I feel like I have a lot of personal work to do. Working as hard as I possibly can in school, I’m doing extremely well. The staff at Drexel is impressed with me, and that makes me feel a sense of accomplishment. I’m being placed into an excellent co-op program at a top hospital in Philadelphia, where I’ll be following doctors around with a clipboard. Best part – I get paid very well. I decided to stay with Drexel University, even though Temple did everything they could to tempt me to attend their school, but I thought that experience trumped what Temple had to offer.
My moving into my own place is going smoothly, even though my father is pulling every guilt trip possible to have me move back home and stay with him. My heart wants to, very much. The love I have for my parents is stronger than ever, especially with my father. We always had our differences. Plus, I’d be saving money if I lived at home. However, my head tells me moving on my own is the smartest decision. I’m 28 years old, I need to live on my own without relying on roommates, take responsibility and the thought of living closest to Drexel is something to look forward to.
On the upside, my mother is excited about it. She, too, wishes I would live with them in New Jersey, but she understands where I’m coming from. My mom has already started buying me little things here and there for an apartment I haven’t even rented out yet. We do have a real estate agent (a close friend of mine) who is helping us with the move, and it looks like I’ll be all by my lonesome starting May 15th. Not only will I be the first in my family to graduate from college, I’ve been on Dean’s List every semester, so you can see why my family is being so supportive. Part of my hard work in school is proof for my family that I am no longer a spoiled brat who takes advantage of her opportunities, but instead a woman who embraces and makes the best of the opportunities that come my way now.
Health update: A few months ago, I had an MRI that shown a lesion pressing against my spinal cord. The neurologist warned me that the lesion would eventually grow and start to show side effects. When I tilt my head down, my body feels like it’s stinging down to my fingertips and toes.
This time around, I’m more worried about my father. We went to the doctor on Thursday morning to review his blood results. Knowing I’m interested in medicine, the doctor spoke to me like a protege. I was the translator of doctor lingo between my father and Dr. Patel. His overdose from two years ago has given him liver damage. On top of that, his cholesterol is off the charts and is at high risk for a heart attack. I’m proud of my dad – he has thrown away all the junk food in the house, started replacing butter with substitutes, started eating healthy and gave up sugar. My father is a man whose ideal dinner is a big greasy piece of meat, with anything fried on the side. Now he’s shopping at Whole Foods.
We made a deal; he better live long enough to see me graduate Medical school.
I don’t think I would be where I am today without my diagnosis, as crazy as it sounds. I think sometimes it takes trauma for people to change; I’m definitely one of those people. When your life is undetermined, when your future is unclear, all because of one diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, you start to really push yourself to become a better person, and make a positive impact on those around you.
