Hey everyone, I am brand new here. Ive been reading some posts around here, and I thought I would offer some advice.
So lets start when I was born. I was born with a smaller left hand. My right is perfectly fine, but my left hands fingers are only about an inch and a half in length. I am 18 right now by the way. I am also missing the middle knuckle on all the fingers (not thumb) and the top knuckles on my middle and ring finger do not move, they are bent a little up there though. The doctors told my parents I would need help gripping things, and that I would need a special keyboard, and that I was going to have trouble in the workplace. After a few surgeries, I was away going through life as a kid. I adapted quickly to my condition. I refused to use a special keyboard. By the time 7th and 8th grade came around, I could do everything any other kid could. I was very proficient at typing (on a NORMAL keyboard), could grip anything really, and didnt have any trouble in any extra curricular activities. I did however have trouble with schoolwork. The cause was I supposedly had ADD. I was put on medication, which didnt help. We went through med after med, nothing worked, until we found straterra. Straterra is a non-stimulant medication, which worked wonders for my schoolwork. I really picked up my schoolwork in highschool. Now, junior year, I got nearly all A's in all my classes, and am now coming off the medication. The reason im coming off is my future goal and dream: to become a USAF pilot. I cant even begin to describe how bad I want to achieve this. It is my dream and I will let NOBODY tell me I cant do it. In order to comply with medical codes of the USAF, I am coming off the medications. My only challenge may be getting a waiver from the USAF for my hand condition, which I hope wont be a problem. I simply wont take no for an answer, I am willing to demonstrate I am perfectly capable of any military duty. I have a feeling the flight doc will try and tell me I wont be able wear military gloves normally, but I would be fine with them. I wear gloves just like anyone else does. I hope to commision into the USAF as an officer, and pilot, through the AFROTC at colleges. I see a bright future ahead of myself. Its amazing how much I have changed since I was younger. I always used to be down on myself, and thought that nobody liked me. I now have a job at Jewel-osco which I have had for two years, and now stock shelves and work in the back. I work just like somebody with a normal hand. I am, of course, self conscience about it a little, and dont bring it up unless someone asks me what happened. I am also, very self conscience about what girls will think about it. This is part of the reason I have decided I will concentrate on my school work and dreams, not getting a girlfriend.
Im just posting this to say whenever something looks bad, or grim, dont just weep about it. You need to have a good, can do attitude. Dont let anyone tell you that you cant do something. If a problem arises, dont just sit there and complain about it, take the actions to fix it. If money is the problem, if you look hard enough, you will find a way to get by. In a nation as great as the USA, you can be anything you want to be, and dont let anyone despair you. Dont ever let a medical problem limit you. Make the best out of what you were given! Have a great attitude on life, a persons character speaks a million words.
Best of luck to all of you in your ambitions!
So lets start when I was born. I was born with a smaller left hand. My right is perfectly fine, but my left hands fingers are only about an inch and a half in length. I am 18 right now by the way. I am also missing the middle knuckle on all the fingers (not thumb) and the top knuckles on my middle and ring finger do not move, they are bent a little up there though. The doctors told my parents I would need help gripping things, and that I would need a special keyboard, and that I was going to have trouble in the workplace. After a few surgeries, I was away going through life as a kid. I adapted quickly to my condition. I refused to use a special keyboard. By the time 7th and 8th grade came around, I could do everything any other kid could. I was very proficient at typing (on a NORMAL keyboard), could grip anything really, and didnt have any trouble in any extra curricular activities. I did however have trouble with schoolwork. The cause was I supposedly had ADD. I was put on medication, which didnt help. We went through med after med, nothing worked, until we found straterra. Straterra is a non-stimulant medication, which worked wonders for my schoolwork. I really picked up my schoolwork in highschool. Now, junior year, I got nearly all A's in all my classes, and am now coming off the medication. The reason im coming off is my future goal and dream: to become a USAF pilot. I cant even begin to describe how bad I want to achieve this. It is my dream and I will let NOBODY tell me I cant do it. In order to comply with medical codes of the USAF, I am coming off the medications. My only challenge may be getting a waiver from the USAF for my hand condition, which I hope wont be a problem. I simply wont take no for an answer, I am willing to demonstrate I am perfectly capable of any military duty. I have a feeling the flight doc will try and tell me I wont be able wear military gloves normally, but I would be fine with them. I wear gloves just like anyone else does. I hope to commision into the USAF as an officer, and pilot, through the AFROTC at colleges. I see a bright future ahead of myself. Its amazing how much I have changed since I was younger. I always used to be down on myself, and thought that nobody liked me. I now have a job at Jewel-osco which I have had for two years, and now stock shelves and work in the back. I work just like somebody with a normal hand. I am, of course, self conscience about it a little, and dont bring it up unless someone asks me what happened. I am also, very self conscience about what girls will think about it. This is part of the reason I have decided I will concentrate on my school work and dreams, not getting a girlfriend.
Im just posting this to say whenever something looks bad, or grim, dont just weep about it. You need to have a good, can do attitude. Dont let anyone tell you that you cant do something. If a problem arises, dont just sit there and complain about it, take the actions to fix it. If money is the problem, if you look hard enough, you will find a way to get by. In a nation as great as the USA, you can be anything you want to be, and dont let anyone despair you. Dont ever let a medical problem limit you. Make the best out of what you were given! Have a great attitude on life, a persons character speaks a million words.
Best of luck to all of you in your ambitions!
