How My Mother's Epilepsy Has Impacted Me
Alyson Rein
I remember being about six years old and asking my mom why she took so many pills. She sat me down and explained to me that, "Mommy has a disease called Epilepsy." Having no idea what that meant, my mom gently explained to me why she had the disease and what her seizures look like. Ever since that day I have been dedicated to taking care of my mom and memorizing her medications and doses in case of an emergency. My mom has always felt some guilt when it came to me taking care of her because she felt like my childhood was taken away. My passion to become a neurologist after the completion of my bachelor's degree was due to my mom's disability.
I always felt as if it was my responsibility to take care of my mom. It was especially difficult for my mother during this time because she didn't have my father's assistance due to alcoholism consuming his life. This made me step up even more because I knew she needed someone to fill the void he had left. My sister and I both helped take care of my mom, but due to the fact that she was getting ready to go away to college, all of the weight was put on my shoulders, but I didn't mind. Especially after my mother divorced my father I took a vast leadership role in her honor. As a family we are very close, therefore my mother's health and well-being is put first in everyone's life. My mother is such a strong individual that has had many obstacles thrown in her way. Although, she never lets that stop her from being the best parent she can be and taking the parental part maternally and paternally. She taught me all of life's important lessons, especially the importance of my education. This is the main reason for me attending college, then medical school, because that is my mother and I's dream.
When I was younger, I had trouble sleeping over friend's houses because I was afraid my mom would get sick and I wouldn't be there to help her through her seizures. At such a young age, I didn't realize I could not be my mother's superhero because she needed to have some independence in her life. This went on for many years, and I finally gained enough courage to leave the house for some time. This encouraged me to not allow my mom's disability to let me miss opportunities because that is what she has always wanted. She kept telling me to not permit it and that we needed to be strong women. Although for a short time, my habit of not allowing my mother to be independent was a setback of her disability, there are many pros to it also.
My aspirations in life have all been because of my mother's disability which influenced me the most. We would have conversations about her brain surgeries and I would be so interested in how the brain worked. I used to read the encyclopedia about the brain to fully understand everything that was going on in my mother's medical life. I started this practice at about age 7. Having all of the excess knowledge about the brain made me wan to be the brain surgeon I will be one day.
Our financial hardships have had a great influence on my scholarship search. For the past seven years, we have lived in a 23 year old mobile home that lacks adequate windows during the winter season. After my mom had to end her marriage from my father due to domestic violence, we had an extremely tight budget. We rely solely on my mother's Social Security Disability Income to help us and the few times when my dad pays child support contributes also.
My mom's disability has had the biggest impact on me over anything else in my entire life. It has shaped me in the greatest way possible. When most people think about disabilities they relate them to something negative. Instead, it had given me ambitions to become someone who can help people in the same situation as my mom.
In conclusion, my mom and her disability have changed my entire life because of the fact that my future was planned out while I was taking care of her. Learning about her disability and the love I have for her has made me want to become a neurologist. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship. I will end with a quote my mom always says," It is not how you begin in life, it's how you end and the process of getting there." This quote helps me everyday by realizing how far my mother and I have come after the hardships we endured.
Alyson Rein
I remember being about six years old and asking my mom why she took so many pills. She sat me down and explained to me that, "Mommy has a disease called Epilepsy." Having no idea what that meant, my mom gently explained to me why she had the disease and what her seizures look like. Ever since that day I have been dedicated to taking care of my mom and memorizing her medications and doses in case of an emergency. My mom has always felt some guilt when it came to me taking care of her because she felt like my childhood was taken away. My passion to become a neurologist after the completion of my bachelor's degree was due to my mom's disability.
I always felt as if it was my responsibility to take care of my mom. It was especially difficult for my mother during this time because she didn't have my father's assistance due to alcoholism consuming his life. This made me step up even more because I knew she needed someone to fill the void he had left. My sister and I both helped take care of my mom, but due to the fact that she was getting ready to go away to college, all of the weight was put on my shoulders, but I didn't mind. Especially after my mother divorced my father I took a vast leadership role in her honor. As a family we are very close, therefore my mother's health and well-being is put first in everyone's life. My mother is such a strong individual that has had many obstacles thrown in her way. Although, she never lets that stop her from being the best parent she can be and taking the parental part maternally and paternally. She taught me all of life's important lessons, especially the importance of my education. This is the main reason for me attending college, then medical school, because that is my mother and I's dream.
When I was younger, I had trouble sleeping over friend's houses because I was afraid my mom would get sick and I wouldn't be there to help her through her seizures. At such a young age, I didn't realize I could not be my mother's superhero because she needed to have some independence in her life. This went on for many years, and I finally gained enough courage to leave the house for some time. This encouraged me to not allow my mom's disability to let me miss opportunities because that is what she has always wanted. She kept telling me to not permit it and that we needed to be strong women. Although for a short time, my habit of not allowing my mother to be independent was a setback of her disability, there are many pros to it also.
My aspirations in life have all been because of my mother's disability which influenced me the most. We would have conversations about her brain surgeries and I would be so interested in how the brain worked. I used to read the encyclopedia about the brain to fully understand everything that was going on in my mother's medical life. I started this practice at about age 7. Having all of the excess knowledge about the brain made me wan to be the brain surgeon I will be one day.
Our financial hardships have had a great influence on my scholarship search. For the past seven years, we have lived in a 23 year old mobile home that lacks adequate windows during the winter season. After my mom had to end her marriage from my father due to domestic violence, we had an extremely tight budget. We rely solely on my mother's Social Security Disability Income to help us and the few times when my dad pays child support contributes also.
My mom's disability has had the biggest impact on me over anything else in my entire life. It has shaped me in the greatest way possible. When most people think about disabilities they relate them to something negative. Instead, it had given me ambitions to become someone who can help people in the same situation as my mom.
In conclusion, my mom and her disability have changed my entire life because of the fact that my future was planned out while I was taking care of her. Learning about her disability and the love I have for her has made me want to become a neurologist. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship. I will end with a quote my mom always says," It is not how you begin in life, it's how you end and the process of getting there." This quote helps me everyday by realizing how far my mother and I have come after the hardships we endured.