With the love and support of all the people around me I learned to cope with epilepsy and I managed to succeed at my job despite the obstacles. Shortly after being diagnosed, Dr. Ogunyemi suggested I have an assessment to determine if I was a candidate for brain surgery. At that point I flatly refused. I was too scared to even consider the possibility of such a thing.

But slowly the fear subsided and I accepted the fact that I had little choice but explore this option since my seizures were out of control. Two years after it was first suggested I agreed to have the assessment done. The test results indicated that I was an ideal candidate for surgery.

The risks were quite substantial, a left-sided stroke, permanent amnesia, and death. People have since asked me what is the hardest thing about having brain surgery. “Facing it”, I tell them. The deciding factor for me was that Dr. Falah Maroun, one of the most distinguished neurosurgeons in this country who had received many prestigious awards worldwide including the Order of Canada, would perform the delicate operation. I had complete confidence in this quiet, humble man.

February 27th, 2002, the night before my surgery, I felt fear as I had never known it before. It wasn’t dying that I feared the most; it was permanent amnesia. I made two promises to myself before I lay down to sleep. The first promise was that if I made it through the operation with my mind, I would work to change how epilepsy is perceived in our society. I would tell my story whenever and wherever I could to educate people that when it comes to having seizures nobody is immune. It can strike anyone at anytime. Basically, if you have a brain, you’re a candidate. I realized that not everyone with this disorder was as fortunate to have the love and support that I did. Therefore it was my obligation to make a difference. If not, epilepsy would have been wasted on me.

Secondly, I would follow my dream of becoming an International Motivational Speaker sharing my life experiences in the hope of helping others realize that whatever the human mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. I choose to dwell in possibility. I believe that a positive attitude is more important than money, intellect or skill. Defeat is only a concept. We give it life by how we think.

I was very, very blessed that my operation was a complete success. Scar tissue and a large benign lesion were removed and I have been seizure free ever since. My driver’s license has been reinstated. Since I succeeded for four years in this business without the ability to drive, a barrier has been shattered for other potential and established advisors who may one day find themselves in the same position.

Did I keep those promises I made to myself? Absolutely! I have been working with Epilepsy Newfoundland, the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance and I have been interviewed by two local newspapers and appeared on a television program here in Newfoundland sharing my story. My hope is that one-day people with seizures will no longer feel they have to live in the shadow of life because of the stigma associated with epilepsy. To that end I will work until the day I die.

With regards to my second promise, I’ve spoken to forty-five different groups in the past year and did my first out-of-province speaking engagement in September 2003. I am also in the process of writing a book about my father’s murder detailing my journey from anger to forgiveness.

From my point of view I’ve had a beautiful life. Yes I got knocked down, but I was always sent the help I needed to get back up. I believe that whether life is seen as an opportunity or a burden depends solely on your point of view. It’s not what happens to us, it’s how we look at it that makes all the difference. That’s why ordinary people do extraordinary things.

With regards to epilepsy, I wouldn’t change a thing. I could never, ever have imagined in the depths of my despair that one day I would see this disorder as a blessing realizing that even pain has its rewards. This evolution speaks to the versatility of the human spirit and to the wonder and beauty of life. Granted I never would have chosen epilepsy; it’s too frightening. But now I’m grateful epilepsy chose me.