My Diagnoses, My Obstacle by Heather

My Diagnoses, My Obstacle by Heather - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

My mother was in tears. My doctors reiterated hopelessness towards recovery. My teachers commiserated over what they thought to be the end of my academic career. This is the story of the concussion that attempted to break me and instead made me stronger.
During a water polo game, a ball collided with my skull leaving me with my third concussion. I insisted I was alright, but my eyelids weighed me down, drowning me until I became a liability to my team.
To admit to being concussed would feel like defeat, so I put up a fight and went to work. All day I spilled beverages, forgot orders, and avoided talking to anyone. Working in a resort means people can’t be avoided. I greeted a friendly couple and brought them menus. It took me by surprise when they asked for the ‘other’ menus. A siren sounded in my mind. Suddenly, I couldn’t even tell what language people were speaking. The atmosphere lost all gravity as I spun uncontrollably in my head.
Noticing the episode, my coworker brought over the ‘other’ menus and pulled me aside. I started whimpering and violent tears exploded. I had given customers dinner menus at 8AM and had not thought twice about it.
Recovery dates came and went. I watched my biggest supporters grow hopeless. But little did anyone know, their underestimation of me built the fire that still twinkles in my eyes.
Even though it took a while to accept, Post Concussion Syndrome is an obstacle I face, not who I am.
Many times people assume people with concussions are stupid. This is not the case. Although PCS makes reading, writing, and remembering more difficult, I worked with my diagnoses, not against it, and can confidently say that I am smarter than I was before.
Timed tests became my new adversary, but I adapted and not only regained my intelligence but my strength to persevere. I now have strategies to outsmart my opponent. When assigned notes or reading, I find audio clips. Ignoring doctor’s notes to be bedridden, I took to the back of the class, put my head down, and absorbed information from lectures. Never an auditory learner, I developed this skill that has reflected exponential success in my school work as well as my social skills.
Although my concussions temporarily posed as obstacles, they have not broken me, nor have they plundered me of my drive for success.