Essay Winners:
Honorable Mentions:
First Place Essay - Anita Poole
I am the daughter of two injured workers. In May 2002 my father, who had worked at his company for twenty years was injured after lifting a piece of heavy equipment. The injury damaged his back so severely that he will never be able to work in the same profession again. To this day he still has trouble sitting, standing, or walking without pain. As a child I initially thought this would be an opportunity for me and my brother to spend more time with our father. However that was not the case. My father was hurt so badly that the majority of his time was spent either resting in bed or at the doctor's office. Three to five days a week was spent in rehabilitation where there were numerous failed attempts of techniques and pain relievers that only offered temporary relief.
My mother along with my brother and I felt helpless; he was constantly in pain and there was nothing we could do to help him. Our finances plummeted and my mother was forced to re-enter the work force in order to ease the financial burden. Six months after my father was injured so was my mother. A fall destroyed her ankle and lower back. Now the process of rehabilitation and doctor's visits began all over again and more time was stolen from our family. My brother and I had to watch both our parents while they were in pain. I believe that my brother probably suffered the most in terms of lost time. My father would never be able to teach my brother how to play sports or ride a bike. Now simple things such as camping, baseball, football, or walks in the park were no longer possible. The injuries robbed my brother and I of childhood memories.
I was forced to shoulder more responsibilities at an earlier age. It was now my duty to make sure that household tasks were taken care of including house cleaning and taking care of my brother. I was helping to run a household before some of my friends even knew how to wash dishes. I felt behind in the world of new technology and fashions compared to my peers, but I was a few steps ahead in the world of hard times and maturity.
I learned the hard way that BWC stands for Bureau of Worker's Compensation. I knew that whenever I saw the envelopes in the mail that it was more likely to be bad news rather than good. I came to learn that another hearing or state exam meant more physical and financial hardships. State exams brought my parents to doctors, who after less than twenty minutes already decided that they were fine and they could go back to how things were. I used to wish that those doctors could spend a week at my house and then tell me that the pain we were going through was not real.
As I graduate this year, I plan on attending college so that I may continue on to law school and become a personal injury lawyer. Being a part of the vulnerability of injuries has taught me to take what I have learned and apply it to strengthening another family's future.
Second Place Essay - Grace Dill
I walked out of my seventh grade classroom into the sunny September day. My mom was picking me up from school. She was on the phone with a note in her hand. The note read "Emergency!" My mom looked at me with fearful eyes and said, "Dad was in an accident." One question rushed to my mind, "How bad was it?"
Mom and I frantically ran to the car and began to drive to the hospital. As we drove on the highway, there was a small amount of commotion on the side of the road. I was curious, but Mom loudly repeated, "Don't look Grace! Don't look!" We passed the scene of the accident where my dad was hit by a BFI garbage truck. The image of his pick-up truck smashed to pieces will never leave my memory.
We arrived at the hospital and learned the details. My dad works on the road crew for the Ohio Department of Transportation. On the beautiful day of September 14, 2005, he was sent to fix a road sign on State Route 20-East. With his lights, flashers, and strobes on, he was parked several feet off the road in his pick-up truck doing the necessary paperwork. Moments later, a BFI garbage truck came speeding down the highway and crashed into my dad's pick-up truck at approximately 60 mph. The truck was smashed from back end to front end along the driver's side. The jaws-of-life were used to pry my unconscious father from the vehicle. My dad remembers only one thing about that day; stepping off the back porch at 7 a.m. to go to work.
My dad is the strongest man I have ever met. Today, one would never know that he experienced extreme head trauma and underwent three massive ear-to-ear head surgeries, bi-lateral jaw surgery, and one sinus surgery. Our family faced a new challenge with each new surgery, whether it was eating only soup for six weeks or being quiet so Dad could sleep. In March of 2006, we faced our biggest challenge. My father had an infection in his forehead bone which resulted in more surgery and a twenty-two day hospital stay. After work, my mother travelled to the hospital and I was dropped off at home, alone. I now depended on my grandparents for transportation, meals, and somewhere to sleep. I lived at my grandparents' house for twenty-two days. I visited my mom and dad on the weekends at the hospital during "March Madness" and watched countless college basketball games. I cherish each moment I am now able to be with my dad.
After two years of surgeries and hospital stays, everything was over. My dad worked daily on his physical strength to be able to go back to work. He was determined not to be on permanent disability. He still runs, works out, shoots hoops, and fixes cars. And every day, my dad steps off the back porch at 7 a.m. to head to work.
Third Place Essay - Amanda Sidley
My mom called me and my two sisters into her office and I knew by her voice something was wrong. She said to us "dad is allright but he was in an accident." My dad is a utility line mechanic so a million things started racing through my mind on what could have happened. Before I could settle my thoughts she told us that his foot was crushed.
It has been 5 years since the accident but his injury is still prevalent today. The marks on our stairs from him simply trying to maneuver around his own house are still visible. Simple chores became impossible for him, which put more of a workload on the rest of the family. From taking care of him when he could not move around to making sure the house was ready for winter everyone contributed. He is such an important part of this family and farm that when he was laid up because of his injury it had an effect on every part of our family. The part that affected our family the most however was seeing him in pain. Although our family has had hard times with his injury we were able to overcome the challenges.
When my dad is not working he volunteers as an assistant coach for the Ledgemont High School for the girls' varsity basketball team. Although limited to crutches and a chair at times he persevered to never let his injury get in the way of his commitment to the things he loves. The doctors didn't think he would be able to walk again, let alone run. He pushed through and proved them all wrong. We had the help of friends and family to overcome all the obstacles we have faced. When we needed to build a fence for our horse farm we saw the impact of his great friendships. His coworkers pulled together and installed 2000 ft. of fencing and also delivered 3 dump trucks full of firewood to help our family. This gave us a lot of hope knowing we had many people to confide in. We have gone through a lot of difficult times but we have managed to overcome all the obstacles we have to come across.
It was hard and still is hard to see my dad in pain. I still remember my dad before the accident so when he is stopped by his injury it still surprises me. He never wants any of us to see him hurt and that makes him the strongest and most brave man I know. When I found out he had been in an accident it was one of the scariest moments of my life. I have seen him succeed and push through his injury but I have also seen him limited because of it. Our family has gone through a lot related to his injury and has overcome many obstacles. We can still see the effect his injury has on our family and we will always be overcoming obstacles.
Honorable Mention - Katrin Spector
After a wonderful career in the military my father found his dream job as a police officer with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff Department. Three years later he was recruited by the East Cleveland Police department knowing his ability to start up swat teams. A few years after being on the job in East Cleveland, while responding to a large gang fight was involved in a T-Bone type accident, where he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and Medial Meniscus. After six months of rehab my father was able to return to the job he so much loved, but was struck by tragedy again when he slipped on some ice and shattered his knee cap and dislocated quadriceps. Thus ending his career as a police officer.
My father attempted to do other jobs, such as security supervisor and restaurant manager but his pain wouldn't allow him to continue those jobs. I was lucky I got to spend valuable time with my dad that most children don't get. I was able to learn life lessons from him directly instead of over the telephone. We spent time together daily and I was able to learn what makes a person good and or bad from watching and listening to him.
My father guided me through problems such as dealing with my Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis in a proactive manner; helping me through the pain and the problems that come from suffering from this diseases. Dad was able to teach me that saving money for hard times are important, showing me that hard work always pays off. Showed me being a leader is the place to be in life and to do whatever it took and never quit to become a leader. Dad taught me that there are consequences for my actions and that "I don't know" is never an excuse. A lot of children get these lessons at the dinner table, but I was able to get these lessons where ever he went.
My father now started his own business, screen printing and embroidery where he is teaching me again how to deal with customers, how to meet time lines, how to manage money, and that a good product is the only product. We believe to give a good product for a fair price and that will help our business continue to grow. I couldn't have learned these lessons in the same manner without dad bring there 24/7. I became who I am today from what my father has taught me. The lessons learned the many speeches all lead up to who I am today.
My mother was the person who went to work eight hours a day, my father took on the role of raising me. Some people may say that he is a hard guy, but to me he is just dad. When I listen to the stories about his military and police career it makes me proud to be his daughter, but it also makes me sad that he couldn't have finished his career as a police officer.
Honorable Mention - Caitlyn Zarbock
For as long as I could remember my dad has always had an injury. Most of them work related. For years he worked as a truck driver. This caused a lot of wear and tear on his body. It seemed that once he injured himself the first time, injuries kept piling up on him. As a result of all these injuries, he has been unemployed many years, on and off. The longest period of unemployment went almost 5 years because of a back injury which required him to have several surgeries.
My dad has had over three dozen surgeries including those on his forearms, back, shoulders, and knees. He has had a total of five back surgeries, but still has daily pain from them. His latest surgery was a total knee replacement at age 46. He now needs the other knee to be replaced, one of his hips, and also his shoulder.
All of these were caused by his jobs. From these problems he has had recently, he has been unable to find a job and has been unemployed for the last two years. He is not able to do most jobs because of all the pain he has throughout the day and his unemployment was discontinued this past December. Working around the house tires him out severely. After only an hour or two working outdoors, he will have to spend most of the next day recovering and being in a tremendous amount of pain.
My mom has been working extra hours to try to make up for his missing income. Unfortunately this has caused added stress onto my mom, who already has a very stressful job. When my dad's unemployment ran out, my mom was forced to take a large loan out to pay bills and expenses. My mom is now responsible for paying two car payments, a mortgage, insurance, and all other expenses. As a result of this, they will not be able to contribute any money for my college education.
On top of going to school full time my sister and I are working to help support the family and help out the little that we can. We both work at least 30 hours a week, sometimes more. It doesn't make a big difference, but I believe its takes away some of the stress from my parents and trying to make ends meet. My sister and I both give back to the community by volunteering and working with mentally handicapped children during the summers. These kids have a lot of problems and issues that you really need to work through with them.
