by Ryan Gray

Created on: February 13, 2009

It was a bright, sunny day. Bright enough that the sunlight reflecting off the hood of my car made it difficult to see the cars coming the other direction as I waited to turn.

As I was sitting there shading my eyes so I could see what was coming the other way, that feeling started to come over me again. After dealing with a mild case of epilepsy for more than 10 years, I knew what the sensation meant another seizure was beginning.

It feels like someone flips a switch and starts turning up the volume on the stereo. Only there is no music only a loud ringing in the ears. That, combined with the funny taste in your mouth and the muscles contracting on one side of your body, leaves you feeling disoriented. While this "cloud" sits over you for about a minute, talking, writing or any other motor function is out of the question.

As I sat there in my car on Main Street, I waited for the "cloud" to lift. I wasn't about to try and move the vehicle, even though the two lanes next to me were clear. Once I felt it was safe to proceed, I stepped on the gas pedal and made the turn toward the office where I worked. I was still feeling the effects of what had just happened, however, so I stopped at the entrance to the parking lot to try and gather myself.

It wasn't long before my senses made me think another vehicle was behind me waiting to pull in. Because of that, and the fact I thought the seizure was complete, I drove on not realizing that the road behind me was completely clear.

After coasting on the pavement for a bit I turned on to the gravel to pull into a parking spot. But as soon as I did that, my muscles stiffened again and I started to lose consciousness. For reasons I have never been able to determine, this made my foot go flat to the floorboard right on the gas pedal.

According to my somewhat blurry memories, I sped across the parking lot and slammed into the front driver's side of another vehicle a collision that spun the other vehicle completely around.

Despite the crash my car continued on and slammed into some metal gas pipes and the side of the brick office building. That collision stopped the car, but by that time I was almost completely unconscious.

Within seconds one of my fellow employees dashed out the door and pulled me out of the car. The emergency workers rushed to the scene and got the situation under control to avoid an explosion. I regained full consciousness nearby during the next couple minutes, but the damage was done.

I have thanked the Lord many times

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