Stopping The Surgeries

With the todays medical technology I could have been shaped and sculpted into a “normal” person by now. I might have had better self esteem and no one staring at me, (unless of coarse I do something strange in public). I could have, so why didn’t I?

I would have had to go through who knows how many more surgeries, and then there was the pain of having the surgery done. Missing my summer vacations (when I was in school, I had my surgeries done during summer vacation), the itchy casts, and then the biggest reason… With everything that they wanted to do to me, I would have had to relearn how to use my own arm all over again. I may only have three fingers on my hand and my arm is shorter, but I can dress myself, tie my own shoes, take care of my kids, and I can even crochet right handed (the side of my deformity). So why should I change my body just to fit in or to do things the way that everyone else does? Just because I do things a little different, doesn’t mean that I am doing it wrong. My shoes still get tied, my kids still get the care that they need, and I am happy with the way that I am.

At 33 years of age, I would still not go back and change my decision. I am perfectly happy with my disability, which is really not a disability, because I do not see myself as disabled. I may not be able to do things like hand stands or chin ups, but I can live without that, and I know that if I really wanted to do those things, I would find a way to do them just like I have everything else in life.

The only reason for surgery now in my opinion would be for cosmetic reasons. It would be like a face-lift or a tummy tuck. Sure they can add fingers and extend my arm, but what reason do I have to do that? So I can look like everyone else, why? No one looks alike anyway. God made us unique for a reason. We all serve a purpose in the body that he gave us. I believe my purpose is to help others that are like me, and to help ones that are just starting out with a deformity. This is just my first step in reaching my purpose.