Page 9 - CMTeen_Volume1_Issue3

pretty normal. It meant I couldn’t go out as much, or play sports. It was hard to walk
relatively short distances. People stared and worst of all I was scared that my feet
would keep me from my dream of becoming famous. It’s hard because especially as a
13- almost 14- year old teenage girl … you feel magnified.

I had surgery on both my feet on July 25, 2016. The surgery went great, but it was
painful and overwhelming. All I remember is going into the operating room and
breathing through a mask until everything turned black and I told myself “Okay, I’m
out.” I feel much better now—like my old self—but it took about 5-6 days to feel back
to normal. Since then, I’ve mastered the use of my wheelchair at home and at school.
With the wheelchair, I have a new sense of freedom. It lets me go to the mall, around
the neighborhood, and to the supermarket—all places I couldn’t walk to before my
surgery. After six weeks in casts, I’ll wear leg braces. With physical therapy, I hope to
resume walking fairly normally.

Once that happens, I hope to get back to my “career.” My father is a
professional singer/songwriter, so I grew up in the world of singing and acting.
I did two commercials—one print and one TV—before my CMT took over and
I’ve been singing on stage since I was 3. I love to act and if I can do anything
about it, my feet WON’T stop me because I am determined to beat this.

Luckily for me, I have the best and most supportive family, who give up
so much for me. My sister who’s always there, my dad who talks me
through it and my mom who saves me. She’s my hero and she sacrifices
everything for me.

I also have the best and most supportive friends. Like my best friend Georgia, who
sticks up for me even if I don’t want her to, and who carries me two miles when my
feet are hurting. I may not be lucky in my appearance, but I’m lucky with the people
who surround me every day! Our family friends Eileen Bray, Kesha (yes, that Kesha!)
and Kesha’s mother Pebe started a gofundme page www.gofundme.com/2fxx2vuc
to support me and show their love.

It’s frustrating sometimes because no one understands what I’m going through.
They try, they really do, but they don’t understand. I finally met someone
named Nicole who is 43 years old and was diagnosed at 26 with CMT. She
teaches yoga at a place called Yoga Harmony and I have started attending
her classes. She’s a big inspiration and it’s nice to have someone around go-
ing through something similar to me. My feet are a hard challenge in life but I
believe when everything is said and done I will be a better person because of it. I know
in my heart that EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY!!

{9}