A very important event in my life not too long ago happened. Ninth grade started off terrible for me. Not because of school but because of what happened with my mom. More specifically, how my mom's health quickly deteriorated. Within a span a 24 days my mom went from being extremely independent, to needing assistance walking a few steps.

It just seemed like another year up until shortly after my birthday. One night in november my mom had my step dad take her to the emergency room. I had overheard my mom complain about how she couldn't feel her feet to my step dad previously, but thought it was unrelated to the emergency room visit. I figured she had a another kidney stone or maybe was just severely dehydrated, things she's had before. She wound up staying overnight with the doctors still flustered as to what could be causing her pain and lose feeling in her feet. Three days later and still no diagnosis

After the first few days i knew it was more serious than i had thought. Its never good when your doctor's verdict is still “ we can't be sure right now” after three days of examination. After countless cat scans and mri scans they had finally narrowed it down to her spinal cord and brain. By this time she could no longer feel the prick of a needle from her bellybutton down. Finally after seven days and testing for various spine related diseases and conditions they agreed upon a spinal tap to test for Multiple Sclerosis. Finally they had diagnosed a diagnosis, my mom had M.S.

My mom is someone who really hates being a burden to others and would do everything on her own. That is what makes the next weeks the worst. I had to watch mom, who I had only seen truly cry maybe twice in my entire life, cry day in and day out in a hospital bed. My once strong mom now couldnt walk more than a few steps even with assistance and physical therapy. After twenty four days of hospital stay, my mom was to return home since her condition was remaining constant.

The entire time my mom was in the hospital i was alone at my house. Sure my step dad was there, but his working hours made it so i never saw him. Ill admit it was kinda cool having the house to myself but as the weeks went on i really didn't feel like doing anything. I developed a very bad habit that i still have today of coming home and going straight to sleep. Even when my mom was receiving home treatments it just wasn't the same. Some two months later and my mom finally was back at work.

I look back on this almost two years later and it is clear all this definitely had an effect on me. It made me much more appreciative of things i had previously taken for granted. I guess you really do have to have something taken away to really appreciate its true value.