My Story

Hi, I'm Aisharya.

     Before I begin, I would like to start off by saying how thankful I am to be where I am today. I am incredibly grateful for the physical and mental support I have had throughout my life. I know how fortunate I am and how many people have gone through much worse than I have. Here is my story.

     I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when I was two years old after my parents took me to the doctor because I wasn’t crawling. I skipped crawling and eventually learned how to walk with the help of a walker and continuous physical therapy along with AFO braces–hard, plastic molds that help support and maintain proper alignment in feet–which eventually helped me start walking and I used them all throughout my childhood.

     A few years later, I was walking and running on the tips of my toes which clearly wasn’t the correct way; as a result, at the age of six, I had my first surgery: a Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy. This eliminated the problematic nerves in my spinal cord that were sending incorrect signals to my brain–causing me to walk on my tiptoes.

     Following the Rhizotomy, I had to relearn all basic physical tasks in rehab such as balancing, walking, jumping, etc. I was eventually able to accomplish these tasks through months of rigorous therapy and being in a wheelchair.

     Later on, at the age of ten, I had another surgery–Femoral Osteotomy. The surgery consisted of the rotation of my femurs and tibias to the proper positions and putting 37 metal plates and screws to keep them in place; it was a 13 hour surgery. Then a year later, they removed all the plates and screws with another surgery–we even got to keep them.

     While it was a long, painful process, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to receive all of the correctional treatments at the top-ranked hospital in the nation--Mayo Clinic.

     When I was younger, all of the doctors and my parents would say that I was lucky of how little issues I had to experience, but I never believed them. I always thought that nothing could get worse than the pain and the inability to do basic tasks that all of my friends could do. Of course I enjoyed being pampered and cared for, but only until a certain point. If my friends ever wanted to do an activity in which I could not–or wasn’t allowed–to partake in, they would either go do it without me, or they would stay back and I would feel like a burden, knowing that they were missing out on that activity because of me. Furthermore, having to go anywhere in public always consisted of someone staring at me–whether it be because I was in a wheelchair, because I had braces on my legs, or because I didn’t walk straight. To this day, I still get stares, or pitiful looks, as I walk past someone because I still have a limp.

     Rather than dwelling on the painful past, I prefer to focus on all of the lessons I have learned from it. I found my true friends through my experiences–the ones who were willing to sacrifice their own fun to spend time with me, the ones who look past my disability yet are mindful of it. I am so beyond thankful to my parents who were by my side my entire life, listening to me complain about my issues, comforting me, celebrating me, and so much more; I couldn't have gone through any of this without them. As I have grown older, I have become more and more grateful for what I have gone through. While it is easy to get caught up in all of my struggles and inabilities, I always try to recognize that there is someone out there who has gone through much more difficult and painful experiences than I have. One thing I always remind myself is how much stronger I became both physically and mentally going through what I have gone through. I have learned how to push my mind and body past its limits and break boundaries everyday.

     To this day, I have been trying to prove myself, and to those who pity me, that I am as able to accomplish my goals as anyone else. Yes, I may have to work harder than others, but that shows the ambition, passion, and determination I have for my life and my future. I am a senior in high school who is the Vice President of Student Government and Honors Society. Moreover, I am in Science Olympiad, Asian American Youth Advocates, and I co-founded a branch of a local nonprofit called CORA. CORA (Community Outreach and Restoration Association) is a 100% student-led organization based in MN (with several other branches across the US) whose main purpose is to give back to the community through fundraising, education, and hosting local events. For more information, go to coranonprofit.org.

     Furthermore, I try to expose myself to different topics and fields in relation to medicine. I believe that having a disability and receiving treatment at Mayo Clinic influenced my desire in wanting to go into the medical field. Being able to experience first-hand the impacts that doctors can make has motivated me to want to do the same for others.

     I hope reading my story showed you that having a disability doesn't limit your abilities or your potential to achieve your goals and dreams.