My disABILITY

As a man with Cerebral Palsy (CP), I absolutely love this. It speaks to me in so many ways that only few could ever understand. Yet, while my case of CP is mild, you wouldn't believe how profoundly connected I feel to those that are living a life very different than my own; they possess a tenacity—a strength—which enables them to live life in a way that I never will know.

Today, I remember Melissa, who also has CP. We met in 2005; she was a smiling nine year old girl that found immense joy in filling the pages of her coloring books (even if she couldn’t stay within the lines). When I became her hospital roommate at Shriner’s Hospital for Children, I was eleven years old and had just undergone my second surgical procedure.

I didn’t get to know Melissa right away, as I spent the majority of the day visiting with family members who had come to see me. They brought balloons, food, books, and movies in an effort to cheer me up despite the pain I experienced following the procedure. However, as my side of the room filled with gifts, I felt guilty as I glanced over to Melissa’s side—which was empty with the exception of a stuffed teddy bear in a nearby chair. As the day came to a close, my family would leave and Melissa and I would be left alone.

As the darkness of night would enter our room, I would begin reading a Scooby-Doo book my grandmother had brought me. I always loved Scooby-Doo, despite how repetitive the stories were. Just as the Mystery Gang was about to unmask another evil-doer, a small voice from the other side of the butterfly-covered curtains interrupted the moment.

“Kyle, how old are you?”

Melissa had broken the silence. I told her I was eleven.

“Do you like sports?”

“Yes, baseball is my favorite. Do you have a favorite?”

“Yeah, I like dancing.”

I asked Melissa if she was a dancer. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

“No, I can’t use my legs.” She replied with sadness weighing down on her voice.

I asked her if she used braces like I did, as they improved my ability to walk by improving my range of motion. She was silent a moment more, then replied,

“I won’t ever be able to stand up or walk.”

I felt sad; all I could tell her was that I was sorry. A minute or so passed, and then she asked me another question.

“Kyle, what’s it like to walk?”

I thought about how to answer the question. I had been walking since I was two years old and I didn’t know how to describe it. The more I thought of how I could answer her, the more I grew frustrated with myself.

Tears began to fill my eyes. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

“That’s okay; nobody I ask really knows either.”

Then the nurse walked in and told us that it was time for bed, opened the curtains that separated us, and turned off the light with a flick of his wrist. The room went dark—which was comforting. I didn’t want Melissa to see that the tears had broken away and began streaming down my face as—one by one—they would begin to blotch the little brown bears of my hospital gown.

“Goodnight Kyle.”

I mustered up what strength I could to reply.

“Goodnight Melissa…”

The next morning, I woke to find Melissa had switched rooms. I felt bad and poked at my breakfast alone. I would never forget the night before.

It was moments such as these that have contributed to my own personal journey with Cerebral Palsy. Moments such as these which have given me with the desire to serve as a Future Health Professional. Moments such as these which have given me the experience to treasure what ability I have each day.

I know you’ll never see this Melissa, but I thank you.

The Reason Why

“Kyle, why do you want to become a doctor?”

Well, I’ll tell you why…

One afternoon, I was instructed to return a patient to their room after receiving a CT scan; however, this particular trip a patient’s room was longer than any other I had ever encountered. This was because this particular patient had suffered severe cerebral hypoxia due to the complete destruction of the trachea during an auto accident. With the patient completely paralyzed and unable to speak, I wasn’t able to converse with this patient as I had with many others before—so I walked only in the company of my thoughts.

Upon entering the patient’s room, the attending nurse quickly assisted me in transferring the patient back to bed. Following the transfer, I couldn’t help but stop in awe as I looked around the room. All around me were photos that adorned every inch of each wall. These photos shared the precious moments of the life lived prior to the accident; a life that was dedicated to serving a family, to nearly finishing an ivy league education, and to serving the local community selflessly.

It was in this impactful moment that I realized why I was truly interested in pursuing a medical career. I desired nothing more in my life than to promote and preserve the highest quality of life possible for all people; whether they would be my parents, peers, or my future patients. The life we each possess is subject to encounter terrible tragedies, but our lives also possess so much potential to protect. This patient encounter was undoubtedly the most moving, human experience I have experienced while planning to pursue a career in healthcare. Never did I expect to be shown why I desired to be a physician in such a way; to realize it from a patient who could not move, could not speak, and could not know that they indirectly made the largest impact in my life—ever.

This is why I have chosen the path of a Future Health Professional.

What experiences have inspired your career goals? I’d love to hear from anyone and everyone; simply comment below or message me via my facebook!

The First Steps

In the long record of a journey towards becoming a physician, these words will be the first I share with you. Everyone has their own journey—the trek from point A to point B. As a future health professional, point A in my journey definitely began as I entered high school. One of the first assignments I received was to write an essay on what career I intended to pursue.

