Advice I would Give Myself if I Could Go Back In Time by Ryan

Advice I would Give Myself if I Could Go Back In Time by Ryan - September 2022 Scholarship Essay

I have had a few circumstances in my life that have affected me, but one that really turned my world upside down happened when I was in the eighth grade. I had just turned fourteen, and was about to go with my dad to get my learner’s permit when a friend called and asked me to go to the batting cages instead. I have always loved baseball and figured I could wait one more day to drive.
I spent that evening in the emergency room. I was pitching from behind a screen, something that I had done many times before but, nonetheless, had been hit in the head with a line drive. I remember very little from the incident, but some of the things that I remember is leaving Ultimate Baseball Academy on a stretcher and being put into an ambulance. When I got into the Hospital they put me in a neck brace and I hated every single second it was on me. After a few x-rays, my family and I found out that the ball hit me so hard that it fractured my skull and I was diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury.
I spent the following five days in the Intensive Care Unit. While I was there, and after I was released, I met regularly with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and most importantly, speech therapists from the Madonna Rehabilitation Facility. I spent almost six months there, spending four days a week working on getting back to my normal self. My favorite part about Madonna was the fish tank that went along the whole hallway. I think that I liked the fish tank so much because it reminded me about some of the normal things that were in Madonna. Because of the location of my brain injury, I had trouble finding the right words when I spoke. I also had to practice simple things such as walking, playing catch, addition. They also had me do some things that were not normal, like playing catch and doing simple math.
It took a while, but eventually I was able to return to school. I was very fortunate to have been given an individual education plan, where I could take breaks when necessary, and could do my class work in a dark room so as to prevent headaches. I was able to have some speakers in the back of the classroom so I didn’t have to focus as hard on the teacher, and they also printed the class notes for me so that I didn’t have to do two things at a time. All impact sports were taken away from me, as the doctors really didn't want me to have another concussion. This was very hard for me because I would love to have played high school football.
As time progressed, I became capable of doing my class work just as anyone else. Since the injury my life has returned to normal and I have played high school baseball every year. According to the last x-ray of my brain that I have gotten, I am missing a portion of my brain where the ball hit my skull. Due to the part of my brain that is missing, I have an issue of stuttering when I am really nervous and tired. One thing that I have done to try and help my stuttering is neurotherapy. Neurotherapy is physical therapy for my brain, they put stickers on my head and send shockwaves through my brain. I hated going to these appointments, but in the end they have helped me with my mood and my stuttering issue.
This event has turned my life upside down and it’s hard to think that anything good could have came from my baseball injury, but it has taught me a few things: I know what I’m capable of; I know the benefits of hard work; I know that if you have a dream, you can’t give up. I also know I should have listened to my dad and went to get my learner’s permit.