Achieving My Dream and Calling by Alayna

Achieving My Dream and Calling by Alayna - March 2025 Scholarship Essay

Ten years from now I will be working as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, helping change lives daily. I will utilize creativity and my passion for the field to help my patients realize their maximum potential and overcome the daily challenges of living. I will have the privilege and honor of helping them develop skills to take care of their body, to function well at home and in the community, to function well in educational environments, to enjoy leisure activities, and to be able to engage well within various groups such as with friends, family, and in the community.

My formal education will prepare me to understand the field of occupational therapy well through teaching the philosophy of occupational therapy, critical reasoning skills, various therapy processes, understanding clinical conditions, various methods of interventions, pediatric skills, therapeutic techniques, as well as fieldwork experiences where I will get a vast array of knowledge from the privilege of observing other Occupational Therapists or Occupational Therapy Assistants in their work environment.

My personal education is another huge part of what drives me and gives me a sincere passion to help others. In November 2000 I was involved in a horrible car wreck. My right ankle was shattered, and my right femur was broken. I had 15 surgeries in 15 years and functioned at a pain level of 8 or 9 on a daily basis. I had an infant daughter and was working full time, so I could not take pain pills to minimize my pain. I had to drive and work and be a mom and be a wife, so I had to learn to mentally minimize my pain to a 3 or 4 so I could go on about my life and my day and complete the tasks I needed to do. In 2015 my husband suggested amputation. Most people would be shocked or appalled at this idea; however, I had literally tried just about everything up to this point and was still no better. My husband immediately showed me a video of a paralympic snow skier who was wearing a prosthesis. I was in awe! He had complete freedom to function and to do the things he loved. I so desperately wanted that. I began doing serious research, in an attempt to find a doctor who would be willing to perform a below the knee amputation on me. I found a surgeon in Oklahoma City who agreed, and since my surgery I have been pain-free 99.9% of the time! Pain no longer controls me! I am now in charge and am able to do the things I want and enjoy. Following my recovery from my amputation surgery, I am able to drive a car with my prosthetic leg, I go on cruises and snorkel, I am able to walk unassisted, I ride a bicycle, I ride a Canam motorcycle, I have rappelled down a building, I fish from pedal propelled kayak, and so much more! Life is good!

From personal experience, I understand how beneficial therapy is and how it teaches you needed skills to function in daily life. I understand how you must dig deep to find your sheer determination to keep pushing forward. I understand the drive it takes to meet your goals, and the overwhelming excitement, fulfillment, and rewarding feeling you experience when you’re able to do so!

I truly believe this is my calling. Deep within my heart I long to help, encourage, and motivate others to be the best they can be, and I can’t wait to help them achieve that goal.