What...?

I'm still trying to meet new people, still trying to figure out if football will mesh well with marching band, still trying to man up enough to talk with the gorgeous girl sitting behind me. Now, you want me to articulate how I want to spend the rest of my life until I hit sixty-something? Well, I've always known I wanted to serve people in one form or another; I've got a passion for that. Perhaps law enforcement would be fantastic since I also like guns, fast cars, thrills, and the occasional donut. However, that's not how I want to interact with people each day. I definitely need a more positive, uplifting work environment. How about becoming a doctor?

After that moment, the dominoes began to fall. Coupled with a passion for serving others and a fascination with the sciences—I had found out that becoming a physician would become my intended career. The second domino would fall as I was offered admission to the Oakmont Health Careers Academy. As a member of the three year college-preparation program, I would take advantage of career technical courses that would provide me with knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, hospital policy—plus an invaluable internship at Sutter Roseville Medical Center! With everything falling into place, I didn't think my pre-professional had much more room for improvement.

I had never been so naive, so incorrect in my life...

As a member of the academy, I was also a member of HOSA—Future Health Professionals; a national student-led organization for students interested in pursuing careers in health professions. Officially recognized by the U.S. and California Departments of Education, the benefits offered included volunteer service opportunities, over three hundred thousand dollars in scholarships across the nation, educational symposiums led by leaders in the healthcare professions, and an extensive competitive and recognition events program at state and national conferences. With all medical schools highly preferring applicants who demonstrate an interest in hands-on experience involving healthcare-related community service, leadership, and academic achievement—HOSA membership provided me with all of the key opportunities I needed.

After I attended my first HOSA state leadership conference in 2011, I was infected with a strong strain of HOSA fever. All under the roof of the Sacramento Convention Center, I joined the thousands from all over California who shared my passion for serving others, insatiable appetite for learning, and tenacity for building a future for healthcare the world hadn't believed possible. It was during my first state conference that I found an unbelievable network of leaders who would soon come to form the most innovative, inspiring, and supportive system I could rely on. Over the course of the next year, I would grow closer with my fellow members who would recommend I consider running for state office. Doubting I possessed the potential to join the ranks of such inspiring, impactful leaders—I would brush away their encouragement to do so.

With the months passing, the day came to attend the Cal-HOSA regional leadership conference. Once again, I joined hundreds of leaders dressed in navy blue, white, and maroon who fired up my HOSA fever. In the midst of leaving a leadership seminar, I approached the California HOSA State President, Antonio Hernandez. I didn't have much to say, other than to offer my thanks to him and the state officer team for their efforts which had provided me with some of my most amazing life experiences. He replied, "Thank you! I'm simply trying to give back what I can to the membership that changed my life." After a pause, he asked me if I had ever considered running for state office; I replied with a no, but my friends had joked about me running before. He laughed, "You should, I think you'd make a great state officer."

...what?

Did he just say I had the potential to lead thousands of HOSA members in the state of California? To speak for them, to lead them, to serve them all? I laughed, "Thanks, I'll think about it." On the way home, I would tell my friends about what the state officer had told me. They all would respond in one way or the other, "I told you so." In time, I would submit an application for state officer candidacy which was approved. Then, I participated in the candidacy process, including a test, interview, and the presentation of a campaign speech before the thousands at the state leadership conference.

After my speech, as I walked down the hall in my blues, I was approached by a HOSA member and his family. The member asked if I would be open to taking a photo with his family, to which I replied yes. Confused, I thought they had mistaked me for a state officer as the photo was snapped. It was at that moment the member's father squeezed my shoulder and said, "I can't wait to tell everyone at work that I met a future state officer." Before my jaw could drop, his small daughter would hug my arm and say, "We believe in you mister!" There are few moments in my life I have gotten choked up, and that was one of them. I thanked them and promised my best efforts if I were to be elected. A couple days later, with stage lights blinding my eyes, I would be standing before the thousands of those who also believed in my leadership potential; I had been elected to the 2012-2013 state officer team as the California HOSA Vice President of Membership.

Since that moment, I have began my college career, participated in biomedical research, and continue to connect with and serve HOSA members statewide. My passion for serving California HOSA has only grown exponentially. With the continued support of the state membership, I now serve as the President Elect on one of the most innovative, impactful state officer teams California HOSA has ever seen. I never thought I would be where I am today, and I never would have made it had it not been for those who believed in me. With my eyes looking forward, I wake each day reminding myself, in this moment—the future starts now.

We all have a leadership story! How have you come to where you are today? Do you have a HOSA story you'd like share? I'd love to hear it! Comment below or message me via Facebook here. Make sure to follow my blog for all the new updates, talk with you soon!