In 2015 I was driving to a martial arts class with my daughter when someone pulled in front of me and caused a car accident. My airbag did not go off and so therefore, I hit my head on the steering wheel of the car and seized on impact. I did not remember most of the wreck. Thankfully, my daughter was fine. (PLEASE put your children in the correct child restraint systems and correct placement in t
he car for their weight/height/age!)
A week after my wreck with my daughter I was driving with my Mom and I "zoned out" when driving and almost caused another wreck. I don't remember anything. By what my Mom said I did and how I acted I said it sounded like a petit mal seizure, something I learned about while I earned my Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education (English). After some testing it was confirmed... sure enough... I was having seizures. My Traumatic Brain Injury caused me to develop epilepsy. I do not have grand mal (convulsive) seizures... I have petit mal seizures. I may act a little odd at times, say a little bit of weird things, or do repetitive movements. Regardless, I am learning to live with epilepsy and move forward and make the most of life because epilepsy has greatly impacted the way I go through life. I can not teach high school English anymore. I tried to think of what else I could do with my life and I thought about how back in high school I took a photography class with my parents 35mm camera. I still have that camera and I treat it like a brick of gold. I love it... it is very valuable to me! Ever since I took that photography class I have rarely been seen without a camera in my hand or around my neck. I always have my camera on me! I just love taking pictures of my amazing daughter, Lilyin. I must get on my dogs nerves because I follow them around taking pictures of them all around the house and yard. Whenever my family goes out and does something fun or unusual... you betcha! I have my camera in hand ;) If I can't teach then I will go back to what I originally wanted to be and that is going to be a photographer. I especially want to go to events and help people solidify their memories of events like Make-a-Wish Events, Non-profit 5-K's, fundraisers for schools, and more. Which brings me to the name of my company... The very first 5K I ever did was for the Chelsea Hutchison Foundation. My best friend wanted to run and help a foundation for Epilepsy and so I mentioned the STOMP run. We tried to think of a group name and I thought of... Seize the Day. I didn't want anyone to think I was making fun of them in any way but for ME... it is the way I look at my seizures. I may have seizures and they impact my life. They do suck at times! However... I have to make the best of the situation and keep going no matter what. I am in martial arts and once I was diagnosed with epilepsy I could no longer spar. I wasn't going to stop martial arts though... I keep going no matter what! I seize the day even if I seize!!! My name isn't making fun of epileptics. It is a way to tell epileptics to keep going... make the best of their seizures no matter what! I may no longer be able to teach but I will do something else that will make me smile... take pictures! So that is my end result... I am going to seize the day and look at YOU smiling and take pictures and take the best pictures I can and hopefully develop an awesome relationship and smile at each other and keep taking amazing pictures! Let's seize the day together and put these memories onto paper and make them last forever! Seize the day and seize it forever! Got any questions? Message me and I will be glad to message you back and chat with ya! THANK YOU! :)
