What about the Women and Girls?

The world seems ever changing and yet I feel as though so much still remains the same…Each day new things are being presented to us to explore and experience, but we remain further behind for women’s health in regard to epilepsy.  At times, we think we have made huge strides in the area for women and girls with epilepsy but when we sit back and look we are moving slowly.  Millions of women and girls suffer with epilepsy in this world.  Through starting My Epilepsy Story (MES), I have had to privilege to meet so many of these women and girls as well as the doctors and other medical professionals that get up every morning to go to work to help change the lives of these females.   I have listened to countless hours of women crying or frantically texting after they had a seizure and begging for the seizures to stop to countless hours of women struggling to find the answers of what medication is best during pregnancy and breastfeeding only to feel guilty they are having to take any medication while they are pregnant.  We are all wondering why if we can make hand sized computers such as cell phones or put a system in place where you can talk to anyone in the world at any time of the day or night like the internet can we not find answers for women and girls living with epilepsy.  What are we chasing in this world?  Are we chasing fame and fortune?  Are we more interested in how much money is in our bank accounts? Do we care more about how big our homes are? How many vacations we go on every year? Why aren’t we chasing the answers to questions that will change the lives of millions of women?  Where do we spend our time and energy?  Are we more interested in seeing who gets the most likes on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat?  Do we really have to live in a society that thinks so highly of ourselves that we need to have more Twitter or Instagram followers? Why aren’t we using this technology to help others instead of ourselves? Have we become so self-centered that we can not look beyond our social media and look into the lives of real women and girls right in front of us? Their tears are real,  I see them and I hear them.
Where is our next generation of doctors?  Do you know it can sometimes take up to 6 months to get an appointment with a neurologists?  Our doctors are overloaded as they are trying to keep up demands of seeing new patients while caring for their existing patients.  Don’t forget they are also making hospital rounds in addition to seeing patients in their clinics as well as answering messages from patients that have called or emailed. The doctors are desperately needing updated equipment and more hospital beds to care for these women and girls only to be told,  “We don’t have the funds, do the best you can.”  Lets not forget the researchers that are constantly seeking funding to help change these female’s lives only to be told, “We don’t have enough funding for research right now.”  I imagine a world where companies and corporations step up to help fund medical conditions such as women’s health in epilepsy.  Remember, women are consumers too!  We purchase cars, gasoline, computers, phones, coffee, cameras, tools, camping equipment, lawn items, plane tickets, music, and so many other things not just food, furniture, make-up and clothing.  We deserve to be given the best treatment!  We don’t deserve to be pushed into the background for our healthcare.  Join with us as we start the change for Women and Girls Living with Epilepsy!  We cannot wait for someone else to do the work.  Please join with us today!  Remember, Where Do You Shop?
 
~Brandy