Who I Am (Sort of)
EA@Heart: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
Do you ever hear things like:
“Alex has his socks in his mouth again…”
“Sam had blue sand in her bowel movement…”
Or, “There were no chips in her sandwich today… expect the scream.”
Welcome to my daily life.
Hi there! I’d love to introduce myself properly, but I’m choosing to stay anonymous. Some of what I’d like to share may be considered confidential, and I won’t use the real names of kids, parents, or co-workers. Staying anonymous helps protect everyone involved. However, will let you see a personal glimpse into my life.
I’m a full-time Educational Assistant/ Paraprofessional at a special needs school. My passion for working with children when I was 20, but the road that led me here wasn’t exactly a straight line. It was more a heartbeat waveform.
As a child, I had debilitating grand mal seizures. My pediatric neurologist once told my family I likely wouldn’t live a long life—and certainly wouldn’t finish school. But I had a secret weapon: my twin sister. She tutored me through almost everything from Grades 4 to 12.
I missed a lot of school—if not because of seizures, then because of migraines or doctor’s appointments.
At age 20, I underwent three major brain surgeries:
1. Probes were implanted in my brain to induce seizures and map their origin.
2. The probes were removed—the day before my 20th birthday. I don’t even remember the birthday itself.
3. On September 14, I had a craniotomy. Doctors removed a baseball-sized section of my left occipital lobe, leaving me legally blind.
Yes, I can still see—but I have several blind spots.
People often ask me, "Was it worth it?"
My answer will always be a steadfast YES!!!