I believe that people who have been injured at work need the help others can give them. I know from personal experience how tough it is for that individual and that individuals' family when they are off of work due to a work related injury. By taking safety measures seriously and implementing them, so many of these accidents could have been prevented. We need to support these families and help them in their time of need.
Honorable Mention - Andrew Kinzel
A work related injury has definitely impacted our family. At first, life in the Kinzel/Johnston household was divided. After my parents divorced and we moved out of Cleveland to Wellington, my brothers and I were very close, but had little or no closeness with my stepfather, Scott Johnston. I loved him and we were a family, but there was something missing. A bond, maybe, but it was something I had to figure out for myself.
After ten years, I still felt that Cleveland was my home and chose to stay with my dad, in Cleveland, whenever I could. As much as I tried to find that missing piece, I couldn't find it.
A couple of months after my mom, Jean, had been cured of her breast cancer, our family went through another hardship. It was on October 6, 2009. I was in school in the afternoon when our school secretary told me my mom, a teacher at the school, had left because my stepfather had an accident at his job at the Elyria Foundry. That's all she knew.
I was thinking that the accident was no big deal, but as soon as school let out, I talked to my grandmother. She said that a 2,500 pound weight fell on his arm, and Scott was taken to Cleveland Metro Hospital.
I rushed to the hospital with my cousin to make sure everything was all right. Everything was not all right. Scott had lost his left arm. A handy man was without half of one of his arms. At that point, I thought things at home would never be the same. I was right, but it wasn't the same in a good way. Our family has never been closer.
Scott's missing arm happened to be the missing piece in our family. Now, I feel that there never was a time when Wellington wasn't my home. I have grown as a person and realized that a drastic change can happen in an afternoon.
Our family is fortunate enough to come together during the hardest times, which can't be said about all families. I've learned that things happen for a reason, whether good or bad, the result is always a learning experience.
Like Scott says everyday, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.
Essay #7
I used to love arm wrestling with my mom. She would always win, since she'd been extremely strong for as long as I could remember. Her tight grip and powerful arm would take me down in mere seconds. It was just a silly, fun thing we occasionally did together, even though I knew I would lose.
But everything changed in December of 2008. My mom was carrying crates into the library where she worked, fell, and tore her rotator cuff. She seemed fine at first; just a little sore. We assumed she pulled a muscle or possible sprained her arm. We figured that in a couple weeks, the pain would go away, and everything would go back to normal. This was not the case. After seeing several doctors, we discovered that it was not just a small injury - it was a torn rotator cuff, and she would need surgery. I figured it would all be okay after the surgery and she would be back to her old self, but I was wrong once again. She was allergic to the pain medication the doctors wanted to give her, and it took her months to recover.
Even though she was the one in constant pain, it caused me a great deal of upset to see her in that condition. She could barely life her wrist above shoulder height, and constantly needed to change her bandages. She slept more, worked less, and sometimes it felt like I didn't even have my mother anymore. The whole family experienced this pain as well. My dad struggled to keep up with taking care of my brother and me, and at the same time had to work hard at his own job. I had always been used to my mom taking care of me, but suddenly, because of this accident, it had become my turn to take care of her.
It's definitely not easy to keep up with your own life when somebody in your family is hurt. I felt obligated to help my mom and be there for her whenever she needed me, especially right after surgery when she was still in really bad shape. It was stressful to keep up with school and my activities, and I skipped social gatherings to take care of my mom when no one else could. I did my best to make her as comfortable as possible, because I knew that's what I would want if I were in her position.
When someone in your home has a work-related injury, you must learn to make sacrifices. Caring for my mom was my priority during the most difficult times, and even though it was worth it and she's much better now, it really took a toll on our household. She and I still can't arm wrestle, but I'm just relieved that she has been able to overcome this accident.
Essay #8
Have you ever heard of the quote, "A life can change in an instant."? Do you believe that it could apply to you? If you have answered 'yes' to these questions, you can relate to what I will talk about. If you didn't, I am sure I will help you understand.
Everyone has acquired a paper cut or a bruise at some point in time. This means that everyone can relate to the concept of injury. But how many people can relate to a severe work injury? My father has been a prosthodontist for over 30 years and specializes in dentures and mouth-reconstruction. Due to his profession, which involves hunching over patients every day, my father developed a spinal cord injury. On February 20, 2008 he underwent surgery to repair five herniated spinal disks in his neck.
My family's life and mine changed in an instant.
When I was a child, my father would leave before I woke up and would come home after I went to bed. The few days that I would see him were holidays and the weekends, but even then, he still worked. So when I was told that he would be spending more time at home, I was ecstatic. As time went on, however, I saw my father's personality and mood change. From the happy, care-free father to that of a post-surgery, depressed patient, who was no longer as independent as before.
As the youngest of three and the only child home, I had to take on various new responsibilities. From the chores of my siblings to taking care of my father, I had to mature very quickly during my sophomore year.
If you ask for the whereabouts of the rest of my family, I would tell you that my brother is in college in New York, my sister is now married, and my mother is recovering from her own spinal injury due to an infection. I received the brunt of the aftermath of my parents' post-injuries and surgeries alone and accept the fact that I couldn't depend upon my family as much I used to as a child.
In juggling my parent's post-surgery reactions, my new responsibilities, school work, homework, and community volunteer work, there is a lot of mental and physical strain. Handling this situation requires immense mental fortification containing a high level of patience and tolerance along with the knowledge of when to keep your mouth shut. Physically, one implements this by the simplest actions; for me, it was assisting my parents, showing accessibility for moral support, and accomplishing as much as I could every day. Mentally, you have to stop. Close your eyes and breathe. And accept that this is how life is now and that you can't change it.
As much as I believe that no one should ever have any injuries, it is not the way the world works. Some days are worse than others; you just have to take each day one at a time.
Essay #9
Senior year should be a time of excitement, joy, and memories. You look forward to planning college visits, choosing a career path, and plan for the future. And yet my last year of high school has been quite a challenge.
My mother and my stepfather both are employed but my stepfather is the sole provider in our family. My father has been dealing with an injury to his right shoulder for a while now. My father has taken medications, went through therapy, taken cortisone shots, and used heating devices to take away the pain and nothing has helped. Just this past year 2010 he was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and it took months and months of fighting with workers' comp just to get a MRI to show that this was the problem with his shoulder. Now he's fighting to get the needed surgery to repair his rotator cuff. This is a man who is use to working and providing for his family at any cost. Now he's down and out at a time in my life that I need him most. He tries to be strong but I know my dad he's very hurt. It has become so bad now that he has been missing many days of work. My father's job is a construction worker and he has to use his right arm to do his work on a daily basis and with him being right handed it has been very trying. If he could just get the needed surgery to repair his shoulder so he can get back to doing what he loves to do; work. In the meantime, between my mom's income and my dad's short paychecks from not being able to work we are having a hard time keeping up with bills. One of the more important bills is my school tuition. I have been at the same school since 9th grade and I hoped to graduate from there and from there gone off to college. My parents expected the same thing until this injury affected our income. We are behind in my tuition loan for the school, and the bank and my school are demanding they get paid before I am able to graduate. They have been trying to work with us for the past months but time is whinnying down to graduation and now the pressure is really on my parents to come up with this money plus keep our everyday bills paid rent, food, car payments, lights, gas, etc. This has been such a difficult year for my parents, they have always been able to get the bills paid and now my father's injury has lead to this disarray. One thing that hurts my parents the most is that this is my senior year and this is the neediest time of my school years; senior responsibilities and college preparation. It's a struggle for my parents to get me through high school; now they have to face the responsibilities to get me to college. When it rain it pours but through all of this turmoil I have still maintained a current GPA of a 4.03 and hope that I can get through graduation and go to college to become a Physical Therapist.
Essay #10
About two years ago, my father was diagnosed with Histoplasmosis, which is a fungus of the lung that he acquired by doing tree work as a self employed landscaper and orchardist. During his recover, he was hospitalized three or more times over the course of an eight month period. This provided multiple challenges such as financial issues and new responsibilities for our family. These dilemmas were overcome by strength and the ability to convene as a family. My mom, sister and I began by acquiring different household obligations to keep it running as normal.
Each member of the family had chores to complete before my father got sick, but when he became ill, his tasks were added to our list. For example, each evening he took the family dog out one last time before he went to bed. However, when he was hospitalized, this became my duty. With each family member taking on the extra jobs, the household continued to run fairly smoothly during the eight months my dad occupied a hospital bed. Fortunately, through teamwork, we were able to congregate in a time of need as a family. Thus, helping us to overcome the challenge the extra chores gained due to my father's diagnosis of Histoplasmosis. This quality, in addition to familial strength, also helped in overcoming our sudden financial burden.
As many Americans know, hospital bills accumulate when a loved one is ill for extended periods of time. Nonetheless, these bills can be catastrophic and even cause people, in some circumstances, to lose their homes. My family and I did fear a severe financial deficit in our household not only because of the bills, but also because our source of income was insecure. My father is our main resource when it comes to income through his private landscaping and orchard business. My mother works for our school district with special needs children as a bus monitor. This low income job could not support a family if our father did not survive the disease, so it caused concern. Thankfully, my mom's minimum wage job supplies health insurance so this alleviated some of the financial burden. Nonetheless, we continued to overcome the issue by only shopping for the necessities and on a budget. My father's illness established hardship, but also conceived a new family connection.
