I think people feel more comfortable spreading awareness and advocating for a disease, event, location, tragedy, etc. after you've gone through it or experienced it first hand, maybe even reaped the benefits of some of the organizations that support people in similar situations. As with Cameron's epilepsy, we really kept to ourselves and to our close family and friends in the first few years of his life, as we stumbled through the journey that is Pediatric Neurology. It was only just before and after his surgery, when we started to see improvements in his seizures, that I felt like we belonged to a bigger community. I think sometimes when you're going through the motions, through the tests, emergencies and appointments that you feel like your experience is your own and no one can relate. Its only once you have come out of the experience (and maybe you're still in it) that you realize you were never alone. I think that's where the feeling of necessity to spread awareness comes from - wanting to make sure those people who all feel alone right now, know that they aren't and to support those that supported you in the hardest, most alone times.
Cameron and I dressed in our purple this morning - the little punk wouldn't smile for me. So, what does every good mother do? Bite his ear! Not pictured is Shawn, who did sport his purple today too!
