I sat almost slumped on the chair in the perfectly neat office room, which smelled of Lysol and astringent. My family stared at the x-ray of my spine that clearly resembled the letter “S.” “Severe scoliosis,” the doctor announced in his monotone voice. For him, it was just a matter of fact, but for me, my mind went blank, deliberately resisting the reality of the diagnosis, a possible spinal fusion in the near future. Every sentence I heard from him made the situation worse, causing me to think of how this could impact my destiny. My imagination focussed on the nine months of solitude from sports and one month from high school academics.
It was definitely not what an incoming freshman wanted to hear. But as horrible as it was, this devastating scenario soon became a positive, life-changing event.
Being gifted as a child can be both a blessing and a curse. While most tasks had always seemed relatively easy, I experienced frustration as tasks got more challenging, such as a new type of punctuation in school or a particular skill in sports. As I got older, there were roadblocks in my life that I had previously not seen before, causing me to tense up and get out of my comfort zone. I was not used to this. Although each of these little stepping stones led me to who I am today, none compared to my freshman year of high school when I had spinal surgery. I found myself going from a starter on my basketball team to the sideline, a pain I had never experienced before. Since I had been taught to always reach for my maximum potential, I felt as if I had let my whole team down when I was confined to the bench. Though, I later learned that my leadership abilities could be just as impactful as my playing. Sports wasn’t the only place where I fell behind, as my month break from learning hadn’t been too helpful either. I hadn’t realized how much of an impact this would make until I got back from my surgery and went from being one of the top students in my class to having zero idea what the instructor was teaching. This took a toll on me mentally because I had never dealt with this type of situation before. Although it hurt to feel as if I had lost so much, I was told by family and friends to keep fighting and do everything in my power to get back as soon as possible. I was determined. I did things I never would have done before, such as staying for tutoring after school or shooting a little bit longer than everyone else at practice. I am very grateful for the determination that has stuck with me since. It’s a weird feeling because I am both regretful and thankful for what my surgery has done to my life. On one hand, I lost almost a full year of the sport I love and may have missed opportunities that could have impacted my life. I choose to look on the bright side, however, and focus on all of the positive traits that this part of my life has brought me. When I am faced with things I need to solve, I view them in a different light than beforehand. I also realize that hard work and determination can solve most problems at hand.
The future is sometimes regarded as frightening and nerve-racking. Despite this, my past has shaped me into the man I am today, and I have little fear of what lies ahead. In fact, I get a rush of excitement when thinking about all of the possibilities. I know I am ready, and my experiences have been molding me up to this point. Although unpredictable, I get a sense that whatever lies ahead is bright.