I am thankful to Evan who is blessed with comedic timing and can always make me laugh. I am thankful to Rob who balances me and enriches my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Lisa

Our family was featured in Epilepsy USA magazine this month. This is a real honor, especially during Epilepsy Awareness Month. The article is a reprint from Epilepsy 360 in Australia...

Epilepsy USA Magazine Article: Evan's Story

It's great to be featured but these stories bring back raw emotions we thought were buried and gone. This photo appears in the article and this is the expression Evan wore for almost three weeks with occasional smiles that often looked more like grimaces. How far we have all come!