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| Denis
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Many times during my
life I have taken things for granted. Growing up,
I was fortunate to have the encouragement of my
parents who were always pushing me to go further.
For a child living on the south side of Chicago,
this was a luxury. As I sat down to write this essay,
I started to realize the importance of their support.
The older I became, and the more my neighborhood
changed, I began to realize that in order to succeed
I would have to be responsible for my own encouragement.
I quickly came to understand what sacrifice, leadership,
and ambition truly meant.
Over the course of time, I have made many sacrifices
in order to place myself in the position I am in
today – a law school applicant. The greatest
of these sacrifices was my family. I grew up with
the majority of my family no more than ten minutes
away. As a child, I had a close bond with all of
my cousins. As a young adult, I had to sever that
bond. My cousins took for granted the greatest blessing
in life – opportunity. Instead, they fell
victim to the streets of Chicago. I could look around
me, to my left and to my right, and see my family
wasting their opportunities. I realized that in
order to prevent myself from going down the same
road, I would have to limit my contact with my family.
At the time, this was a hard decision to make. Today,
of all my male cousins, I am the only one with a
college degree.
To fill the void left by my limited interactions
with my cousins, I turned to music. I became an
active member of my high school band program. Little
did I know that music would become the source of
some of my most challenging leadership roles. I
was able to attend Howard University through a band
scholarship. Because of my dedication and love of
music, I was selected as the leader of the drum
section, and Public Relations Advisor for the Howard
University Marching Band. As the drum section leader,
I was responsible for teaching new music, marching
routines, as well as being a mentor for younger
members. The position of Public Relations advisor
taught me how to think critically and evaluate the
needs and wants of the band and surrounding community.
This lead to programs that aided the community,
and brought financial gains to the band.
After a successful tenure as leader of the drum
section, I wanted more. I became a member of Kappa
Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Incorporated,
Eta Omega Chapter. I am respected throughout my
chapter for a feat that few have tried and even
fewer have accomplished – I was elected as
chapter president for three consecutive years. The
responsibilities were as mind boggling as the skills
I received. I was able to sharpen my writing skills
by reconstructing the fraternity’s district
constitution. While I was always comfortable with
public speaking, I began representing my chapter
at national conventions. These experiences increased
my desire to study law.
While I was an intern with the United States Department
of Treasury Office of Enforcement, I began researching
the different careers available in law. I remember
telling a colleague that I wanted to one day become
a lawyer. While she didn’t discourage me,
she suggested that I spend some time with a real
lawyer before settling on a career choice. I took
her advice. I spent some time with several general
counsel members to see what their daily schedule
entailed. After spending some time with actual lawyers
I understood why my colleague made the suggestion.
The lawyers I encountered were not like the lawyers
you see in television dramas or read about in books,
yet, the experience only increased my desire and
ambition. My success as an intern with the United
States Department of Treasury lead to a job offer
when I graduated from Howard University in the summer
of 2001. After working another year as a Research
Assistant for the Office of Enforcement, I accepted
another job working for the U.S. Customs Service
as a Management and Program Analyst. I felt as if
the path for my future was beginning to become clear.
My plan was to work for a few years and then transition
to law school. However, life does not always happen
as we plan.
In the summer of 2002 I was diagnosed with kidney
failure. My doctors told me that if I had waited
one week longer before coming to the hospital, I
would have died. I spent months at the hospital
in a daze, wondering “why me” and “where
did I go wrong.” I found no answers. Initially
I thought life I dreamed of, the path I had built,
was over. But, somewhere between waking up at 4:30
A.M. three days a week for dialysis treatment and
holding down a full-time job, I realized that my
life was not over. For the past three and a half
years I have been waiting on a kidney transplant.
For the past three and a half years I have been
on dialysis. For the past three and a half years
I have attended district and national conferences
for Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity,
and I have given back to the Howard University community
by continuing to teach and mentor new band members.
Recently, with the inspiration and help of Shad
Ireland and the National Kidney Foundation, I have
been able to restart my love for physical fitness
by gaining unlimited access working out in Gold’s
Gym. I have seen no limitations in the things I
can do, including traveling this great nation of
ours. My life, my biography, is far from over –
I am ready to write the next chapter.
