Jawaharal Nehru, former Indian Prime Minister, once said: “Life is like a game of cards. The hand extended to you represents determinism; how you play it is free will. Everyone faces challenges, most of them face them every day of their lives. The challenges people go through make them who they are. This determines who they become and what they will do in life. If someone gives up simply because of a challenge, like an illness, and thinks they will never achieve anything, then they will never be able to measure anything. Epilepsy is one of those challenges that takes many forms. Anyone with epilepsy knows that living with it is a struggle. Epilepsy is defined as “recurrent seizures (more than two) for which no provoking factor is found” (Appleton and Marson 3). “Epileptic seizures occur when nerve cells fire abnormally and synchronously” (Appleton and Marson 1). “Normally, brain cells produce electrical energy that circulates through the nervous system and activates the muscles. The brain of an epileptic patient sometimes cannot control this release of energy” (Schuelein, “Epilepsy” 1). “A seizure may cause temporary uncontrolled muscle movements or loss of consciousness” (Striedter 19). “Multiple convulsions of unknown causes occur in epilepsy” (Schuelein, “Convulsions” 1). “There are many types of epileptic seizures: these are generally divided into generalized and focal (also called partial) seizures” (Appleton and Marson 9). “Some types of seizures are easy to identify, but others are not, especially in infants and young children” (Appleton and Marson 9). “Most epilepsy syndromes occur in children” (Appleton and Marson 9). One type of epileptic seizure is a tonic-clonic seizure (Appleton... middle of paper ... just as Jawaharal Nehru once said: "Life is like a deck of cards. The hand you are dealt distributed” represents determinism; the way you play it is free will” Works Cited Appleton, Tony and Richard Marson Facts: Epilepsy 3rd ed. Oxford, Great Britain: Oxford University Press, 2009. ebrary, May 11, 2013. , Martin Schachter and Steven Kwan. 4th ed. Oxford, Great Britain: Health Press Limited, 2009. Web. October 11, 2013. Sladek, NE “Anticonvulsant.” Striedter, Georg F. “Brain World Book Advanced.” Wilbanks, Rebecca RN, personal interview.. 2013.