I'm Not That Different

“Why did this happen to me?”

I ask this all the time.

“Will I have a spasm today?”

I ponder in my mind.

My friends, they all worry

My teachers worry too.

But then there are those who look at me

Like I’m a freak who belongs in a zoo.

If you’re wondering what I’m talking about,

Epilepsy is the term.

It makes me feel weird, looked down upon,

Almost like a worm.

Some say it’s too much to handle,

I’ve lost a few friends because of that.

My gym teachers will sometimes question:

“Will she seize and drop the bat?”

While it may not be Lamictal,

I get the same results with Lamotrigine, the generic brand.

But while the medication helps,

There are still things that everybody ought to understand.

Never hold our tongue,

We could bite it straight off.

Never try to hold us down,

We’re stronger and we’re tough.

Let the seizure run its course,

Give us all the space we need.

Besides making sure we won’t hurt ourselves or others,

Never intervene.

We will be tired,

Our muscles will ache for a while.

But always, eventually,

We remember how to smile.

So though I’m on a medication,

I’m not that different, you’ll see.

I may have this thing called epilepsy,

But hey, I’m still me!