Not every person is born healthy. Some people are born with things that make them feel left out or different from everyone else. I was born with something unusual that made me feel unlucky having it. In the beginning we all thought it was just nothing, but I always had my worries and always felt different. We just always said it was some bump. This “bump” was located between my nose and lips. There’s so many questions I still have but I couldn’t answer. The more I was growing so was the bump. It was like a race to the finish. The more and more it grew the more I felt different and had to things differently. Washing my face or applying makeup would always be a struggle because I would have to be gentle. I would also have to be extremely cautious at cheer practice because of my bump. never really like smiling or being close to other people because it would then be noticeable. When I’m usually asked about it I felt uncomfortable to answer because I didn’t know the answer either. I then started to get bullied for it because it did change the way I looked in all my pictures.

Soon enough was enough and I went to see many doctors. I went to see plastic surgeons, pediatrician and even a dentist. They all said the same thing which was not to worry and that I have a cyst in me. My mom went with the plastic surgeon’s idea which was to remove it and they also had the idea to take my wisdom teeth at the same time. The surgery was also placed on the week before high school which was my freshman year. I was happy and nervous about the outcome because I think it was something else.

After my surgery I remember waking up in the middle of it. All I heard was my surgeon saying, “we are now closing you up”. I felt like I was on clouds and had to get help in the car. The first week of healing was a struggle. I had stitches everywhere. They were under my lip, bottom and top corners inside my mouth. I looked like a swollen balloon. Everything was hard to do like eating , my favorite thing to do. The medicine I was given knocked me out like a light. Every day I would wake up and then take my meds and then after that sleep. My doctor thought about the risk of me getting an addiction, so they only let me have the meds for a few days then I’m on my own. I had to still show up to cheer that week and all I did was basically sit. After that painful week my face went down, and my stitches were gone but the pain from my wisdom teeth were there lasting for a month.

When that painful month was over I got a phone call from the surgeon and they wanted to see my parents immediately for something urgent. I was then told that there was a mistake with my surgery and they found out that when they took it out that it was a tumor and they think that it has ruptured. I was then placed to get another surgery again. This time it was scheduled on thanksgiving break which means I can’t eat during thanksgiving. The second surgery procedure was different and more painful. There was twice as many doctors in the room for when something could have gone wrong. There were so many risks that putting me to sleep wasn’t even an option, so they gave me numbed me and told me to close my eyes.

The surgery did go well and as soon I was done.  the tumor was taken to get tested and was then told that my check up on what it is soon. My mom got exciting news that it wasn’t cancerous and that what I had been a nerve tumor.  After the break, I felt like a whole new person and confident with my smile. I felt more confident walking down the halls and I didn’t have to worry about getting hit in the face anymore. I felt like a new person and happy of my new change. Every day I look in the mirror and always think about the fact I had a tumor inside of me for 15 years. Now I don’t have to worry about it anymore.