My little body jumps out of the car and I begin catching up to my mother as she approaches the office door. She catches sight of me and says, "Where is Mr. Turtle?" "I don't think I need him anymore." Looking back now, my mother must have been surprised but chose not to say anything. Mr. Turtle had served as my constant companion and source of courage for the previous six years of doctor appointments. I was only three years old when I was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that affects my kidneys. It is treated with a steroid, Prednisone; a drug with side effects that for me included: anxiety, mood changes, weight gain and muscle weakness. Over the years, these side effects have affected my academic, athletic and social life. There were days when I …show more content…
This additional difficulty added yet another hurdle to the challenging transition from childhood to adolescence. The day Mr. Turtle stayed in the backseat was around the time I realized that everything in life is a choice. I realized I could be happy, if that is what I chose; I realized I could be a good person, if that is what I chose; and finally and most importantly I realized that I did not need to worry about what I could not do because of my condition, but rather focus on the things that