Being a Disabled College Student

When people look at me, they see what appears to be a normal college student just trying to get by. I struggle with my books after I stumble and people laugh. No one knows that the stumble was caused by my disability.

In eighth grade, my life changed drastically. As an avid dancer, my hopes and dreams were set on majoring in dance in college. One day, in ballet, we were doing strenuous exercises across the floor when I felt a pop in my foot. I am pretty accident prone. To me it was just a random  pain. I continued to dance through the night, another five hours.

I ended up having to go to the doctor because the pain was terrible, but no doctor could figure out what was wrong with me. Five doctors later, I was diagnosed with a condition called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. The doctor told me I would never walk again. I would definitely never dance again. I was devastated, but somehow I was blessed enough to be able to walk a majority of the time.

Now, I am in and out of a wheelchair, as the condition has spread from my ankle to all the way up my back on the left side of the body. I am considered disabled/handicapped. People do not understand what they do not know. I constantly have to explain my condition to people, and they just do not understand.

My fear going into college was that I was going to still be the "freak" that I was in high school because of my condition. I was afraid that the professors would not care that I was disabled. I was proved wrong. I have my issues and my flare ups of my conditions, but everyone is so understanding and helpful. It makes me extremely happy. For once, I feel as if I belong. I know that I am different than other people, but it is what makes me unique. I cannot let it define me.

I have trained all of my new friends on what to do if I cannot move. They know all the procedures and have even had to put them into action. But no one gets afraid of me. To the disabled people out there, you have to realize that people are not all bad. Someone will understand you!

This video explains the every day life of an RSD sufferer. Even though people do not see me suffering daily, I do.