Senior year of high school I had to write "My Quest," which is essentually just my life story. Below is the final result.
Born from two so different in mind, they searched for a name that matched their daughter’s innocence. In Hebrew, Katie means, “one that is pure of heart.” From that point on I was identified as Katie Ann. Like most children are, I was one that could not be taunted by criticism. I was that child that wiped drool from a total stranger, as they did not have the capability to do so themselves. I was that child that signed to other children who where deaf and played with them, when others thought them strange. I was that child that donated her 11 inches of hair to Locks of Love, knowing it was going to a little girl that lost her hair to cancer. I am no longer a child, but now I have started to understand the hardships of life. I am still that Katie Ann that remains pure at heart.Only a few months of age, I was given to a 17 year old to be watched at the family clinic my grandfather owned. My mom was the one to hire her, she thought offering the job of babysitting two babies would look great on a resume for this girl. In a three day period I was shaken several times, losing a lot of my hearing and soon developed a Learning Disability. This young girl changed two people’s lives including mine, and for that my mom could not forgive herself. I regained all my hearing at the age of two with many surgeries. Being different is something I used to think was a bad thing, but over the years I learned being different was what made me who I am.
My childhood was as ordinary as it could have been. At the age of three a dress-up doll arrived in the shape of a baby sister. We grew up being called twins, but that is as far our likeness goes. As soon as we explain that we are not alike we say the same thing at the same time, creepy really. As time passed, so did the houses, dance competitions, and my parents’ divorce. Looking back I realize the divorce was for the best, but at the time I was not happy about my father leaving us. When my father left us, mom became a depressed child like person. I grew up acting much like the mom to my own mother and sister. Acting older then I was at the time made me leave the comfort of acting like a child and more as a young adult. Looking back this helped me to keep my cool in bad situations.
Like most people I am scared of certain things, for example needles and pain. A fear I developed in the 8th grade, had the possibility of death. I feared not having enough time, time to experience what life was really about. That constant fear that this thing was going to destroy everything I held dear. This thing was cancer, a six letter word that ruins lives. Those lengthy months waiting to find out if it would come back positive or negative was- terrifying. I learned I did not have it; but now four years later I find out my 21 year old sweet cousin has cancer of the brainstem. Because of its location it is not possible for them to do much of anything; all they can do is lessen the pain. The last couple of weeks I have spent more time with her then ever before, truly living and spending time with her as every day as her last.
Some might ask what strives me; the answer is to change the world. I plan to change the world one individual at a time, because that one person may possibly be the next surgeon, president, mother or father. So many live with no hope, because life has beaten them more then they could take. To give hope to others, will then give me hope that one person can make a difference. I dream of the day that I can walk into my classroom crammed with students, signing and learning how to comprehend English. To be able to teach my favorite subject to students that have a difficult time understanding English as a written language, would be a career I would love to wake up to do. I dream of the day that I become a part of the Deaf community, to better appreciate their world and language. Looking back over the years, I realize how much my life has changed. Every obstacle I have endured has made me stronger, wiser and a much better individual in itself.
