Jessica Shields: Blog 1- “This I believe”
When I was about seven years old I was in a car accident with my family while traveling through Phoenix, Arizona. A truck in front of us lost its cargo off the back, straight into our car. Everyone was okay, and my mother seemed like she was fine, just a little whip lash, but soon did I know that was the moment that changed our lives as a family forever.
My mother was diagnosed with a fractured neck that led to her diagnosis of degenerative disc disease a few years after. Disc disease causes chronic pain to the plates in the spine. The discs have to be removed and replaced with fake ones through a risky surgery that decrease height and pain, but does not get rid of it completely. She has had about three different surgeries and back injections, diminishing her height greatly.
This is believe, my mother is the strongest, bravest woman I know through the struggles she has to deal with every day in her life. On average she gets pains that shoot up her legs into her back that can sometimes feel like a knife stabbing her whole body. She often cannot walk and has to watch how long she stands up for. She will need another surgery in the near future because another one of her discs has blown in her spine. She takes a great amount of medicine for different pains throughout her body that don’t even help her all day. The medicine kicks in for a few hours, but wears off completely. This disease has taken away her height leaving her at 5 feet 2 inches and her job as a nursing assistant. However it has not taken away her soul, her ability to smile every day, and the love she has for her family.
This is a strong willed woman going through the battles of a life threatening disease. In her eyes this will not conquer her life. It’s about mind over matter, not pain over matter. She will be the first one up and ready to go, ready to be a mother, and ready to fight this. If I could I would take this disease away from her so she can follow her dreams again with her career and travel with her family, even be able to run down the street. This woman is a hero, an angel, and will forever be the strongest person I know that deserves to be recognized. I hope one day I can live up to her as a woman, and continue to help her through this life long battle.