This situation forced us to rely on one another more than we ever had prior to this dilemma. After my dad received a clean bill of health from his doctors, we understood that this disease brought us closer together. As a result, we scheduled more time to go to that weekly soccer game to watch my sister score a goal or pack into the cold, metal stands to watch the band perform the halftime show at the Friday night football game to support me. We learned that life can construct many threats, but with the foundation of a strong family, you can overcome even the most difficult of challenges such as a work related injury.
Essay #11
I walked out of my seventh grade classroom into the sunny September day. My mom was picking me up from school. She was on the phone with a note in her hand. The note read "Emergency!" My mom looked at me with fearful eyes and said, "Dad was in an accident." One question rushed to my mind, "How bad was it?"
Mom and I frantically ran to the car and began to drive to the hospital. As we drove on the highway, there was a small amount of commotion on the side of the road. I was curious, but Mom loudly repeated, "Don't look Grace! Don't look!" We passed the scene of the accident where my dad was hit by a BFI garbage truck. The image of his pick-up truck smashed to pieces will never leave my memory.
We arrived at the hospital and learned the details. My dad works on the road crew for the Ohio Department of Transportation. On the beautiful day of September 14, 2005, he was sent to fix a road sign on State Route 20-East. With his lights, flashers, and strobes on, he was parked several feet off the road in his pick-up truck doing the necessary paperwork. Moments later, a BFI garbage truck came speeding down the highway and crashed into my dad's pick-up truck at approximately 60 mph. The truck was smashed from back end to front end along the driver's side. The jaws-of-life were used to pry my unconscious father from the vehicle. My dad remembers only one thing about that day; stepping off the back porch at 7 a.m. to go to work.
My dad is the strongest man I have ever met. Today, one would never know that he experienced extreme head trauma and underwent three massive ear-to-ear head surgeries, bi-lateral jaw surgery, and one sinus surgery. Our family faced a new challenge with each new surgery, whether it was eating only soup for six weeks or being quiet so Dad could sleep. In March of 2006, we faced our biggest challenge. My father had an infection in his forehead bone which resulted in more surgery and a twenty-two day hospital stay. After work, my mother travelled to the hospital and I was dropped off at home, alone. I now depended on my grandparents for transportation, meals, and somewhere to sleep. I lived at my grandparents' house for twenty-two days. I visited my mom and dad on the weekends at the hospital during "March Madness" and watched countless college basketball games. I cherish each moment I am now able to be with my dad.
After two years of surgeries and hospital stays, everything was over. My dad worked daily on his physical strength to be able to go back to work. He was determined not to be on permanent disability. He still runs, works out, shoots hoops, and fixes cars. And every day, my dad steps off the back porch at 7 a.m. to head to work.
Essay #12
Although my father, a local 120 pipefitter, has not received workers' compensation since before I was born, he has had his fair share of work related injuries. Often, when my father is injured, the contractor, such as Simplex Grinell, pays for his medical treatment out of pocket because it is cheaper than workers' compensation. When I was in first grade, my dad had a severe back injury at work. I do not remember all the details of his injury, but I can recall him hobbling around like an old man for quite some time. Simplex Grinell gave him a few days of paid time off and sent him to a chiropractor. A chiropractor is a doctor that helps relieve the pains of injuries through the manipulation of bones, particularly the spine, which are obstructing proper nerve functions and causing pain. During my father's first few visits to the chiropractor, I remember staying at a friend's house for hours while he was being adjusted. As the weeks passed by, my father slowly healed. Simplex Grinell aided in this process by assigning him to easy jobs so that he could still earn a wage during his recovery. My father fully recovered from that injury, but there is never a day that goes by when he is not in pain resulting from his job. Pipefitters must lift heavy loads and constantly walk up and down stairs and this kind of work is harmful to the aging body. My dad is 52 years old and is struggling to do the same strenuous work as men half his age. Every morning before work, my father slowly rises out of bed and immediately takes 2-3 Anacin pills just so he can get through the day. Despite his back problems, achy knees, and skin allergies to concrete dust, my father goes to work in hope of giving my sisters and me a high-quality education so that we do not follow in his footsteps. I greatly appreciate all the pain and suffering my dad endures to educate me. I do not want all his suffering to go to waste; this is why I plan to go to D'Youville College in Buffalo, New York. There, I will study to become a chiropractor so that I may repay my father for all his back-breaking work by using my education to help relieve his pain. Winning a scholarship would be a blessing because it is one less week that my dad has to suffer in order to see his three daughters succeed in life.
Essay #13
For as long as I could remember my dad has always had an injury. Most of them work related. For years he worked as a truck driver. This caused a lot of wear and tear on his body. It seemed that once he injured himself the first time, injuries kept piling up on him. As a result of all these injuries, he has been unemployed many years, on and off. The longest period of unemployment went almost 5 years because of a back injury which required him to have several surgeries. My dad has had over three dozen surgeries including those on his forearms, back, shoulders, and knees. He has had a total of five back surgeries, but still has daily pain from them. His latest surgery was a total knee replacement at age 46. He now needs the other knee to be replaced, one of his hips, and also his shoulder. All of these were caused by his jobs. From these problems he has had recently, he has been unable to find a job and has been unemployed for the last two years. He is not able to do most jobs because of all the pain he has throughout the day and his unemployment was discontinued this past December. Working around the house tires him out severely. After only an hour or two working outdoors, he will have to spend most of the next day recovering and being in a tremendous amount of pain.
My mom has been working extra hours to try to make up for his missing income. Unfortunately this has caused added stress onto my mom, who already has a very stressful job. When my dad's unemployment ran out, my mom was forced to take a large loan out to pay bills and expenses. My mom is now responsible for paying two car payments, a mortgage, insurance, and all other expenses. As a result of this, they will not be able to contribute any money for my college education. On top of going to school full time my sister and I are working to help support the family and help out the little that we can. We both work at least 30 hours a week, sometimes more. It doesn't make a big difference, but I believe its takes away some of the stress from my parents and trying to make ends meet. My sister and I both give back to the community by volunteering and working with mentally handicapped children during the summers. These kids have a lot of problems and issues that you really need to work through with them.
I believe that people who have been injured at work need the help others can give them. I know from personal experience how tough it is for that individual and that individuals' family when they are off of work due to a work related injury. By taking safety measures seriously and implementing them, so many of these accidents could have been prevented. We need to support these families and help them in their time of need.
Essay #14
Alone, sacred, confused, helpless, morbid, and lost; these are a few words that describe the emotions one feels when dealing with the loss of a parent. I, for one, was greatly devastated when I learned the news that my father had been tragically killed in the line of duty back in 2007.
Being that my father was a policeman for the city of Euclid, our family always understood that work related injuries could happen, but we chose to be hopeful and optimistic towards his job. We knew that my dad was a caring patrolman who was skilled in his craft, so we trusted that things would be okay. Unfortunately, our optimism was unable to stop him from being killed on the job.
I came home cheerfully one day after a volleyball game to an empty house. Everything was fine until the doorbell unexpectedly rang, and I opened it to view my aunt, uncle (who was also a police officer with my father), and other officer standing on my front porch. At this instant, I knew something was extremely wrong. They soon told me that my father was bravely chasing a careless person who was speeding on the highway when his car hydroplaned and crashed into a nearby pole. Crashing is not what caused his death, though. Instead, it was the fact that the police cars that were in use by the station were not equipped with the right protection, and when his car crashed, the crushed gas tank caused it to catch on fire. Many cars swerved over to help him, but it was no use. His job caused a fatal injury - death.
News like this is very hard to grasp. For a long while I remained in shock. Even though I knew it was my reality, my brain kept wanting me to believe it was all just a dream. For once I my life I, along with the rest of my family, felt utterly and completely hopeless. What were we to do? My mother only worked a part-time job, and my father was our main income. Would money be an issue? Were we going to have to move? I was only fourteen at the time, but I could not stop myself from worrying on a daily basis. I soon learned to cope with this stress by telling myself it was out of my hands - there was nothing I could do. What I could do though, was maintain my focus in school and always remember family comes first. By concentrating on events I could control the outcome on, I was able to calm my anxiety.
While I am saddened beyond words over the death of my father, I am proud to say that he died an honorable death while trying to protect others. While he is not physically here with me, I know he is somewhere in heaven watching down and protecting me, just like he did for his hometown city of Euclid.
Essay #15
Injured But Still Alive
I have depended on my father for most of my life, there is not a single person in my family that I spend more time with, and I can honestly say he has been more involved and present in my life than anyone else other than my mother. My father suffered a severe injury while working on the highway and went through a lot of surgeries. Today he still suffers from the surgeries and has scares to show for it. He was a construction worker, and he made a substantial sum of money and as my father and mother say all the time, "Life was much easier and they did not struggle or worry about the next bill when he was working." Every since my father was injured my mother became a work horse, going to work every day of the week, while my father stays at home cooking, cleaning, and watching over my sister and I. I have learned how to make sacrifices and even help my parents out here and there. Life has not been terrible and I don't feel like I have suffered extremely from it, but I know it is harder and we have to stretch money, but we pull together which requires a lot from everyone in my home.
My father doesn't enjoy not being able to support his family the way he used to and he grows enraged at times because he is unable to provide for me and my sister like he wants to. Even though he has been disabled, he has never allowed it to make him feel as if life has no meaning or cause anyone else to feel depressed or down. My dad always tries to find ways to be involved in our lives and sometimes causes himself pain in the process. He never misses one of my games, and there is not a day that goes by that he doesn't check my grades, but no matter what he supports me in everything I do.
Having my father at home has caused problems financially for my family and emotionally for himself, but having him at home has a brighter side to it as well. Being around my father more often has made me who I am today. I have become a respectful young man, a positive force in society where young African American males are not looked highly upon, and someone who people look up to. I play football, lacrosse, I participate in my community, and I am involved in clubs like International Culture and MAC scholar. I know I am thankful for having my father at home because he has taught me life lessons and educated me on how to be a young man that will be respected in society. If it were not for my father constantly looking over my shoulder and being at home, I do not think I would be involved in any of these great activities that have helped me to become an honor student, and have strengthened my abilities both mentally, socially, and physically. My father has played a significant role in securing a brighter future for me even with the limitations he has to endure.
