If you missed Part I, click here.
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Part II: Grade 10
Sophomore year of high school was lightyears better than my first year. The biggest reason was that I had friends to call my own. We were a group of ten girls that supported, loved, and cared for each other. I was still finding my place within their group, but knew that they were the friends I had been waiting for. My friend Kiley and I both had English together that year, and it was a time where we truly bonded. She was experiencing chronic headaches, while I was still dealing with my illness, so we bonded over doctors appointments, missing school, and how our bodies were betraying us. I also received a best friend in a girl named Kristina. I distinctly remember her writing me a birthday card and calling me her best friend for the first time and how excited I was. We’ve talked about it since and she was so nervous to tell me that. It was the first time that we both acknowledged how close we were and it only continued from there.
I was still very ill that year, continually seeing doctors, getting blood taken, and going in for more tests. We were kind of at a standstill with my health, because we had done all the tests the doctors could think of, and there was no clear answer. The overall consensus was that, despite the strange symptom of nausea, it had to be my thyroid. Everything pointed to thyroid, but because my blood work would never show, there was nothing anyone could do for me. I went on blood pressure and heart medication to help calm some of my symptoms, but that was about it. I did, however, find a new doctor that year, Dr. S. What a change from Dr. W. She was so happy and clearly loved what she did. She took the time to listen to me each time I visited and took a personal interest in my case.
In February, I had to opportunity to visit Paris during our winter break with the French department. I knew it would be a hard trip for my health, but it was an experience I couldn’t pass up. One of my friends, Camille, was also going on that trip, which made me less scared. She knew my struggles, so I knew I could trust her to help me and be there for me if I needed it. We had an amazing time! It was ten days filled with culture, language, food, and new experiences. We also visited London for two days at the end of our trip, which was equally amazing. I fell in love with Paris on that trip, and gained a best friend through Camille.
The most important part of my sophomore year was my English teacher, Mrs. Nees. It was her first year teaching after just graduating from university, and we just clicked. I had always had good relationships with my teachers, but Mrs. Nees took a special interest in me and I in her. She was the reason I became a Christian. As I previously mentioned, when I came to Valley Christian, I was an Atheist. I would sit through our weekly chapels, pretending to agree with the songs and messages, but never really taking it in. Mrs. Nees taught me more about Jesus and the Lord’s forgiveness during that hour and a half class every other day than the previous year I’d attended the school. She just had a light that shown so bright for her Lord. You could see God through her and it was the first time I thought, “I would really like that.” Over the course of the year, I continued to talk to her about my health, friendships, and developing faith. She shared her own struggles with diabetes and coming to the Lord, always with a sense of encouragement and gratitude. That year was also the first year I felt the power of prayer. There were so many people at that school, including teachers, administration, parents, and students, who were praying for my health and recovery. I could feel the love that was pouring down on me, despite not feeling better. I started to form my own relationship with God, telling him about my fears, worries, and heartaches, as well as my hesitation with believing in Him. Then one night in April, I had the overwhelming feeling that I was meant to dedicate my life to Jesus. I remember telling Him that I was His and having this feeling of a warm blanket being wrapped around me. It was the most peaceful I had felt in years.
To continue to the story of Grade 11 - A diagnosis and surgery, clik here: My Story: Part II continued.
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