My Father's Disability

Describe the effects that having a physical disability can have on a person’s day to day life

Some family have stereotypical ideas about disabled, but for Amy Purdy and her family that motivate them to live their lives beyond their limits. Although, she lost some parts of her body. For example, she lost both her legs below the knees, the spleen, kidneys. Unfortunately, she became unable to hear in her left ear. Another person who born with disability, Maysoon Zayid which is cerebral palsy. However, she did not give up for this so she worked hard and persevere to get a scholarship which was from Arizona State University. From Amy Purdy and Maysoon Zayid, we learn that facing problems forces us to get creative, and we should be optimistic when we want to change a critical situation.

Growing up, I have been an individual who has pushed myself beyond the minimum requirements in order to succeed. In high school I excelled in both academics and athletics. I graduated in the top 10% of my class and lettered in hockey and tennis my sophomore, junior, and senior year. I worked hard and put in extra time in order to set myself apart from others. Succeeding in both school and athletics made me a responsible, reliable, and an organized individual. These experiences made me a versatile individual and have given me a work ethic that has benefited me with my academics in college and with my work and volunteer experiences.

In 2013 I lost my job due to an accident incurred at work. I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome. When I finally returned to work it made me realize how vital it is to be prepared for the unexpected in life. This was an experience humbling me financially and personally. This taught me not to lay victim in my circumstances. Had I become comfortable with life’s problems, it would have be the ongoing setback for my future successes in life.

Despite my parent’s challenges, they were still able to raise me with love and care and surrounded me in an environment where I

I was told pretty early that he had broken his neck, but I had no idea what that really meant. I didn’t really understand what the word ‘quadriplegic‘ entailed. In my mind, my interpretation was that one-day I would help my dad walk again. I envisioned him taking slow, unsteady steps, but once I learned what paralysis really meant that image was shattered. Never walk again. The words took a while to sink in, but my mind was already reeling. I became more aware of the adaptations I was going to have to make as his daughter, the alterations in the routine and activities that directly affected my life, and my fear of the unknown. This was not the type of problem that had a clear-cut solution. Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Conflicts arise everyday that demand determination and creative thinking to solve. I’ve learned how to step up to those tasks and take the

Both my brother, and Sundiata overcame their disabilities, and were able to rise up, and show that they are more then their disability, and who they are should not be discarded just because of their

Our family’s life is completely different than others due to my mom’s disease, but I have known no other way of living. My mother has had M.S. since she was in college, so I was born into a world with motorized scooters and walkers and extra precautions. This is my norm. And while other people may pity my mother and our family, I see no reason to be down. I could spend all my time harping on the drawbacks and my ”missed opportunities,“ but what fun would that be? I will always find the silver lining.

“Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life; it’s about what you inspire others to do.” Throughout my four years at Sartell High School, I have tried to do what I can to help others and inspire others to be better people and do great things. I have worked to do this through many aspects of my school life, whether it is through Student Council, on the soccer field, or in the classroom. I have also taken the time to mentor a student in Sartell Middle School through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and it not only made an impact on his life, but it also changed mine for the better. My experience as a mentor at Sartell Middle School has been long and enjoyable, and I believe that it has allowed me to grow into the person I am today.

Abraham Maslow once said, “In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step backward into safety.” My whole life I have had many medical issues typically preventing one from doing a lot of the “normal” things a child can do. But I truly believe that life is not about the circumstances you were given, but much rather how you choose to react to them. So growing up I have always managed to find a way to not let my disabilities hinder me from living my life like everyone else and defy the odds I was handed.

A multitude of events have affected my life, but not all of them have been accomplishments, some have been hardships that have changed my character greatly. When I was fourteen, just a few days after Christmas, my father collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. There, doctors discovered that he had a brain tumor which had been pressing on his brain stem, ultimately leading to his seizure. Over the past few years, he has gone through a cycle of treatment and remission, all the while experiencing a steep decline in mental health. With everything my parents were going through, I found myself being forced into adulthood much faster than I ever anticipated, before I even had a driver’s license. Instead of worrying about midterms, I found

I was born into a world of diversity, although not in the way that most people might think. My world is the world of medical disabilities. This may seem like a sad and scary world, but it’s a world full of amazing, unique people who have faced adversity. I was born with Caudal Regression syndrome, a congenital disorder in which there is an abnormal development in my spine. This disorder brings along many issues, including a solitary kidney, issues with the function of my colon and bladder, and deformation in the feet. Facing these issues meant I would spend a lot of time in the hospital. There I met magnificent people who changed my perspective on life, and pushed me towards positivity.

Using my high energy and natural encourager abilities I have risen to top levels of leadership in several organizations. I have been privileged to represented them at the local and state, regional and national level. It is rewarding as well as educational. I soon learned people volunteer for many different reasons. To accomplish our goals, it was important to make sure each volunteer felt valuable. Understanding the different personalities and communication styles was a challenge I accepted with gusto. I have read many personal development books, attended seminars, and have even had the pleasure of sharing the same stage with some highly regarded professional speakers.

For the past two years in the summer, I attended a week-long leadership coaching for marching band where I used creative thinking to solve conflicts. Besides that, I worked a customer service associate for Walgreens. Because I could not drive, I walked for 20 minutes each day and learned to be responsible for time. While standing at the main register, I greeted each entering customer (“Welcome to Walgreens!”) and developed a clear, resonant voice. By communicating with a variety of customers, I developed my social skills in understanding diverse accents and formulating quick conversations. Most importantly, I went on a “vacation” with my family. Due to job and financial conflicts, our family never went on a trip since I was in second grade.

As explained in my essay, my brother’s condition did truly take a toll on my parents and myself in our daily life. My brother’s condition was never predictable, which made it much more difficult of a situation to deal with. There were times where he would not have a seizure for a few days. Yet, on other days, he would have about ten seizures a night. I remember clearly how somedays I had to stay home rather going to school just incase we had to take my brother to the hospital. Being the only English speaker in my family, I had to be present in such situations. I remember sitting on the side of his bed with my mother next to me, just waiting for him fall asleep so we could get some rest ourselves. There were times where I would go to school without getting much rest the night