My father's injury put my family through a lot and still is, but you will never once find anyone complaining in my family. My family and I know that life is relentless and will never stop throwing obstacles in are path, we just have had to learn how to deal with them and adjust. Most people talk about sacrifice and living in hard times, but watching your father suffer because he is unable to do anything, seeing your mother break her back and at times crack under pressure, and just hoping each day things will get better and we won't have to worry is hard, but being strong enough to look at the brighter side of it and to keep our heads up is where I believe my family succeeds and shows true strength.
Essay #16
Work related injuries affect not only the life of the worker but also the lives of the family. My dad is a road worker; he has worked for over 30 years, and had his share of injuries due to his line of work. While these injuries have had a great impact on my mother and sister, I believe they have affected me the most. Luckily for me, my dad has been able to channel his unfortunate circumstances into life changing lessons for me. Thanks to him, I believe I receive warnings and cautions most kids may not have available.
Ever since I have entered high school, my college and career future has frequently been on my mind. My dad is the one man who has greatly influenced those thoughts on a daily basis. As a kid, my memory was filled with the site of seeing my dad come home every day from his demanding and dangerous job of construction. Every time he would come home, you can see in his fatigued face that he has worked harder than most people ever have. From those thirty years of hard work, my dad injured his back and spine. He has had multiple surgeries to attempt to heal the pain, but even today he still feels pain. From those moments on my family's lives, and futures were impacted.
Even before thinking about my career, my dad has instilled the fact that I will not follow in his footsteps. He has always told me that he does not want to see me in the condition he is in resulting from the injuries suffered from rigorous work. Now that I am eighteen and preparing to graduate from high school, it is all coming together. What my dad has been preaching my whole life has now become my motivation to get through college. It has also created a strong bond of trust between the two of us. While I'm away college he will know I'm giving a full effort at creating a great career for myself. He knows I do not want to end up in the condition he is currently in.
Neither of my parents attended a college, so my going through the whole process is very fulfilling to them. I can see my parents eyes glowing in happiness when I graduate from college. Then soon after, working in a career opposite of my fathers. It will show to my dad that despite the injures he has gone through; serious or minor have had a good effect on me. This lesson will not just stop after I graduate. My children will also feel the effects of my father's injures. I will pass on the importance of continuing your education beyond high school. Hopefully they will understand it as easily as I did.
Despite all of the hardships that my father has gone through from his job, it has paid off with the lessons he has passed on. Having that extra person behind you, constantly pushing you to go to college, has been extremely helpful. I can only hope to be that same figure to my children. I don't believe my career and educational goals would be the same without my father's lessons, despite the suffering he went through to deliver them.
Essay #17
My father's foot was cut off due to a work related injury. I was only ten years old when this happen, so I really didn't understand what happen, but I knew our family would never be the same.
This injury affected our family greatly. My twin sister became very depressed, her best friend, our father almost lost his life and she couldn't handle this. Her ten year old mind fell apart just like mine. It drove her mad and now she takes pills to make her feel better. My loving mother became very stress because she had to not only take the role of the mother but also the father.
And you may ask what happen to me? Well I became mad at the world and mad at my injured father. I didn't understand why it had to be my family and I took it out on everyone.
Growing up I knew that this wasn't the way to go. My family grew better after time past but I knew I had to do more. I made a mission to help out others so they would never have to be mad at the world like myself. This swayed my future choices in life and what I wanted to become. I want to become a teacher so I can help children like myself to become a better person then me, so they will know that they have a friend where they can talk to when they are struggling through life.
I also knew that I wanted to help out others in the world. I want to join the Peace Core and teach children who can't afford school. I want my anger to change into a chance at a better life.
I would never say that this injury wasn't a horrible thing because it was, but I thank because of this it changed my life in the right direction.
Essay #18
When asked the question how work related injuries impact family members, I can say from experience that the family as a unit suffers the most. I am the daughter of two injured workers. In May 2002 my father, who had worked at his company for twenty years was injured after lifting a piece of heavy equipment. The injury damaged his back so severely that he will never be able to work in the same profession again. To this day he still has trouble sitting, standing, or walking without pain. As a child I initially thought this would be an opportunity for me and my brother to spend more time with our father. However that was not the case. My father was hurt so badly that the majority of his time was spent either resting in bed or at the doctor's office. Three to five days a week was spent in rehabilitation where there were numerous failed attempts of techniques and pain relievers that only offered temporary relief.
My mother along with my brother and I felt helpless; he was constantly in pain and there was nothing we could do to help him. As a result of his injury our finances plummeted and my mother was forced to re-enter the work force in order to ease the financial burden. However, luck was not on our side. Six months after my father was injured so was my mother. A fall destroyed her ankle and lower back. Now the process of rehabilitation and doctor's visits began all over again and more time was stolen from our family. Now my brother and I had to watch both our parents while they were in pain. I believe that my brother probably suffered the most in terms of lost time. My father would never be able to teach my brother how to play sports or ride a bike. Now simple things such as camping, baseball, football, or walks in the park were no longer possible. The injuries robbed my brother and I of childhood memories we could have had.
Because my parents were now unable to do any physical labor, I was forced to shoulder more responsibilities at an earlier age. It was now my duty to make sure that household tasks were taken care of including house cleaning and taking care of my brother. I was helping to run a household before some of my friends even knew how to wash dishes. I felt behind in the world of new technology and fashions compared to my peers, but I was a few steps ahead in the world of hard times and maturity.
I learned the hard way that BWC stands for Bureau of Worker's Compensation. I knew that whenever I saw the envelopes in the mail that it was more likely to be bad news rather than good. I came to learn that another hearing or state exam meant more physical and financial hardships. State exams brought my parents to doctors, who after less than twenty minutes already decided that they were fine and they could go back to how things were. I used to wish that those doctors could spend a week at my house and then tell me that the pain we were going through was not real.
The times that I experienced in my childhood allowed me the maturity to see what I wanted to do with my future. Early on I decided that I wanted to use my experience to help other families who had suffered like mine had. As I graduate this year, I plan on attending college so that I may continue on to law school and become a personal injury lawyer. Being a part of the vulnerability of injuries has taught me to take what I have learned and apply it to strengthening another family's future.
Essay #19
When a work-related injury hits home, you never know what to expect. This same situation has happened to my father while he was working at Lake West Hospital. My father works as a house keeper in building services so he is expected to clean the hospital rooms and remove the trash every day. However, one day he had sprained his right hand trying to pick up a trash bin and he could not open or close his hand. After that he was put on light duty, only picking up small amounts of trash and he didn't have to pick any heavy objects. This was a very emotional and monetary strain on our family because if my father could not do his job, then he would be laid off and we would further financially burdened especially with the costs of college looming near.
When my father first showed me his injured hand, I saw that it was all blue and swollen and knew he could not do much work in this state. Though his hand looked very grim, he still smiled and was optimistic about his hand becoming back to normal. His full-hearted attitude encouraged me to keep going strong with school and extracurricular activities. With all the school work and activities that I did, the thought of my father's painful injury still hung in the back of mind. It was also hard seeing how my father, who was always strong and powerful, had trouble with the simplest chores. Washing the dishes, taking out the trash, and picking up the groceries were very difficult for him so I had to help him with all of that. He had to eat with his left hand, which was a bit awkward with him since he would always eat with his right hand. One time he accidentally bumped his injured hand on the side of the door while using his left hand to open it and his hand started to swell up again and he had to go to the hospital. This experience was very frightening and I almost thought that they might have had to perform surgery on his hand. Luckily, the swelling in his hand started to go down while he was at the hospital. My father was more careful to watch where his right hand was after that.
With the help of worker's compensation, my father was able to pay for the costs of physical therapy. Worker's compensation also helped my family in paying the costs for cortisone shots which greatly aided my father's hand. Without worker's compensation, my family would have trouble paying for these expenses and my father may have lost his job at the hospital on top of paying for the costs of college tuition. I am very thankful that worker's compensation has helped out family to pay for these many costs and that my father is able to keep working at his job as a housekeeper at Lake West Hospital.
Essay #20
We, as a nation, and a people have suffered set-backs in our life that prevent us from meeting our many obligations. When we are unable to meet the major obligation that puts food on our table and clothes on our back the "set-back" becomes one of a catastrophic nature. Unfortunately, when major injury strikes it makes it impossible to carry out the rigors of our work schedule, but we (as well as our bosses) tend to forget major injuries take time to heal. Americans, like my father, when they are unable to do their job seem to lose the care and concern for their own health and well being and turn their minds to what is needed most in order to survive, money. The lack of decent health care in the America seems to progressively get worse due to the recession. The United States, as a whole, should have care and concern for the American population by allowing people who have been seriously injured ample time to recover back to full health. My father, was injured and because of the severity of his leg trauma and the rigorous nature of his job assignment his ability to work came to an abrupt hiatus.
My father works for the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation, where he cares for the mentally disable. Usually, he works with aggressive clients that give him an extremely rough time. A clientele he mentored for that day rose in a burst of rage and injured my father's leg horrifically. My father came home limping on his leg and thought it would be healed by the next day. In all of my father's years of working , he rarely, close to never, missed a day from work. In fact, he was one of the few employees to receive rewards at work for his perfect attendance for over a decade. This injury he thought was minor grew to an even worse stage over the course the next few days. He could barely walk on it and our family suggested for him to take time off and to seek medical attention. Grudgingly, he decided to take a couple of days off and proceeded to get medical help. They gave him crutches and told him that he would not be able to work for the next several months. Even though my father was angry and disappointed, he understood the consequence for not seeking medical help immediately after the incident occurred. The doctor also stated that he needed to rest in order for his injuries would heal faster. So, this required the family to work as a team to help him every day until he was completely rid of his injuries.