By obtaining a law degree I will finally be able
to achieve my life long ambition with a career in
the legal profession. I feel that I can use this
achievement as a source of inspiration for others
living with disabilities like myself. There is no
hurdle that can’t be cleared and no goal that
can’t be reached. I am ready to claim my future. |
| VaSean
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My name is VaSean
and I am a thirty-one year old hemodialysis patient
from Washington, D.C. I was first diagnosed with
kidney disease when I was eighteen years old. One
of my kidneys was leaking protein and my creatine
level was rising. From that point until I was twenty-five,
I led a destructive lifestyle. At that point I started
to comply with my doctors orders. Then over the
next few years I thought I was fine. The end of
August in 2003 my kidneys failed as a result of
high blood pressure. I never thought that would
ever happen to me because I was young and feeling
well.
While in the hospital I refused to any type of surgery
done to me. I did not want to be on dialysis. At
that moment I had just wanted to die. In just in
a matter of a day or two my life was completely
changed. From Monday night in the emergency room
to Thursday morning getting a graft inserted in
my arm. My mom, family and doctor talked me into
getting the operation. The next day I was released
from the hospital. Over the next few days my arm
was very sore. Also I did leave my apartment for
almost a week. My arm was swollen and I hated the
way it looked. Everywhere I went people was asking
me about my arm. Most people thought I had been
shot and the bullet was stuck in my arm. I really
did not like to discuss the situation. So I began
to wear long sleeve shirts to cover the graft. A
few months had gone past and I got use to graft.
The reality of dialysis still had not really got
to me yet.
In November of 2003 my doctor told I was going to
start dialysis. Then I began to think of ways of
getting out of going. November 10, 2003 was my first
day of dialysis. I am afraid of needles so I figured
it would be the worst day of my life. It was to
bad after getting stuck. My doctor and the techs
in the hospital were there to comfort me. The first
few treatments in the hospital were not as horrible
as I thought. After being released from the hospital
I started at my first unit. The first treatment
at the unit was terrible because I cramped. The
worst feeling I have ever felt. Everyone in the
unit came to help me. People were rubbing my legs
and holding my hand to assure me everything was
all right. Over the next six months or so my body
began to adjust to the treatments. During those
months I had the worst time during my entire illness.
I had to completely change my diet. I was use to
eating a lot of fruit and vegetables. Drank a lot
of water and juice. Now there were all these food
and liquid restrictions. The thing that made this
the worst time was my financial situation. I had
no money or job but still had rent and bills to
pay. My application for social security had been
submitted but the process took a few months. While
waiting I applied for different types of assistance.
Most of the people at the different agencies were
not too polite. They act if a person is trying to
steal from them. Thankfully my family and friends
helped me with the things I needed. Now there was
no lower point in my life. For that reason I figured
things could not get any worst.
By the spring of 2004 things started to turn for
the better. Now I had some income but not a lot.
My body and mind had adjusted to the lifestyle of
having end stage renal disease. I became more open
about my situation. Did not have any more issues
talking dialysis or kidney disease. Went back to
college to finish getting my bachelors degree. My
outlook on the circumstances made me more optimistic
at my future. I was able to get listed on a transplant
list. Established a great support group. Found out
some people have it worst than me that are not sick.
Last summer I was accepted to graduate school in
New Hampshire. Over the last couple years of dialysis
I have gained a lot of weight. I had been putting
it to the side. I kept saying I am going to make
a goal to lose weight. This past October I went
to a Kidney Foundation seminar. The seminar was
great and very informative. Shad Ireland was the
guest speaker. He was amazing. Mr. Ireland told
his life story. I could relate to his story. Also
in October I was making plans to go to New Hampshire
to visit the graduate school and do a little skiing.
Once I say the video of Shad in Lake Placid I was
ever more amazed. Seeing that tape gave me the motivation
to start an exercise program. I joined a gym a few
days before Thanksgiving. The gym I joined provided
a free fitness assessment from a personal trainer.
I now go three times a week for an hour to an hour
and a half. My exercise routine is cardio, stretching,
and resistance exercises. I monitor my pulse and
blood pressure while exercising. Since I started
exercising my metabolism has changed. I do retain
a lot of fluid between treatments. There has not
been a lot of weight but I have more energy and
sleep better.
Finally, I have accepted my situation for what it
has done for me. Now I have broader perspective
of life. For the first time in my life I am not
rushing. I take everything one step at a time. This
condition has made me closer with my mother and
family. I now try to accomplish as much as time
will allow me. Just will not allow my condition
to hinder my life.
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