Every person has a history of pain and tragedy  that includes regret from the situation. At times, it’s often hard to explain that pain to someone else.  The loss of a family member, suffering abuse, or being left in the world to defend for themselves. The challenge with a tragedy is the lack of support from someone.

This has often been my challenge when trying to explain what occurred to me. When I was younger,  I was a victim of a tragic accident that changed my life both academically and emotionally.  At sixteen months, due to the neglect of my babysitter, I fell off the bed. The injury was so severe that  I was rushed to the emergency room and the doctors explained to my mom that I suffered from a blood clot located on the left side of the brain.  Once the clot was removed, a permanent scar was left in my head as a reminder of the day that I was injured.

I was later diagnosed with what is known as a TBI or a traumatic brain injury. This accident affects my long term memory and testing ability. The feeling of knowing that no one understands my pain towards the accident, makes me feels insecure. I often struggle with comprehending information relating to school and feel frustrated that I will not pass my classes.  The pressure of school is difficult, since I must always work harder than most students.

I become easily disappointed that I study a lot and often fail or re-take test. It is hard to imagine, because in my mind I feel prepared for the work; however, the results do not connect with the information in my brain. Although I struggle in school, I feel like this injury encourages me to work and shows me that I can be confident when it comes to the future. For example, I have been able to maintain my grades, been employed for over a year at a local restaurant, obtained my  driver's license, and made the Junior Varsity Basketball Cheer Squad. I look forward to attending college, getting married, raising a family, and being a success.  I will continue to live my life to the fullest and prove that an injury does not limit your life journey.