Epilepsy Talk
Epilepsy – a dirty little secret? | January 16, 2026
Why would you say: “I have epilepsy.”
To be included — or excluded?
To be accepted — or rejected?
To be understood — or misunderstood?
To be loved — or laughed at?
I’d say, all of this — or more.
Epilepsy is either a grace — or a dirty word.
It’s all a matter of how you look at it.
And how you say it.
Speak up. Speak out. Shout!
Let the world know.
I am me. No matter what you label me.
I have a voice…a life…and a heart.
You can help me or hurt me.
You can ignore me or plead ignorance.
But I’m not going to go away.
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Epilepsy Talk 
Never on the 1st three dates (unless I spaced pretty bad for a moment or two). Always at a job interview – if they discriminate, you’re better off someplace else. Only at an interview, I’d say that I ‘had some seizures a while back.’ I wouldn’t use the term ‘epilepsy’.
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Comment by Jeffrey Lee Hatcher — January 16, 2026 @ 10:59 AM
Blogs – I do when among strangers to combat the boneheads. Better to be E than stupid.
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Comment by Jeffrey Lee Hatcher — January 16, 2026 @ 11:04 AM
Touche!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 16, 2026 @ 11:08 AM
Jeffrey, all very good points. Except I had a flaming seizure on my first date with Arthur.
We’ve been married for 45 years! 🙂
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 16, 2026 @ 11:07 AM
That’s really great news.
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Comment by Jeffrey Lee Hatcher — January 16, 2026 @ 11:26 AM
Only family and medical professionals that need to know. It has led to negative outcomes EVERYWHERE eventually. It even factored in during my divorce. Do not live the woke dei lie. Protect yourself and your interests. No one else will or honestly can.
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Comment by Bubba Hyde — January 16, 2026 @ 2:15 PM
Bubba, I know that I was “in the closet” for a very long time. Until I became more comfortable in my own skin.
My parents treated me like a pariah and all that was expected of me was failure.
So, I sent myself to college and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
That was the beginning of my journey.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 16, 2026 @ 3:35 PM
I like to say I have epilepsy because I see the look of disbelief on their faces. When I explain how I had brain surgery and how I had a 3-inch cube of my brain removed, there it is again – a look of disbelief. I just want them to know that I can have epilepsy and still look and feel as good as or better than they do. I’ll usually throw in a mathematical equation to prove this whole time (before and after surgery) I was as good as or better than them at certain things the whole way. Epilepsy (In the early days, I was afraid of it. Now I’m proud to talk about it.)
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Comment by Ed Lugge — January 16, 2026 @ 5:45 PM
What’s truly amazing Ed is your attitude and fortitude.
I wish we could all be like you!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 16, 2026 @ 6:22 PM