Growing up, I have always had to be a strong role model for my younger siblings. I learned to be modest, show them right from wrong, and offer my words of wisdom. It has been a goal of mine to be a strong role model throughout high school for my siblings, friends, and family. I had to keep my head up, even through my tough situations. In sixth grade, I received news that I had supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). SVT is a heart condition where I tend to have a faster heart rate than usual. My heart rate would go up to 280 beats per minute at times according to my heart monitor. My episodes consisted of my vision going completely black, my heart rate going up to irregular speeds, and it put a huge toll on my body. Hospital visits were a common thing for me before I had surgery, and I struggled in school due to the number of absences I had. It took about six months for numerous doctors to diagnose me, then send me to the children’s hospital in Milwaukee. I was part of the small percentage that got my episodes back after surgery. Throughout this journey, I learned to push through whatever life throws at me while keeping my head up. I never let anything stop me from doing what I love to do. I would always tell myself that there are people all over the world who have suffered more than I have. Since my surgery, I try to give back to people as much as I can. I donate around 10 inches of hair every year, work at the YMCA to teach gymnastics classes to children, and I also joined
Imagine how difficult life can really be, that despite a lifetime of surgeries, serious illnesses, and losing your family to political in-fighting, you still manage to get your degrees and build a successful business over the last 25 years. Then there’s another catch: you’re going to die twice by 20 and have 51 surgeries by 50. You have to endure 4 open-heart surgeries at ages 4, 12, 34, then again in 2015 at age 50. Your first flat-lining heart attack comes at 12, the second one comes at 20. You have been dead for over 5 minutes of your life but you feel blessed to be alive and eager to keep living the best life you can…even though medically, there’s more to be done!
The biggest influence of my life has been the Dr. Bill Neches Heart Camp for Kids. Heart Camp is a weeklong summer camp for children who live with Congenital Heart Disease. I have been attending this camp since the age of eight and have worked as a junior counselor the past two years. As I have grown older and learned more about my heart problem, I realized that I wanted to work with children who are faced with similar trauma. By attending Heart Camp, I have had the wonderful opportunity to speak with many nurses who work at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Not many teenagers have the opportunity to have a personal connection with people that save lives every day. By attending Heart Camp, I have met dozens of health professionals that I am
The article “Stories From The Heart,” by the American Heart Association, share a story from parents, Jamie and Cale Henderson, who went through CHD of their daughter. The beginning of the pregnancy, their unborn daughter had many heart problems, risking the chance if she would survive. As Tatum, the daughter, was born, she came out extremely blue, but still overcome her situation. The main reason of this source is how families share their experiences for others to relate to.
In February of last year my grandfather was having problems with his heart. He often complained about the feeling of pressure casting on to his chest so he went to the doctors in pursuit to figure out what is causing these menacing pains. To his discovery, the doctor examined his heart and explained to him that he would need to receive coronary artery bypass surgery. My family and I were scared of the risks involving the surgery but the doctor assured us that it is not as intricate as it sounds. So on February 23rd My grandfather went into have coronary artery bypass surgery and regrettably did not make it out alive. In tears my mother screamed at the surgeon who gave us this terrible news, demanding answers. The surgeon explained to us that
In 2012, my cousin suffered a severe heart attack which lead to heart failure. After witnessing someone I love suffer a life-changing event, it was important to find ways in which I could help. During her time in the hospital I cared for her children, encouraging them to remain positive around their mother, explaining how important their presence was to her recovery. I assisted in organizing a fundraiser that provided financial benefits for medical expenses. An extended hospital stay can create a feeling of isolation, and the fundraiser served as a physical reminder of the amount of support she had behind her during this battle. Childcare and fundraising were both pivotal ways in which I made a difference, but being present with my cousin at
I enjoy helping out around the server and it's very chill moderating on the server. I enjoyed interacting with other players on the server and I want to have that experience again. I also want to be on to moderate 3.0 because the big release has got me super hyped up. Pretty much helping out around the team makes me feel amazing. I want to help with all the cheaters, and most importantly I want to make sure all the toxicity is to a minimum and I will try my best to stop the toxicity. I am pretty lenient when it comes to being staff and I try my best to dedicate as much time as I possibly can. I love helping out whether it is online, or in real life. I am always a happy and cheerful guy when it comes to helping out, and I am always around
The trip to New York City in 1993 was supposed to be a temporary escape from my emotional and turbulent home life; a momentary pause to regroup before returning to finish my studies at UCLA. Instead, I had to deal with a heart problem which landed me in the emergency room. I underwent surgery to cure Wolf Parkinson’s White Syndrome, but it went awry. I needed a pacemaker but it took me three years to get one at the age of 27.
