Happy Purple Day 2023!

Happy Purple Day all! I'm sorry it's been so long! Every year I get really excited about the opportunity to raise awareness for epilepsy! And every year I share a bit of my story, my epilepsy journey that hopefully does that. It's Purple Day and one of the reasons it's been so long is I was planning my wedding last year so I thought I'd share the most purple bits of my wedding! 

Our flowers, as you can see, are stunning! And despite having a colour scheme of blue and red, they ended up being a gorgeous purple that still matched everything and I felt like they reflected me a little bit as well! Loved them! 

I had a couple of flare-ups of my epilepsy throughout the day. The ceremony all went to plan. We actually got married but towards some of the photos we had immediately afterwards, my brain went a bit squiffy, as I like to call it. It was all fine because I was stood next to my new hubby who kept me upright, but immediately afterwards was a cake cutting! How was I supposed to do that when I was not in full control of my limbs?! With a smile and a new hubby who managed to keep me standing as well as take control of the sharp knife while I pretended and smiled. We got some great photos and unless you were my husband or my mum you were none the wiser! 

We managed to get some medication into me and that was hopefully going to calm my brain down until my evening dose of medication. No chance! 

Towards the end of the reception, we had planned a game. Mr & Mrs but you answer with each other's shoes! My chief bridesmaid knew I wasn't right.  She encouraged me to give up on the game and just sit down and relax. I could barely put one foot in front of the other! My arms were shaking and I had very little limb control but I was determined. I was stubborn. It was definitely something that was going to get me in trouble. But I wasn't going to let my epilepsy take any part of my wedding day from me. Hubby was facing the other direction so he didn't know what was up. My aunty looking on could see immediately what was happening. She came over and after a brief conversation both me and hubby were on the floor and I was grabbing his hand when necessary. My aunty was on my original chair next to me and I was grabbing onto her hand when needed. 

None of this is in our official photos but I'm so glad a friend captured it. It's not pretty, but it's what my real life is like. I'm sure there were some people there who didn't understand what was happening or why it was happening, but there are definitely people who would have known exactly what was going on. 

All of this to say, I'm glad in a weird way that things weren't perfect and had to be adjusted slightly because it means we have photos that reflect real life for me and now for us going forward in the future. Messy, not according to plan but with an incredible support network ready to help. And that's what that photo means to me. 

Epilepsy isn't easy. It makes life complicated, or even more complicated. It is a condition that impacts pretty much every aspect of life no matter how much you wish it didn't. These past few months have reinforced to me how much of an amazing support network I have and how life would be so much harder without them.

I'm so grateful for the amazing support network I have who support and uphold me when things get complicated or messy. And I'm so grateful for the God who knows me, loves me, and who is in the mess with me too.