Meet the 2024 Scholars

"Describe a defining moment in your journey with CF that sparked personal growth or resilience. How did this experience affect you and what did you learn from this moment?"

January 14th, 2019: A day I will never forget. I woke up that morning feeling an immense pain in my lower abdomen. Despite being so young, I was no stranger to stomach aches. Although this pain was different, I did not want to jump to conclusions or make a big deal out of something as minor as a stomach ache. As the day went on, the pain got worse, almost unbearable. Being 12 and stubborn, I didn't want to go to the emergency room. All I could think about was, "I'm fine; this is just a terrible stomach ache; you'll get through this; stay strong." Later that night, it became insufferable. I couldn't stand straight; I was doubled over in pain. I couldn't lay down comfortably anymore. I was lying in a fetal position in tears because the pain wouldn't stop. Eventually, it became clear that this wasn't going away and required immediate medical attention. My mom and I rushed to the nearest hospital and waited to be seen. After hours of waiting and answering repetitive questions, my X-ray results came back. I had a total abdominal obstruction. This meant that I had to be transported by ambulance to CCMC to be admitted into the hospital. Oddly enough, the pain had subsided when I was in the ambulance. I was talking to the EMTs and felt fine. Little did I know the worst was yet to come. I arrived at CCMC and was shortly admitted into a room. Very rapidly, I started experiencing this excruciating pain once again, and it was somehow becoming even more painful. Being so young, I was so scared. I never have felt this much pain, but I was also desperate for treatment. No matter what it took, I was willing to do it. First, they tried laxatives, which I vomited up; it didn't work. Then I tried an NG tube, but it didn't work. Then, it was coming down to the last resort. I needed to have an Exploratory laparotomy, which, unfortunately, had a 96% chance of coming with an ostomy. After fasting for three to four days, the surgery eventually happened, and when I awoke, the pain was gone, and to my surprise, I did not need an ostomy. The recovery took multiple weeks, but in those weeks I was able to bounce back on my feet and catch up with school and extracurriculars. This experience taught me three significant lessons that changed my mindset that I will never forget. 1: Always be strong no matter what you go through; the results may surprise you. 2: Listen to yourself and be more aware of your body; if you pay attention, your body will tell you precisely what you need. 3: Take the negative aspects of situations and turn them into positive ones. The hardships of life are what make us who we are and what teach us the most lessons.