Ventricular Tachycardia. It is strange to think that somebody 21 years old could get such a complicated sounding disease. Initially I felt confused and a bit doubtful. I asked the doctor over and over again to make sure it was the correct diagnosis. Eventually I came to accept the fact that I have Ventricular Tachycardia. Eventually, I was able to see that having this disease didn’t have to be such a negative thing; that it could help me on my path. I went back to volunteering and shadowing with a new understanding. I was finally able to feel what the patients were going through, because I had gone through something similar. The confusion, fear, doubt, anger. I finally felt like I had the capacity to show empathy and understanding to patients and that medical school would help me to advance this ability
Going through all these struggles makes me realize that we can never take one day of our life for granted. Despite undergoing three high-risk open-heart surgeries, I still am very active in my community. I play three sports, including basketball, volleyball, and cheer. Every year for each of my teams, we get to participate in an act of service in the community. For example, my volleyball team volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House in downtown Cincinnati just a couple of months ago. Also, my basketball team, just a couple of weeks ago, made cookies and donated them to the less fortunate. I like to volunteer at my church, and I’ve helped with Vacation Bible School over the summer. I am a server at Sunday mass, and I also recently became a Eucharistic minister. I’ve participated in the Peanut Butter and Jelly ministry; I’ve also become active in my church’s youth group. I have had the chance to attend Camp Joyful Heart in the summertime, and I hope to be a counselor there one day to help other kids, like me, have a week of
Early on in life, I wanted to dedicate my life to serve the population one way or another, to help make a difference, and medicine has been the path I’ve chosen. When I was younger, I wanted to be the one to help my family when they were sick, but I helplessly sat around being able to do nothing. Even when I was asked what I wanted to be I replied a few things; a singer and dancer like Michael Jackson, a lawyer, engineer like daddy, or a doctor. I think you may know which one I stuck with. Recently when my twin sister tore her ACL, it magnified the feeling of helplessness and affirmed my aspirations as well. As a child, my mother became sick when my pregnant with my younger brother Andrew. There’s been many deaths in my family such as the passing of my father’s dad to cancer, that they didn’t know he had until he died. My maternal
Community service is very near and dear to me. I have been the recipient on many occasions and it has helped me understand the importance of giving back to your community. When in the hospital I have appreciated all the visits from the Michigan University athletes, the book mobile, Delta pilots, along with the numerous other organizations that have programs to help easy hospital stays for kids. Since, I do not usually get many visitors while I am in the hospital, since I am usually hours from home, these have been very special to me.
Having survived this physically draining, highly emotional crisis, I would make it a point to be involved with anything remotely related to breast cancer. Walks, donations, attending groups that have gone through what I did. This really took a toll on me, my family and I just feel blessed to be here to tell about my bout with cancer. Currently, I am eight years in remission and I am still on the recovery
In the United States, starting salaries for teachers who have completed a four-year degree are far lower compared to many other professions, which also require a four-year degree. In most states, teachers must undergo testing and other rigorous certification requirements, but they are given the same consideration or status as beginning professionals in other areas. Although attractive incentives are offered, the compensation does not compare to the long hours of work and schooling required for a teaching career.
A role model is someone who has a significant impact in your life. When people are asked who’s their role model, of the answers would say a celebrity or an athlete, but for me the answer is my mother. There are so many great qualities about her that motivates me to be a better person. For the past seventeen years of my life, she has been there for me in every way I can possibly think of. She’s my inspiration and motivation I look for when I need it. In the future, I want to be able to be there for her just like all those times she was there for me. She has so many great characteristics I’ve personally witnessed that has shaped me into the best version of myself.