
๐๐ช๐ฅ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐ญ๐บ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐๐ช๐ด๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ?!
It took a long time for me to come to terms with being โ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐,โ let alone feel any ๐ก๐ฃ๐๐๐. I had a complex relationship with the word. On one hand, my body failed me in ways that made me feel I wasnโt able-bodied. On the other hand, my body hadnโt failed me ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ that I felt like I "๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฅโ the title of ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐; as if there was a certain amount of suffering I had to endure to qualify.
Over time I realized that ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐; it comes in all shapes and sizes. But even once I came to terms with having a disability, I still struggled with calling myself ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐. For the longest time I felt like my disabilities and chronic illnesses were something to be ashamed of and that I had to hide from the world. I felt like I wouldnโt get into veterinary school or be employable if I openly claimed my disabilities. Eventually, my disabilities impacted my life and my ability to be successful in veterinary school to the point where I couldnโt hide it anymore; I needed to ask for help. Once I started to open up about being ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐ and chronically ill, I was met with mixed reactions. Some people welcomed me into the veterinary community just as I was. Others judged me before knowing me. They judged me for something I couldnโt control before they could witness the things I could control, like work ethic and dedication. But gradually, I realized I didnโt want to work for or with anyone who viewed me as an inconvenience or less than qualified because I am ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐. I want to work with those who value and give opportunities for growth and learning, not those who feel I have to constantly prove myself because I have a disability. Iโm here to show that ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ฟ-๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ. Itโs not a dirty word you should be scared to say. There is NO shame in being ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐, and itโs not something you have to hide. ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