My father's injury caused great distress and was challenging for the whole family. Many hours were dedicated to helping my father recover. Unfortunately, when he was given release from the doctor with restrictions to return back to work his job did not want to fully accommodate them. They continued to give him the large violent clients and he was unable to handle them. He later had to take more time off from work without compensation and this made things difficult financially for us. In turn, his demeanor changed and life was to say the least, no "picnic" for all of us. We somehow managed to get through it. Financially, my mom picked up 2 extra jobs and we all just tried to be a source of support for my dad and each other. My dad still has a limp to this day, but is able to function and is back to work and my mom no longer has to work 2 jobs.
Essay #21
My father is the strongest person I know. I realize that this phrase is sometimes overused and it may seem a tad cliché, but throughout my life my father has always been my solid and constant support system. He is my rock and my "yoda"; my foundation and my counselor. He supported me through my boy-crazed phase, and continues to support me as I struggle in discovering myself. He has been a makeshift tutor whenever the subjects at school seem confusing. Therefore, I have countless memories sitting at the kitchen table in an attempt to remember who exactly was involved in the War of 1812. My dad encouraged taking AP classes; so when I sat staring at a computer screen trying to write a "2 a.m." essay for AP World history, he sat next to the desk organizing his briefcase so I wouldn't have to face the horrors of the dynasties of China alone. He bought me my first piano, and as I struggled with grasping the concept of harmonization he sat and smiled. He laughed through the discord, and applauded even if I completely butchered the works of Beethoven. For every concert, every recital, every audition, I can count on him to be there carrying roses and grinning. He has been there through all of the laughter, tears, and venting sessions that accompany high school; he is the one that helped me try to salvage my first broken heart.
My dad is the reason I am successful. He encourages me to become better, to achieve more, and to never give up. He never doubts me, even when I doubt myself; and I admire his determination and passion for life. When he is disappointed, I feel his disappointment. Therefore, when he was injured at work, I felt his pain.
My father is a chemical engineer. He worked with different gas types, rubbers, and plastics in order to determine which polymer materials would be best for different items. He was passionate in the workplace. However, he also was uncomfortable asking for help, which led to the injury. He was lifting boxes. That's it, boxes. The day after he lifted the boxes he could barely move. The doctors said he had a hernia. After two weeks he was in an operating room and after a month he was still painfully unable to work.
I could lie and say that life at home is perfect, but then the honest nature of this assignment would be compromised. Ever since the injury, life has been difficult. I have had to sacrifice some of my college choices because of financial restrictions, and I have seen my dad lose his spark daily. Individuals on the outside say that we take advantage of Workers' Compensation or the government. The truth, however, is no one really knows the devastating effects of workplace injuries except for the victims and their families. It's hard. It causes stress. It forces sacrifice. However, I know that my family can overcome this battle. My dad is the strongest person I know; he is still my hero.
Essay #22
When most people think of a work related accident "hitting home," they usually believe that only the immediate family is affected. They fail to realize that so many more people are affected then just the spouse and children. When someone is disabled due to an injury at work, the list of people who feel the repercussions greatly exceeds just the immediate family; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends are also affected.
I come from a very large family and have two uncles who have been disabled due to work related injuries. Both of my dad's brothers have been injured while at work. Both being severe back injuries, one happened while on duty as a police officer and the other happened while at work at a factory. One back injury even lead to death this past summer after malpractice during a back surgery went terribly wrong.
Coming from a large family, it is very important to me when the whole family is together and it is very upsetting at a family party when I realize that one of my uncles is not present. The reason for this absence goes unsaid, but we all know why: the pain from his back injury was so bad that day that he couldn't even get out of bed.
Nobody deserves to be disabled due to an injury on the job, but I do understand that accidents happen. Instead of being angry and upset about it, I try to see the best in the situation.: because two of my uncles are/were disabled, I have spent at least one day a week over one of their houses in order to help out with yard work and to simply spend time with them and their family. And on another positive note, one of my cousins received a full scholarship to Kent State University because of his dad's disability. It obviously goes without saying that no amount of money could ever make up for what has happened to my uncle but every little bit helps and every little bit is very highly appreciated.
Essay #23
My mother got hurt and has been off work for almost 5 months. It has been a long and hard 5 months. My mom has been having trouble remembering things, walking without getting dizzy, or pretty much do anything without getting affected by her head trauma. We have been affected in many ways. Not having money to pay bills, to buy food, or anything. Its been hard it has caused arguments and tension in are house. Its been hard seeing my mother like this from all the pain and suffering she has been in. It has been very stressful and upsetting. But I have overcome these feeling by just thinking of the positive. Helping out my mom and not showing my sadness and fear. This has helped my mom not be so upset and has helped her to have less stress. We have received food stamps to help with the food issues. And we have also have received help from welfare just enough to pay some bills. My mom received her tax refund so this has helped as well. But after this money is gone we will have to compromise and find another solution for are bills. I think from my mom getting hurt has brought us together and showed that no matter what happens we still have each other. We will find a way to survive and a way to fix problems. How to help each other in rough times. So I will be strong and help my mother any way I can until she is not hurt anymore. From my moms injury she has not been able to drive. So I have been driving my mother to where she needs to go. Doctors appointments, Grocery Store, Meetings, hospital visits and anywhere else she needs to go. I think I have helped my mom not having to worry about finding a ride or having a ride. Even if sometimes I don't want to take her, I just think she's done a lot more for me. So I do as much as I can for her, to make her life easier. I've been doing more house work since my mom cant do it. Cleaning, sweeping, laundry, cooking anything that's needed to be done. Helping my sister with her homework and helping take care of her for my mom. I think this has made me more responsible, and more grateful for what I have. So even if this injury has brought are family through a lot. It has gave me a chance to step up and help my family. To give back to my mom like she has done my whole life. So I will continue to help her even when she is not injured. Try to help my family out as best as I can. So we started out not knowing what to do and turning to arguing not solving anything. Now we do the best we can and work together trying to make the best out of the situation.
Essay #24
When I was nine years old my family decided to visit the U.S.A. From the moment I arrived here I believed that when the summer ended my family and I would return to Poland. My dad lived here in the U.S. and my mom and siblings lived in Poland. In 2001 we decided to come visit my dad here in the States, but one thing I did not know then is that this summer would change the course of my life forever. The morning of August 15 my mom received a phone call that my dad has been injured during his job. Fortunately the accident ended with him having a broken ankle but that played a big role in our life plans. My parents knew that if they moved now, my dad would not be able to have the medical coverage in Poland since the accident occurred overseas. As a nine year old I never really saw it as a big deal until one day my parents told my siblings and me that they had big news to announce. At first I hoped that they were going to say that were returning to Poland but instead they announced that were moving here permanently. Suddenly I lost the ability to speak I did not know what had happened I felt like I was waking up from a terrible nightmare. I imagined my friends and my family in Poland; I realized that I didn't even say a proper goodbye. The worst thing was that I did not have the ability to speak English. My first day of school was the hardest thing I had to go through in my life. The first few months were hard but soon I made friends and mastered the English language. I studied hard and tried my best to get good grades. I graduated top in my class from my grade school and high school was just around the corner for me. I decided to attend Cleveland Central Catholic where I was able to further my education and decided what steps I wanted to take next in life. My senior year I decided to become a Nurse Practitioner. I chose this career because of my grandfather. Throughout his life he helped many people and growing up by his side made me realize that when I chose a career it would be one that could help others. Many people told me that I picked a challenging field and I would need to work hard, but no matter how many times I hear that I will never give up. As I sit here today I believe that my dad's accident was something that had to happen in order for me to be able to make my dreams come true. Due to my family staying here in the states I was able to further my education and become one step closer to becoming a Nurse Practitioner. I believe that by working hard and keeping focus I will reach my goal.
Essay #25
Of the many jobs I've held throughout high school, I still consider the football field to be my one true place of business. When it comes to an injury in the workplace hitting home, I can think of no better example than what transpired throughout my four-year high school football career. As it turns out, I was born with a butterfly vertabre in my lower spine. In layman's terms, a butterfly vertabre is a part of the spine that is malformed, resulting in the compaction of the spinal cord causing severe pain throughout the body. Furthermore, there was a catch: my birth defect was located in a spot that even the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic had never seen before! On top of that, this injury was most common in retired NFL linemen, yet I was only 16 when my doctors discovered it. In short, my injury has caused me to refocus my life on what's most important.
My story begins during my 8th grade football season when I began to feel pain in my back and legs. The following day, I could barely stand. Several doctor's appointments later with no concrete answer to be found, my dad took me to see a massage therapist. Upon hearing this I was excited because I had never had a massage before, but to my dismay, the session ended with a 250 pound man digging his elbow into my back and me crying like a baby while he did it! Ironically, just as quickly as the pain had come, three weeks later it was gone and I thought myself cured. I had no idea just how wrong I was.
Midway through freshman football, the all too familiar sensation returned in my lower back worse then ever. What was a nuisance the year before had now become a crisis, until one day I woke up and could not get out of bed. It was as if someone had nailed me to that queen-sized mattress, and I have never been more afraid in my entire life! Doctor after doctor was stumped by my condition, until the head of Orthopedic Medicine at Lutheran Hospital saw something on my MRI that everyone else had missed. On one of my final images, as clear as day, was the malformed vertabre. He then informed me about two key consequences: first, the condition was inoperable due to the high risk of paralysis and that I would most likely have to live with the pain throughout the remainder of my life; and second, I could continue playing football because I would not "harm" the vertabre- I was born this way. Honestly, I was just glad to know what was wrong.
