James Valencia

Hope Within Me James Valencia

AT FOURTEEN YEARS OLD and deeply rooted in faith, family, and friends in a small Southern California town, James Valencia was diagnosed with Epilepsy, a seizure and neurological disorder. It seemed like a heavy burden upon his shoulders at such a young age. As he and his parents tried to get him the medical care he desperately needed, he was put through many Anti-Epileptic medications throughout his journey with Epilepsy. Some failing and other working. The constant torture of never knowing when a seizure would occur overwhelmed him. He needed to choose between giving up his faith and hope or decide whether he was going to trust it would be okay. By examining the battles of his life over the years he has lived with his diagnosis, James traces the complexity of his health and the journey it has taken him on. He is able to find the love and support within his friends, family, community, and himself. Despite the heartbreaks, tears, and trials he has endured, he finds hope in the shimmer of light barely left for him to see. This memoir is a testament to the love and hope that survives all the battles that were placed upon him.