One can never appreciate what one has until one loses it. I have faced a challenge that gave me the chance to appreciate whatever I took for granted; my eyesight, hearing, and balance.
Three years ago, I was diagnosed as a Multiple Sclerosis patient. As much as I felt that the disease was a curse and an obstacle in my life, I’ve learned to look at it from a different perspective. Since the illness affects brain cells, the attacks, or relapses, can happen anywhere in my body. Every once in a while, I had to go through a relapse. I’ve gone through vision problems; double vision and unclear vision. I couldn’t hear the teacher even if I sat in the front in class. Once I even lost my balance and couldn’t walk, and I had to use a wheelchair for the first time in my life.
Given that there’s no known cure for the disease, and it will most probably accompany me for my whole life, I decided to be more positive about it. Each time an attack occurs I temporary lose a blessing, just to feel how important it is to me, and to sympathize with others who suffer from such losses permanently.
My disease was the biggest challenge I ever encountered in my life. However, if I had the choice to make it go away, I wouldn’t. The lessons it taught me, and the experiences I had because of it added to me. I’m not blind, deaf, or paralyzed, but I know exactly what it feels like.
(College Essay)
Three years ago, I was diagnosed as a Multiple Sclerosis patient. As much as I felt that the disease was a curse and an obstacle in my life, I’ve learned to look at it from a different perspective. Since the illness affects brain cells, the attacks, or relapses, can happen anywhere in my body. Every once in a while, I had to go through a relapse. I’ve gone through vision problems; double vision and unclear vision. I couldn’t hear the teacher even if I sat in the front in class. Once I even lost my balance and couldn’t walk, and I had to use a wheelchair for the first time in my life.
Given that there’s no known cure for the disease, and it will most probably accompany me for my whole life, I decided to be more positive about it. Each time an attack occurs I temporary lose a blessing, just to feel how important it is to me, and to sympathize with others who suffer from such losses permanently.
My disease was the biggest challenge I ever encountered in my life. However, if I had the choice to make it go away, I wouldn’t. The lessons it taught me, and the experiences I had because of it added to me. I’m not blind, deaf, or paralyzed, but I know exactly what it feels like.
(College Essay)