My newly discovered malformation affected me as much at home as it did on the field. I would wake up feeling like an old man, tired, cranky, and sore. The constant pain put me in a bad mood. I would quickly become hostile over the most trivial of matters such as cleaning my room, or taking out the trash, due to the constant throbbing in my lower back. In a whirlwind of self-pity and pain, I pushed everyone away who tried to help and I did an excellent job of making everyone around me miserable. My back also impacted my life at school due to the fact that I could not sit comfortably in my desk for more then 5 minutes. Since I happen to attend a school that's has 7 floors, climbing up and down the stairs all day with a 30-pound backpack did not help my grumpy disposition.
Needless to say, I drove my parents nuts! I am not the type of person who likes to admit there is something wrong or ask for help, and this resulted with my mom and dad constantly being in the dark. At first they thought I was just going through a phase as all teenagers do, but after the second year of me constantly being angry, they pushed harder to find out what exactly was wrong. Unfortunately, the harder they pushed, the harder I pushed back. I can recall countless times my parents were bewildered because I was fuming angry when absolutely nothing was wrong. This lasted until the summer before senior year in which I finally began to cope with my pain.
Nowadays, I cannot say I am always pain free, but I can say I have learned to deal with my issues. Constant exercise and some physical therapy techniques have allowed me to manage a problem that was once consuming my entire life. Yes, I still have bad pain days where I am perhaps a bit more on edge then usual, but for the most part I am back to my good old self. Perhaps the most fortunate thing I've learned from this whole ordeal is the value of family. Without the patience and support of my parents I would never have been able to deal with my back alone. The constant doctor appointments, the understanding when I was abnormally angry, and the love and support they provided was priceless: I could not have done it without them. I have also learned to value every day I wake up and am able to walk, run, and move about freely. In conclusion, my injury in the workplace has made me a stronger person, and in turn, made me a better, more appreciative human being!
Essay #26
There is a time in everybody's life that something happens and it pushes you and your family back. The situation may be tough, but I think getting through this challenge shows how strong you and your family are. If you stick together the situation gets easier to handle as the days go on. The situation my family and I had to go through was my father had a real bad injury. The injury that I will describe pushed me and my family back. Back in 2004, my father was an Ohio State Trooper out in Chardon, Ohio and he worked the night shift. My dad would leave for work when me and my family went to sleep for the night and he came back home when we woke up in the morning for school. My mother was not a big fan of this because she would worry about how he was doing especially during the winter months because Chardon is in the middle of the snow bank up in Northeast Ohio. At this time I was eleven years old and I thought my father was unstoppable and nothing could hurt him but I was wrong.
One night on his shift my father had to chase down this drunk driver who tried to escape from him. When my father caught him, my dad's knee kept rubbing into the gravel as he wrestled the drunk driver to the ground. My dad and the drunk driver were on top of gravel while they wrestled and my dad's knee dug into the gravel and then the drunken guy took a shot at the same knee. This wrestling match changed a lot of things in the lives of me and my family.
After going to the doctor, my father found out that he had to have surgery on his knee. After the surgery he had to have another one three months later. Finally the results came out that my father needed a new knee. The only problem with this is that in order to get a knee replacement you have to be 50 years old and my father is only 44 as of today. He was forced to retire because of his knee and at first he was out of a job for a while. My mother started working extra hours to help support the family as much as she could until my father got a new job. As an eleven year old boy I really did not understand the significance of the injury all I knew was that my father could not do as many things as he usually did with me like he did before the injury.
Now seven years later, my father is a criminal justice teacher at a high school and a community college in the area. After his injury, he went back to school to get his Masters Degree and he is now trying to still be as active as he was before the injury. As a family we motivated him and we stuck through the whole situation with him.
Essay #27
"If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes" - Corrie TenBoom. When I was six years old, my dad was in the hospital for what seemed like forever. I spent most of my nights at my grandparents' house wishing I was at home with my parents. I didn't know what was going on; all I knew was that my dad was very sick. He nearly died, but was finally diagnosed with AIDS that he had gotten from a patient working as a paramedic. It was not a quick process, but he started the proper medications and eventually things started to get back to normal.
My dad's disease led to avascular necrosis, and eventually a hip replacement, but for the most part our life was normal. In fall of 2003 I knew that something was not right; I kept hearing little things my parents would say that told me something was wrong, but I didn't know what. I eventually found out that my dad was not allowed to coach my little brother's football team because of his disease. I didn't understand why; he didn't seem any different to me, and for all I knew he was a great coach. There was a huge meeting held in the community where parents from the team and other coaches discussed the issue and someone decided that it wasn't safe for him to be coaching. I didn't understand at all, and my parents, especially my dad, were extremely upset about the situation.
Newspaper journalists and news reporters began showing up at my house to interview my dad. One reporter even helped me with my homework one night. My parents flew into New York City to be on the Today Show one morning to talk about the situation. My dad really wanted the public to know how wrong it was to discriminate against someone for having a disease and he also wanted to educate people so they knew that there was no risk if he, or anyone else with AIDS, were to coach. My dad was extremely brave and my mom was at his side the entire time.
My parents' bravery and strength has made a huge impact on me and made me the person I am today. I am not afraid to stand up for something that I believe in and learn about people before I judge them. I have seen how important doctors and nurses have been throughout my father's illness, which has made me want pursue physical therapy or nursing. I want to help patients recover from illness and injury so that they can continue their everyday lives. My family has become so much stronger through this and it has shaped me as a person. Some experiences leave an impact so large that it can change you forever. So much good has come out of something so terrible and I know God knew my dad and my family could handle the situation and turn it into a positive experience.
Essay #28
Work related injuries are tragic occurrences that can strike unexpectedly, possibly putting an end to those hopes and dreams that you have worked so hard for through your years of faithful employment. When you are injured, you cannot perform at the level your employer needs you to produce at. They have no practical use for your services, and they may terminate their relationship with you as soon as they are legally able to. Your position will be filled, and you will have been effectively replaced. Laying in the hospital, knowing that you have nothing to work towards, no purpose in life, nothing to do after your recovery, you suffer. Friends and family visit you, the doctor's prognosis is good, and you feel better, yet bouts of depression begin to hit your consciousness like a gavel. "Your life is over... Your career is gone... Gone... Like dust in the wind... You can't change it... Is this what fate had in store for me? Why, oh why?"
The medications help, but you know that they are only a small bandage attempting to cover a possibly fatal gash. How did it happen again? Oh, yeah... stupid me. Why did I risk my own well being in order to simply perform my job? I didn't have too, but I wanted to always be the best worker that I could be, giving my all, as always. Now I have no job, I am a burden on my family, why should I live? Is this what happens when you care about your job, when you take pride in your work, when you do the right thing? Was it my fault that I was injured, or could the company have prevented this? Your family hungers for the luxuries that you were once able to provide, withdrawals from the college account become more and more frequent, insurance companies are telling you that you didn't need that surgery, the medication, this hospital bed. Why did this happen to me? How can I move forward with my life when I have such a huge financial crisis in front of me, and no way to pay my living expenses, let alone the hospital bills? Or college? How can I deny my children the education that they deserve, the education that they need in order to succeed in today's world? What am I going to do?
As horrible as this situation appears to be, it is a situation that is replicated around the world countless times everyday. Sometimes the injured worker dies and the family is left with a hole where a loved one used to stand, other times, the injured worker recovers and must struggle through a life without a future, playing an endless game of pain and catch-up. Life becomes miserable, each day is a new chore to be faced with unwavering courage. What can you do? Receiving a settlement from a company like Seaman Garson cannot repair the damage, but it can help you get back on your feet.
Essay #29
In my life there are many obstacles that I had to overcome. Overcoming one in particular, was important because it was affecting my loved one and most importantly it was affecting me.
About six years ago, I lost a family member in my life who was very important to me; my grandfather, who was always there for me when I needed him. I thought my life was over, so I gave up for awhile. I stopped taking school seriously; gave up on sports; was rude to my parents and just didn't believe in myself. This all happened to me in the beginning of the seventh grade but, I over came all of this towards the end of the seventh grade.
The way I rose above this is by talking to this one special person; she believed that I was not this dreadful and selfish person inside, so she came up to me and asked me, "What's wrong?", and "Why are you slipping up in school?" This lady was my seventh grade teacher and she really cared about me. She would take the time out of her busy schedule just to talk to me. But what made me feel good inside is that she understood what I was going through. Her precise words were, "Tisha I don't want you to talk, I want to listen and when you're ready to talk, or say a word, then stop me and then I will stop talking and listen to you." This extraordinary teacher really touched my heart. She didn't pressure me into talking and telling her how I felt. She just let me relax and that made me feel comfortable being around her. I had someone to talk to.
Therefore, I started to improve in my school work and in my studies. Also I told myself that I would try out for the basketball team in eighth grade. My parents were now smiling again because I was now focused on everything. Everything was back to normal.
I love telling people this story because I really thought my life was over because of a death in my family; it changed me inside and out. It changed the way I think, feel and see my life; until someone helped me open up. But what I failed to realize at that time is that I actually learned something important, that I will take with me for the rest of my life, through high school, college, my career and what ever opportunity comes my way. I learned that obstacles are an opportunity for you to get better. That doesn't mean I can control what happens in life but I can control how I react to those things. And I reacted to my feelings in the wrong way but I got something out of it, a lesson learned.
The way this lesson that have been learned, will make me a better student is because now I know when I'm stress or going through something personal, I can just go talk to somebody about it. For that reason, when I face any kind of drama, internal or external conflicts with others or personally myself, I know I can just go talk to somebody about it. Talking will resolve my problems and relax me.
