Perseverance by Hannah

Perseverance by Hannah - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

The summer of 2020 was supposed to be packed with subjective experiences. Traveling to many countries was my summer agenda. Most excitingly, I was set to become a PADI certified scuba diver, a sport that I have loved since an incredibly early age. Due to the pandemic, everything was canceled, and I thought that was the worst thing that could happen. However, one June morning, I woke up with intense sharp pain in my right side. Little did I know how much this would change my summer and show me the importance of living in the moment.
Later that evening, I was in the emergency room of the local hospital. At first glance, the doctor was going to remove my appendix, but a resident ordered an ultrasound only to find a perfectly healthy appendix. Nevertheless, they also found two enlarged lymph nodes, and to the nurse what was most concerning was what looked like a ruptured ovarian cyst. However, I was diagnosed with mesenteric lymphadenitis, which mimics appendicitis and would be extremely painful for two weeks but would then subside. The stark contrast of the kind and gentle nurses compared to the doctors who treated me like a statistic telling me I was too young, made me aspire to treat others, and my future patients, with care and respect. The following two weeks I was miserable, and the pain only intensified. Back to the doctor I went, and I was referred to a gynecologist, a gastroenterologist, and eventually a physical therapist. After thorough examinations, even including a colonoscopy at age 13 (!), no one had answers.
Months passed, and I had a decision to make: let this unexplained pain overtake my life or face this challenge and take back control? I chose to do the latter. In September of 2020, while still in pain but medically cleared, I asked my parents to allow me to continue with my dream of becoming a PADI certified scuba diver. The physicality was tremendously hard while in pain, but I persevered, and in October I earned my PADI scuba diving certification. In November 2020, I was referred to a sports medicine doctor, who ordered an MRI, the only type of imaging test I had not received yet, which showed a cyst nearly double the size since the ordeal began. So back to gynecology I went where I was given medication to treat the cyst, and as it shrank, the pain decreased. I was always intrigued by the nursing profession but knowing that the nurse who was with me the very first day my entire ordeal began was spot on with what the issue truly was, it changed my focus in life. I became laser-focused on having a career in nursing, wanting to be the kind of person who could help people like me. I wanted to be a part of a care team that could be effective. I wanted to make sure that no child would have to endure the pain and suffering that I experienced, allowing everyone to be treated the same and receive the care they need, no matter the age, do something that my care team failed to provide. It inspired me to become the best version of myself and to follow my dreams. My experience of the horrible treatment from doctors and even some of the nurses sparked something in my life that I wanted to provide for others. Helping others has always been an integral part of my life, and after my experience it gave me a rush, a rush I want to experience for the rest of my life.
Not only did I reach a personal goal of being a PADI certified scuba diver, but I also found my true passion in life: nursing. The experience validated for me that I am in control of my life, and that with perseverance and determination, success is inevitable. To anyone facing a situation like this, I would recommend not letting anything hold you back. Learning this at a young age will prove to be invaluable as life goes on.