Getting To Know Bee!
4.1.18
My name is Brianna Terry and I reside in Baytown, Texas. I was born blind, and at age two, diagnosed with Osteopetrosis, a very rare bone disorder in which the bones do not produce enough marrow, causing them to be extremely hard and fragile. The doctors told my parents I would not live past the age of ten, and if I did, my quality of life would be poor. I would not be able to stand or walk, and would be heavily reliant upon those around me. I have broken almost every bone in my body, some more than once. I am sure it is quite evident that, for me, all the hype behind having my casts signed and doodled on by friends and family was short-lived.
Growing up I lived a normal life, with the exception of the many fractures I experienced. Just like any other kid in elementary school, I had many friends and participated in a number of school activities. My middle school involvement was no different; however, when I entered high school everything changed. I’ve always enjoyed school, and looked forward to my high school days in particular- making new friends, sporting events, high school dances- but those four years failed to meet my expectations.
I attended a school with a population exceeding four thousand students. I hardly knew anyone, and the few people I was fortunate to befriend, I barely saw. Most of my teachers had no idea how to work with a blind student and were not always willing to learn. To put the icing on the cake, I was diagnosed with a chronic infection called Osteomyelidous freshman year. Because of the infection, along with a few broken bones, I was hospitalized several times throughout high school, a total of four times one of those years. It seemed like every time I started to get better and enjoy my time as a teen, I ended up in the hospital.
While fighting to stabilize my health, I dealt with feelings of loneliness and the lack of acceptance among others. I spent many days wondering why no one would talk to me, invite me to hang out, or if I had done something that prevented more of my peers from including me in their circles. I often alluded this exclusion to my blindness and the fact that I primarily used a wheelchair at school. Instead of getting to know me for who I truly was, I believed people judged me based on my outer appearance. Sometimes I even thought about quitting school, but quitting was never really an option. Despite my feelings, my family has always encouraged me to achieve every goal I set, so I did not relent. In fact, when I was in the tenth grade, I decided I would aim to graduate in the top ten percent of my class. I knew being in such a position would allow me to attend any college I wanted; and at the time, my goal was to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Because of my many hospital stays, I graduated in the top twelve percent, which is still a Win in my book! Another side effect of Osteopetrosis is chronic pain, which affects every bone in my body, but mostly my joints and long bones. Some days I might wake up fine. By the end of the day, though, I can barely move. You can probably imagine how much of a toll this took on my ability to work as diligently as I would have preferred, or study as long as I needed to in order to earn more exceptional grades, allowing me to be counted amongst the top ten percent.
To some, I may not have accomplished much, but honestly, being alive today is an accomplishment and blessing in itself, considering where I could have been. Today, I am on a journey to discover exactly who God has created me to be and the purpose He has assigned to my life. As I seek independence and achieve goals along the way, I hope you all are willing to walk alongside me. I am excited for you all to come along with me on this rollercoaster of a ride and finally get to know the real B!