My first memory is from daycare when I was around 4 years old and had the misfortune of crawling under a counter directly onto a tack and getting it stuck in my hand. That was just the first of many physical mishaps, and an early sign of what my genetics had in store for me. Most of my earliest memories are mere snippets of events, and typically those events stemmed from lack of coordination or balance that ultimately led to physical pain. In addition to tripping over my own two feet, I was prone to falling down stairs and sometimes tripping as I went up them; falling off my bike, etc. Anything involving running would most certainly end in a face plant before a full stride was ever reached, and attempting activities with any need for hand-eye coordination was an exercise in futility.

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I was born in 2004 and am the only child to parents who are very social, professionals who enjoy hiking, biking, and basically anything that gets them out of the house. Once I became more independent it was obvious I was the complete opposite: reading, staying home and being alone was more my pace. Social situations of any sort were incredibly uncomfortable for me, and had it been up to me, I would have never left the house at all. Not only was it difficult for me to be around people, but I had a strong dislike of kids my age because they irritated me with their seemingly ignorant conversation and chaotic behavior. 

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By second grade I was suspended from school 14 times for acting out, mostly out of frustration with classmates, and soon to follow was years of being over-medicated for a condition I did not have. Unfortunately, multiple psychiatrists had diagnosed me with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and put me on strong medications to curb my outbursts. Those medications caused tics and twitches for which I then had to take additional medication. The medication numbed me to the world and only served to internally isolate me even more. 

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As if this series of unfortunate events wasn’t enough, one morning in second grade I awoke to realize something was very wrong. After stumbling to my parents’ bedroom, I awoke my mother and she immediately realized something was very wrong. Not only was the left side of my body almost completely paralyzed, but I was unable to speak. Within minutes she had me down the stairs and in the car to the emergency room. That day I ended up with 3 ambulance rides as hospitals kept transferring me because they didn’t know what else to do.

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Ultimately, I was diagnosed with encephalitis secondary to Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Neuromuscular Disease; a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that leads to peripheral muscular atrophy of the hands, legs and feet. I spent a week in the hospital at that time. It is rare for CMT to affect the brain, but when it does it only affects children so I would eventually outgrow those episodes, and indeed, I had two additional events like that before finally outgrowing them.

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Because of my smaller than average stature, social awkwardness, and inability to physically keep up with the other kids I became an easy target for bullies. I was never bothered by my physical challenges and honestly never viewed them as a deficit, but being constantly harassed, tripped, teased, etc., that was frustrating. I wanted friends, but I was unable to find others who accepted me and to whom I could relate, so instead I delved into books, often reading a novel in a few days. In middle school I was reading at high school level, and by 6th grade I was reading at college level. Scholastically I was considered advanced, but at the same time, I was incredibly bored. This boredom and lack of academic stimulation led to me doing quite poorly in school after 6th grade because I failed to see the point in putting any effort into assignments that were, in my opinion, pointless and remedial.

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Because I always tested so highly on every standardized test I have ever taken, the school system kept pushing me forward even though my grades were poor. For high school I opted to attend Genesee Early College (GEC) because I believed it would be more enriching and challenging than the local high school in my community. However, soon after starting GEC it became apparent that even a more rigorous scholastic environment failed to ignite a drive in me to participate and be productive with my coursework and studies. By this point my mother was, in her own words, “out of options” and it was time for a “Hail Mary pass.” She took me to a cash only, specialized clinic in Chicago where I underwent 4 days of specialized testing, bloodwork, multiple brain scans both with and without dyes. Only after the results of that testing were interpreted did my life, my world, start to change.

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Not only do I have a faulty gene causing my nerves to slowly demyelinate, but I also have high functioning autism with a genius level IQ; I merely learn and process information differently from the average student. I do not have Oppositional Defiant Disorder, but unfortunately many individuals with high functioning autism are misdiagnosed. This proper diagnosis made  it completely clear that a traditional school environment is ill equipped to teach me in ways where I can flourish, and Genesee Early College was no different. Fortunately, because of my diagnosis, my mom was able to engage the support services of professionals trained to work with individuals on the spectrum. Not only did they help me learn skills to be more productive and successful in a traditional classroom, but they taught me social skills that allowed me to, for the first time in my life, start forming friendships. 

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After 9th grade I began improving my grades and developing an interest in specific areas of study. In particular, I enjoy science, so as part of my 11th grade year,  I opted to attend the Forensics course offered at Genesee Career Institute. I completed one year and chose to return for the second year of Advanced Forensics.  For the first time in my life I was around people I found interesting and who also accepted me; I enjoyed my coursework and was able to be productive and successful. Advanced Forensics provided me the opportunity to attend autopsies at the Genesee County Morgue where I realized dead bodies did not bother me at all, and the process of conducting an autopsy was interesting. This led me to considering options within the field of forensics, and ultimately I decided to pursue becoming a Medical Examiner. My thought process was, I might as well do something fun with my life and cut up dead people; the only downside is the additional 12 years of college. 

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I realize now that my genetics are only one part of who I am and not the biggest part. The biggest part of who I am is what I make of situations I face; how I play the hand I'm dealt. Yes, being misdiagnosed and overmedicated for years was a detriment, but in all honesty part of my failure to succeed, especially after starting GEC and being afforded an incredible opportunity to be academically challenged, was partly due to my own poor choices. I spent too much time playing games in class instead of doing the work. This led to me having to make up 9th grade the following year while still doing 10th grade classes. This put an immense amount of stress on me, but ultimately I was able to persevere and make up the lost time.

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Clearly I do not have one of those biographies of an overachiever; of someone who excels in everything, meets every check mark expected to succeed in career and life. It has been a long, hard road to get to where I am today. I say that only because it is true, and in no way expect nor want sympathy. 

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My journey has taught me resilience. I believe that alone is a great lesson in life. I have had to bounce back from so many screw-ups, mishaps, and unfortunate circumstances I’ve lost count. But this I know: I am a survivor;  I am someone who gets knocked down, but gets up again; I am someone who recognizes everyone has struggles, some seen and some unseen. I know I found my footing in this world later than most, and have some making up to do with improving my grades, but I also know for the first time that I am completely capable of pursuing and achieving any career path I chose.