Have you ever been brought down by some incident that you never thought you could overcome? Scoliosis at two years old meant nothing to me. As I continued older, the curve was getting worse. My parents kept taking me to get it checked until the doctors said I should start wearing a brace to slow the curve, little did I know, that was not the end of my problems, only the beginning. After four years with multiple braces my parents took me to A. I. DuPont hospital. I went there for a year but then my parents ended up getting a divorce. I stopped going to the doctors. In the meantime, my curve was getting worse and I couldn't even sit for five minutes. My dad then took me to Geisinger where they told me I needed immediate surgery because my spine …show more content…
was curving and crushing my lungs and affecting other vital organs. This was extremely scary but I had to take the risk and undergo a full day surgery. Post surgery was difficult but with the right mind set I knew I could do it.
Learning how to move was my first goal. The doctors came to my bedside the day after surgery and told me if I wanted to get out quick and go on a fast recovery, I would have to push myself. One foot at a time I kept trying to excel. Pushing myself from the start of recovery to the end, made me understand that if I take that approach in life and my goals, I will be able to conquer anything I set my mind to. After the surgery I was not able to do the things that I wanted. Volleyball was approaching quickly and all I wanted was to play. Due to my surgery though, I was not able. I noticed that I would have to put my health first and then slowly progress to my wants. Each day I practiced for short intervals. Although I started my volleyball career late, it taught me things may not happen the way you would like but in the long run it can help throughout life. One of the things I have learned from this experience is to always work hard and not give up. I kept this in mind through my recovery process and still continue to use it and motivate me today. If I would have given up at any time during my recovery or leading up to it I would not be where I am today. This statement not only goes for a recovery process but towards my goals in life. I know that if I continue to work hard in academics and sports nothing will stop
me. I never thought a positive reward would be the outcome of a horrible experience but I was proven wrong. Scoliosis helped shape my dreams and future plans. This surgery not only saved my life but made me want to further my education and help people do things they thought were possible again.
The timing was horrible, because I was immobile and was not able to do everyday necessities without having help. With the physical change I felt inadequate because I was a burden to my family, friends, and teachers. My psychological journey lasted over four years during which in time, my identity was being transformed from an athlete to a “nerd”. With my identity being questioned, I fell into what Harris describes as the “abyss”. Looking back now, I can see this was the turning point and that the pain was temporary. I had to discard my athletic demeanor and put more emphasis on my scholastic abilities for my future. I agree with Harris’s thoughts of, “reframing [from] negative, painful events in our lives, reinterpreting wounds so that they become starting points for growth” (Gestalt’s 3), and feel that I have used his ideas to become who I am today. At that time in my life I did not know Harris 's thoughts but I did know I had to think positive about my injuries or I would have ended up losing
I think that is why I was humbled because my situation could be worse. I became more and more appreciative and learned that my world wasn’t ending; my world was just changing. I learned that I had to adjust to change in order to position myself for future success. I had to see different perspectives and open myself up to new ideas. Also, I had to fully accept the fact that things were changing for me. I now realize that change is good sometimes because it introduces you to new opportunities and experiences. Instead of playing basketball 24/7, my injury gave me exposure to different interests that I would have never experienced before and will never
When I think about the moments leading up to my diagnosis I remember feeling weak, confused, shaky and sleepy. I did not notice that I had began sleeping throughout the day. My body was craving soft drinks like soda and juice but not food. Days would go by and I eventually fell into a deep slumber that I found myself only waking up from to use the bathroom. I knew something was wrong and that if I did not get to a hospital it would get worse. Nothing could have prepared me for the life changing diagnosis I would receive.
Overcoming an addiction to alcohol can be a long and bumpy road. Many people feel that it is impossible to overcome an alcohol addiction. Many people feel that is it easier to be an addict than to be a recovering addict. However, recovering from alcoholism is possible if one is ready to seek the help and support they need on their road to recovery. Recovery is taking the time to regain one’s normal mind, health and strength. Recovery is process. It takes time to stop the alcohol cravings and pressure to drink. For most, rehab and professional help is needed, while others can stop drinking on their own. Recovery never ends. After rehab, professional help or quitting on your own, many people still need help staying sober. A lot of time, recovering
I’m actually kind of shocked I could write about recovery because it is a topic with a special meaning to myself. But, I found it easier to write about my own experience with a negative event this time, and I believe it is because I grew as a writer. I saw the value the personal testimony adds to a piece, and thus I could add my own story.
It’s amazing how a horrific and negative life changing event can encourage and guide you in the path of your future. The end result may not be visible when it first takes place, but the process of a recovery can be extremely educational. You see, I was provided the opportunity of job shadowing firsthand the fields of athletic training and physical therapy due to a knee injury. I believe the majority of people would consider a severely damaged knee a dramatic setback in life. I was able to find the silver lining during the recovery.
