There’s a brief window of time I’ve come to cherish immensely; a time when I get to experience my child without the haze of drugs clouding his mind and personality. I call it the drug window.

When my son was first diagnosed with epilepsy, I felt such relief. We had been living in the unknown for close to three years, and I was thrilled to finally have an explanation for all of the falling, mental confusion, emotional outbursts, and fatigue. A diagnosis also meant we could move forward with a treatment plan.

In the beginning, all looked hopeful and bright. In my mind, he was going to start his meds, they’d gain control of his seizures and we’d look forward to the day he’d grow out of them. But life is complicated and epilepsy isn’t an easy disease to treat. We currently find ourselves in the ultimate catch-22 where the drugs are absolutely necessary and beneficial, but the side effects seem equally great. Soon after taking his meds, my son slips into a strange and subdued place that’s medically safe and seizure-free. I have a love-hate relationship with these drugs. Read the rest on The Mighty