It was a hot summer day on June 26th. A young girl of 22 was expecting a baby. She was standing out with her mom outside in 98 degree heat for what seemed like hours. She had not been feeling well that morning. “Mom this isn’t doing me any good I really don’t want to stand out here any longer.” She said. “Why are you still not feeling well?” Her mom asked. “No and these pains have been getting to me all morning.” “Okay let’s just go over to TOYS R US and pick up Lady and the Tramp for the baby.” They drove over to the store and during the time the pains seemed to worsen as they bought the unborn child his or her first video. When they got home her parents knew that she was having the baby earlier then the planned date of July 4th. She denied it again and again insisting she knew more. But her parents timed the pains and they knew if they didn’t call the doctor and convince her to go to the hospital she was going to have the baby right at home. They called and the doctor said “Get her to the hospital right now!” The babies father was somewhere at a party and it took them time to find him and tell him the baby was coming. 9 hours later it was a girl she had really long nails and more amazingly a full head of hair. She had a slight ear infection but had no other problems. That is problems that couldn’t be seen by the human eye for it was in her mind. She was named Misty. As she grew she was able to learn to walk normally and say a few words. However she was different in many ways. She had a hard time learning to speak in full sentences until she was 5. She had so much energy that she was a handful to a lot of people, teachers, especially her mom and dad. Dad who was rarely around didn’t understand it was something she couldn’t help or control and still to this day does not. She was raised mostly by her grandmother whom she called Nan and her grandfather Bop. When Misty and her mom lived in a government housing apartment Misty spent most of her time in her room alone while her mom hung out in the den with friends and did things that were unhealthy. Her grandmother would come over to play with her and take her places. Misty’s mom was very harsh when she made mistakes or something wasn’t the way her mom wanted it. Still she did love her daughter. She wasn’t socialized much and could not even take part in group activities well. Even with little social interaction she would make friends at day care, kids of her mom’s friends and around her home but that also came with bullies. She had problems especially in school with teachers that didn’t like her because she was diagnosed at the time with ADHA and ADD. That made her a target for bullies who would hurt her psychically and emotionally. Then at home she had an overbearing mother, her dad never around, a little half brother she didn’t see much of, and people she thought were friends take advantage of and reject her. With few friends she didn’t have a lot of back up. When she was 13 she was observed by a teacher carefully and tested positive for Asperger Syndrome and borderline autism. The damage had already been done when she got to middle school and her special needs class and was the only girl whom all the boys would bully badly. The teacher would rarely ever help her and let the boys get away with all they did but give her all the blame. One year later there were more girls in the class that she made friends with. A boy decided to bully her while the teacher did nothing but watch. It was then Misty had had enough of this and decided to take her dads advice and run over to the boy and give him a pounding. She got in trouble with the school but she didn’t care she was happy about it and felt a sense of confidence she never felt before. When she got to high school things picked up. She no longer let people get to her or bully her. Because she was a really high level reader which was a talent she got before she was even taught to read she spent lots of time in the library and the internet learning many different subjects and really showing she was smart when people would say all the time she was stupid. She made The A B or straight A honor roll every report card. Teachers were more helpful and understanding and really helped her in many ways. Growing up she looked up to comedy to make her feel better and liked stand ups. She decided to enter the talent show and do the first stand up act in school history. People tried to talk Misty out of it but with help from some confident teachers and her grandparent she went on the show and did an excellent and funny act. During the time she won many honors such as The National Society Of High School Students and won the Who’s Who Among Americas High School Students twice before graduating with an Occupational Diploma.
She is now 19 years old and going to college with hopes of becoming an Artist/writer/actor. She helped prove that no matter what your weakness you can do anything you set your mind to. She will always tell you “Those who are considered weak are the ones God does most of his work through.”
While she now helps others with disabilities in her church and helps parents and children spend fun times with one another that she never got the chance to do. She still deals with emotional distress with family and past life she is getting psychiatric help to move forward.
The End
07 Aug 2007, 12:32 pm