Recovery has been conceptualised as a vision, a philosophy, a process, an attitude, a life orientation, an outcome and a set of outcomes. Furthermore, recovery is unique and individualised to each person so it is difficult to define. However, throughout literature, a number of common themes emerge namely; hope, personal empowerment, individualized, person-centred care, engagement between the person, organization and others as well as dignity and humanity.
"Ring, ring", I wondered who was calling me at this time of evening. "Yes; o.k.; Yes, I'll be there", I said before hanging up the phone. What was wrong, I wondered all that evening that the doctor wanted me to come in to discuss my lab results? I had never been asked to come in to the office after doing blood tests before; when receiving a call as this the mind plays tricks on the person and wild things start popping up in the head.
If you are young it will take more time to recover than older people. Near the end of your recover you want to make sure to be careful because you can get another one easier. To make recovery time faster you will want to avoid bright lights or chaotic noises. Also, you should avoid any hard thinking or brain work. Finally and most importantly you want to stay away from any physical activities. After you have recovered and want to go back to sports make sure that you are 100% ok. Once you start sports again you want to try 50% and don't try your hardest. Lastly, you don't want to do physical sports right away or things like
When I was five years old,I had my first fracture, I fell off my brother’s tricycle while I was standing on it to reach for the light switch, I fell right on my left arm which resulted in fracture of my humerus and damage to my elbow ligaments, my arm was immobilized in a cast for about six weeks, after the cast was removed, I could not flex my elbow at all, I also had difficulty using my arm, I started range of motion and strengthening exercise till my arm was back to normal, it was a difficult but enjoyable process as well and I felt so proud of myself. This led me to find an interest in rehabilitation. I pursued this path and earned a B.A. in physiotherapy with the hope of improving the lives of others.
A spark of flint, then a burst of flame and the Bic lighter was alive, glowing like a serpent’s eye. It had finally come to this. Things were going so well too: I had money, dreams, a whole future figured out. Now I was a drunken liar, facing criminal charges and jail time; sadly I was only nineteen. Hungover with a broken knuckle and no memory of how it happened, to top it all off my butterfly knife, a deadly weapon made for surgically precise combat, was missing. Were the cops looking for me? And arrested before my next trial would send me to prison for sure. My only real option was to quit drinking, but if I did I'd have to face reality; however I would have to do it alone. I had to decide. The Bic lighter continued to heat. The striker and the metal cover formed a smile, a dark smile concealing hot teeth that were ready to claim a permanent piece of my arm. I had already quit so many times, each ending dismally the first time I was offered a drink. "Enough of this wishy washy bullshit," I said. "If you are serious this time then prove it, put the lighter to you skin and prove it. Let it be a mark of your decision to never drink again." There was a whiff of smoldering hair, then flesh, as the Bic lighter turned branding iron melted into my arm; I was so numb with self disgust that it didn't feel the blister rupture as the burn passed the second degree. I never made a sound.
Something that I have learned after overcoming this battle is that life is very unpredictable and it is up to the individual to rise above and choose the right path. This excerpt from the poem “Recovery” by Maya Angelou has given me encouragement and inspiration to move on with my life and become the best person that I can be: “A last love, proper in conclusion, should snip the wings forbidding further flight. But I now reft of that confusion, am lifted up and speeding towards the light.” I live by these words everyday because they motivate me to succeed and overcome the impossible.
It was October 3red 2016, it was 7th hour gym class when I got called down to the office. I turned the corner and saw my sister on the phone with tears in her eyes. At that point I knew something was wrong.
Because of what I learned from hitting this “hurdle” in life, I have decided to make the most out of the life I have been given. Overcoming the adversity of losing a loved one has not only challenged me, but has given me a perspective and wisdom that most people are only able to learn through challenges like this one. Life is unpredictable. Like hurdles, life evokes fear, strength, and courage. Life is often like a race, everyone is forced to face their own obstacles, however, like Nelson Mandela once said, “Our greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Throughout life, everyone is bound to face their own set of hurdles, however, the important part is learning to get up, keep moving, and apply what was learned from the experience to overcoming the next
My father had broken his pelvis in 4 places. He looked helpless and miserable, something I had never seen until that day. Over time, he learned how to use his lower body again. With the help of my family and the support of his friends, my dad started to get better. The doctors said he would never be able to walk again, but within three months of living in his parents’ house in a hospital bed, being taken care of like a child, he gained back his strength and is better than before. Besides the emotional trauma this incident left on my family, it’s physically like the accident never even happened.