Essay #30
I was raised by a single mother who worked in spite of great physical challenges. At the end of my seventh grade school year, she incurred a work-related injury while at the non-profit she was employed at. As a result of the incident, she needed to have her ankle reconstructed. Our well-run household threatened to topple-over without the captain at the helm.
At first, the injury seemed minor enough; after all, she had merely tripped while carrying a box to a minor event. However, over the next twelve hours, the foot and ankle swelled. Even with the support of an ankle brace, she was in a tremendous amount of pain. My mother has an A.M.D. (Almost-Medical-Doctor), so she knew that she needed to see an Orthopedic Surgeon because something was ripped. She made the decision not to because in two weeks she was running an event that she had worked on all year, she was afraid that if she went to the doctors she would either need surgery or be unable to walk. Because she had been at the agency for only a little over a year, she feared losing her job as an unintended consequence. Though she was aware she had twelve weeks of medical leave she feared there would still be long-term repercussions for her employment. For the next two weeks she walked on a swollen foot in order to get through the event. By the time she went to the doctor, she found out she had been walking on a broken bone, causing additional damage to her foot. Three days later she received a five-hour operation to repair the foot and ankle, which was followed by a twelve-week recuperation period.
Over the next twelve weeks, managing life around the house was difficult because our mother was unable take on her usual responsibilities. This meant that my sister and I had to navigate much of our own care and self-direct many of our own activities. We are lucky that my grandparents live within a ten-minute drive and were able to offer support during the day, but it was still extraordinarily difficult seeing my mother in excruciating pain. However, going through this negative experience strengthened my independence and exposed me to one unjust aspect of our world.
Stemming from this as well as other experiences, I plan on dedicating my next four years in college preparing myself for and the rest of my life working towards creating a more just society. One way I plan on making a difference is by attending law school and going into public policy law. By becoming a legal scholar and working in public policy, I hope to alter the law to make dealing with medical injuries in the workforce safer and more reasonable. Throughout my collegiate studies, I will prepare by receiving the best grades possible and absorbing valuable information. Though I was fortunate enough to have other family members live nearby who were able to help, I realize that for many families, this kind of situation could be even more detrimental. It is my goal to become a true thinker, a compassionate advocate, and "the change I wish to see in the world."
Essay #31
"Quitters never win and winners never quit." This is a quote that my dad has always taught me to live by. It is my motto and a very powerful one, especially since my dad's injury. Two years ago as an construction worker, there was nothing that my dad could to do to fix up a house. One winter morning while standing up on a ladder on the side of a house to fix its gutters, the ground below him was icy. The ladder slipped and made him fall to the ground on his back. In the previous years he had already had surgery on his back and had a disc placed in his spine. Because of his work related accident, he ended up dislocating the disc in his back again from this severe fall.
Without health care things became hard for him, my family and me. Eventually I had to start taking on more responsibilities inside and outside of the house. Since my dad had a difficult time carrying heavy things, I needed to carry more groceries than usual. I did not want to see my dad in pain so I did it out of the kindness of love from my heart. I helped cook dinner more and I catered to my dad whenever he needed the assistance. I helped out in anyway that I could even when I had homework or something school related to do.
Since my dad was always the leader of the house, I basically took on that responsibility as well. It was a challenge because it made my life harder. Nevertheless, this experience made me stronger. My family and I had to take on some of the male responsibilities around the house such as fixing things. For an example, my dad was always the one who made sure that all the appliances was working properly. After his injury, he had to tell us what to do in order to fix something when it went bad.
Our love is unconditional, therefor I knew that I couldn't give up because he would never do that to me. The quote "Quitters never win and winners never quit," is the quote that I take pride in everyday now. I will never give up on anything because I want greater things in life. I feel that I deserve this scholarship because even though this was a challenge for me, I never gave up on my dad or my family because I love them with all my heart. I am a winner and not a quitter.
Essay #32
Any type of injury can be devastating. It affects families financially, emotionally and physically. When an injury affects your ability to work, that is when it hits the hardest. There have been times where it has been very difficult to make ends meet. My father has been affected by several injuries and health problems and they seem never ending. Unfortunately, there have been some hard times in my family from the injuries and the other health problems my father has sustained. For a long time now, my father has been suffering from injuries and although my family has been affected by them, every time we try our hardest to persevere and get through it.
When my father was forty-one years old, he had a heart attack. At such a young age, my family was very shocked and devastated. Knowing how traumatic a heart attack could be, we knew his heart would never be a 100% again and that he was at risk for future heart problems. The doctor told my mother, that because he was so young, his heart attack was caused by stress from work and heredity. He was out of work for six weeks, but luckily he had sick time to cover the six weeks. Although he was still getting paid, it was difficult to pay the hospital expenses. With my mother not working and two young kids, times were tough emotionally and financially during this time.
A couple years later, my father sufffered a hernia at work and had to undergo surgery. He was out of work for another six weeks and this time he did not get paid. At this time, it was very difficult to make ends meet. My parents had two kids in Catholic school and my mother was not working. This was very difficult, financially, because we had no source of income. It was very difficult for my family to pay regular bills and on top of all that, medical expenses. With no assistance at first, money was very tight, but after a few months of hardship, my parents were lucky and fortunate to get help from Workers' Compensation.
About three years ago, my father had a defibrillator put in to help his heart because he was having several problems with it. With this new defibrillator came a lot of restrictions. He could not work with power tools or machinery, which is what his job consisted of, because it would cause the defibrillator to go off. This ended up putting my dad out of work indefinately. Although he gets his disability check every month, it is less than he made when he was working. At first it was difficult to get used to, but with my mother working two jobs we were able to make it work.
Currently my father is going on his fourth month in the hospital with problems related to his heart, stemming from his heart attack. There were times that we were very close to losing him and yet he pulled through. With these ongoing problems, this will be the hardest problem to overcome. With many hospital bills, it will be very difficult to pay them off and to pay for college, but with patience and determination, we will try our hardest to make it work.
Essay #33
I am from a little tiny island called Saipan in the Marianas Pacific. I come from a loving and caring family, although, it was far from perfect. Growing up as child, I never really had a father figure to look up to. In 1997, my mom and dad separated when I was four. My father moved to the United States with another lady, and I was left alone with my mom. It wasn't easy for my mom to be a single mother raising two kids, going to college, and working at the same time. We would always have to move from place to place, looking for cheaper rent or more convenience. Then I would have to go to a new school and make new friends every time I moved, and nothing was ever pleasant. When my mother went to work and college, she obviously could not watch my brother and me, so she would have drop us off at my grandma's house. I love my grandma even though she was my father's mother; she took care of me, fed me, and most importantly love me. She was my second mother, and I love her for that.
Four months later my mom met this guy. She wasn't ready for any relationship because she had bigger problems to deal with; taking care of her two kids, holding a job, and attending college. She slowly accepted him and he was later introduced to the family in December of 1997. During the years we have spent together, my brother and I slowly considered him as our father. I saw that he and my mother were getting serious and how much they cared about each other. I believe my mom deserves the best and should be happy with her life. Four years later, my mom got pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl. My mother's life was slowly getting better every day. She would always work hard to support her family and never gave up on us. A year later, something magical had happened. On June 22nd 2002, my mother got married, and I have never seen her so happy. The following year my mother gave birth to a girl. We were very excited for a new member to the family.
I finally had a father figure to look up to, a man, other than myself, to care and love my mother the way she deserves to be loved and taken care of, and someone to watch over my family. He accepted me and my brother as if we were his own sons. Without him I don't know where I would be today. I might have been some troublemaker my mom couldn't handle and end up going to jail or doing drugs. He was very strict and harsh when I would get into trouble or when my grades in school were dropping. It was all because of this man that I ended up getting my act together, focusing in school, and learning to appreciate my family more. Now I know all he wants is the best for me and to see me grow up as a young, well developed man. I love him for what he has done for me and my family and I wouldn't know how to ever repay him. Even though he is my stepfather, I consider him my real father who loves and cares for me, which is how a real father should be. He is honestly an angel sent from above to help save me and my family.
In my high school years I have always wanted to become an engineer. I am naturally gifted in math and science. I love solving problems especially when they get intricate, because it gives me the drive to excel and to complete the task. Throughout my years in high school I strive for the best result that I can achieve, whether it is academically, generosity, or leadership. I work hard in my classes and rarely am bewildered by a lesson being taught, because I would ask questions or relative meanings if I did not fully understand. During the beginning years of high school I was determined to work hard and try to become one of the top ten outstanding students. My pride, focus, and determination led me to a good start even though I was enrolled in an overpopulated school system. What led me to this goal was back in junior high school I did not succeed in becoming one of the top ten students. It was all because of one class I had a C in, which was English. From that moment on, I was sure not to let any of my courses drop below my academic standards. I was glad with my standings throughout my high school year until my junior year. I was ranked number five in my entire class and was very proud of myself. Then my parents told me the bad news, I was moving. I was devastated once I found out I was moving to a small town called Glennallen, Alaska. All that was running through my mind was friends, family, and most importantly school. I thought all of my hard work would go to waste. I could not cope with the fact that someone had taken my place and I could no longer become valedictorian. I felt stress over my shoulders, tears sliding down my checks, and pain in my heart. I tried everything to convince my parents to stay for two more years, but unfortunately their jobs were more valuable.
Going to a new school was nothing for me to be excited about. I did not want to start over again. I had already planned who I was going to graduate with, who I was going to college with, and what I was going to do with my life. Making new friends, gaining trust from new teachers, and gaining respect in a new school wasn't any part of my plans. Life as I knew it, we have to continue our journey and move forward.
Finally, one year after settling down in Glennallen, Alaska, I thought all my moving troubles were over. Plus, I was selected to be Glennallen's 2010-2011 valedictorian. I was so grateful and so ecstatic that my dreams had come true. The first thing that came to my mind was that college will be paid off without my parent's help. Unfortunately, my mother told me that we were moving once again to Wadsworth, Ohio so that we, as a family, can be together with my stepfather, Chong Won. I did not want to start all over again, especially during my senior year. I did not know anyone there and I did not want to feel left out. I wanted to stay because of my full-ride scholarship to college. I was so devastated. All my hard work had gone to waste. Understanding my mother's decision, I did not fuss and fight about moving once again.
It is my senior year at Wadsworth High School in Ohio. Because of the rules and regulations of becoming valedictorian, I could not be eligible for the running of valedictorian. Therefore, I could not get a full-ride scholarship to any college at all. I was so overwhelmed because all that were going through my mind was college. How would I pay for college? Where would I get the money? Would my parents help me pay for college? Would I even be able to go to college?
Inundated with the thought of college, I wept to my mother about all the stress I was going through. Let alone, my stepfather is going to college himself to better his and the family's life. Because my father is struggling financially with the funds of college, it makes me wonder if I could even economically survive the funds of college myself. All my parents could offer me for college is their love and support.
Essay #34
I never really talked about the impact my mom's injury had on my life. Even writing this essay I'm almost in tears thinking about the words I'm about to say in this essay. I decided to use this essay as a form of therapy to help me heal in some kind of way. Before I start talking about my situation I would like to give you some background information about what was going on before this work related injury hit my home.
My mom is a single mother of two children and divorced to my father that was cruel to her. My mom was always told by men, outsiders, and her mother that she would never be anything in life. This is why I was so proud of her when she got her bachelor degree in criminal justice a few years ago. Now looking back I remember my mom complaining about her Cleveland schools education and her going back to school over the age of 30. After getting her degree she had a hard time finding a job so she started working 3 jobs outside her degree. Not using her degree was a disappointment but we were still doing well. My mom even bought me a brand new car because of my good grades. I was a freshman then and by the time I graduate my car would have been paid for.
Then one day my mom came home in pain and that's when everything went downhill. She said she fell on the job and her legs hurt. Months later she is off of work and everything I had was being taken away from me. My mom also told me that my car might be taken away from me. When she told me that I almost cried but I didn't because I knew that my mom was in more pain. So now ask yourself how you would feel if you told all your friends and family that u got a new car but now every time u walk out your door you know there's a chance that you might not see your car sitting outside. But at the end of the day my car was the least of my problems and pain.
I think what hurts me the most is the disappointment my mom feels when money comes up in a conversation. She sees that her own daughter is not going to prom and not being a part of senior's fun activities that teens do their last year of high school. There's also a great chance that I'm not going to my national honor society program. All I can say is I walk around with my head up trying not to show others teens that I'm poor and depress. There is only one good thing that came out of this situation and it is the fact that now I am a better person.
Essay #35
The most devastating situation that I have experienced happened to my grandmother. Denise Barkley is guardian and grandmother. She worked at a group home, caring for mentally retarded adults. She had performed these duties for years and she really liked the work. My grandmother was very active, she liked shopping. She liked to visit friends and family. Granny really liked being around her grandchild. We especially liked to go shopping at Dillard's, Macy's, and Nordstrom's and to Wal-mart for groceries.
How the illness all started is when my grandmother was placed in and out of the hospital. For many different situations like her blood pressure and her sugar. Then around the fall of 2009 my grandmother was placed back into the hospital. The Doctors told her that her kidneys weren't looking good, and that they needed to do some different types of test. Them about 2 months later her kidneys didn't get any better, so the Doctors placed her on Dialysis. Having to be on dialysis effected my grandmother pretty bad. My grandmother could no longer work anymore. The things she uses to do she wasn't able to do anymore. After being on dialysis for 3 hours she is so tired and sleepy she just come home and sleep. Another thing that bothered my grandmother was how, was she going to be able to support me, my sister Denise and my cousin Kandeisha. The money she was making every 2 weeks she wasn't making anymore.
The illness affected my family pretty bad as well. Many of my family members knew my grandmother was going to need some physical and financial help. So my Aunts and Uncles would give us money here and there for doing little things for them. Like babysitting, cleaning up and washing their clothes and even doing there hair every 2 weeks. My great Aunt helped us out a lot she helped me and my cousin Kandeisha get a job through the Cleveland Youth Summer jobs. We were so thankful for that because my cousin was going off to college that fall, and she needed some extra money for college. My grandmother was also thankful to because she didn't have any money to support her.
How I overcame the challenge is that I never once complained about the situation. There were things that I wanted but knew that they weren't things relevant to my needs. There were people who talked about me and my family situation. The things that people said never affected me; I just smiled and walked away. I was thankful for every night I ate dinner, had somewhere to sleep at night and some where to live. I went to school everyday and now I'm currently a senior in high school about to graduate in June. I'm planning to attend college at Cleveland State University, for a major in nursing and a minor in Spanish. In conclusion as I thought back about the things and situations I have been through I am truly blessed and honored. I have made it this far and life I could have truly given up on life and my education.
Essay #36
I have six siblings including my self that need to be taken care of financially because they cannot take care of themselves at their young ages. I recently had an injury happen to my step father. He had gotten extremely injured in a semi truck accident. He was driving on the freeway and another car swerved in front of his semi truck and he crashed. The police and the fire department had to come to help pry him out of the semi truck. He hurt his back and his legs and can barely even walk without being in a lot of pain. This has made it extremely hard for my family to over come this burden because they have to pay for me to go to college and the needs of my other six siblings. My mother is out of work as just like my step father so we have no money for anything especially for me to have my dream of going to college to be a lawyer. We try to over come this by everyone helping with simple day to day needed things and not buying anything we know that we cannot afford right now. We don't by unnecessary items and we just try to do our best with what we have. They both try to find jobs to support our family even I try to find work but with a minimum wage paying job that's not enough income for this size of a family. Without this scholarship I won't be able to have any money for college. My step father will not be able to work anytime soon and he has been out of work for a while now while actively seeking a job he can't walk without being in pain. He tries to do everything he can to support our family but there just isn't enough income to go around for much especially to support many thousands of dollars for me to get a college education. My dream is to be able to attend the best University that I can and get a degree in law to be able to help my family with financial situation. But at this moment in time with the financial burden that my family has it doesn't look like that will be possible unless I can gain a lot of scholarships to provide the money for me to attend any college. This can be my only opportunity so if you can help me to have the college opportunity that I dream of I would be so thankful for it. Getting the best education is a big part of my life that I need to be able to happen so that's why I am taking advantage of every opportunity that I get to get any money that can go towards my college education to give me the best future that I can possibly receive in my life time.
Essay #37
This essay is about my uncle's work related injury and how it affected not just him, or me but, how it affected our entire family mentally and financially.
A little over one year ago my uncle fell off a tow motor at his job. He went to the doctor and they said he tore a bunch of ligaments in his shoulders. This forced him to stop working and go into retirement. With all of the surgeries it forced my uncle to spend money that he did not want to spend at the time.
My uncle was financially stable so he did not need much help money wise. But the one thing that he could not stop was the emotional stress that it would put on our family. I cannot speak for how my family felt at the time, but I know I was worried about him a lot. My uncle is like my father, since I do not have a dad in my life. I often make fun of him because he is always hurting but, I believe that was my way of making sure my uncle was ok and not in a lot of pain.
After all of the surgeries were over he was still in pain, but he still handled all of his responsibilities like nothing happened. Watching the way he handled that made me realize that if he can fight through all of those injuries I can for sure fight through whatever happens in my life.
What I would like to see happen is that a psychiatrist office open for the family members of the injured victim. Because if I was worried about my uncle I know some people are worried about their parents and kids even more than I was. I think it would help for them to get their feelings about the situation off their chest.
Essay #38
Work related injuries are nothing to be taken lightly. Thousands suffer from the pain of these injuries everyday, much like my mother has. Her injury occurred at the end of July 2010 and today still suffers from it today. Instances like these affect many aspects of life, including myself. It is very difficult to watch someone deal with something such as a work related injury. It has made me appreciate everything that my mom does even more, and has even given me more drive to go to college.
My mother is a single parent who does everything she can to support me and our family. It never dawned on me exactly how hard she works until she came home with a pain in her back due to years of doing the same thing everyday in a factory. That day I went with her to urgent care, and later she discovered she would have to go to physical therapy because of her injury. No one wants to see a family member in pain, and unfortunately I see it often. This injury will affect her for life, and she took time off work because of it. It was a difficult time, but a learning experience. I know my mom worked so hard for everything we have that it hurt, literally. Ever since then I have been even more proud of what I have, even though I know there are better things available. Her determination to care for me is truly an inspiration.
I thrive off of this inspiration she has given me. Today I am a college bound student with a 4.1 GPA and third in my class. I pay many thanks to my mom for helping me get where I am. Her injury does cause an issue when it comes to paying for college, however. The time she was at home and in pain could have been put towards my education. It is not something I can be angry at, but something I have to accept that happened. Hopefully with the help of this scholarship my mom can be at ease knowing that time was not lost, and there is a way to pay for my college expenses.
As I write this essay today, my mom is laying on the couch in pain because of her job. It is sad, but at the same time it gives me a drive to pursue a degree and get a job outside of a factory. I know she doesn't want me to go through what she has, and going to college is a dream we both share. Anything I can do to see my mom smile is a goal for me, and going to college would make her do so. Knowing that she goes to work everyday and is in pain because of it is devastating, but reality. This is the reality no family deserves.
Essay #39
On January 6th, 2011, my mother had a freak accident at work. She is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and deals with sick babies while attending high risk deliveries.
My mother was at a meeting at work in a crowded room. She got up from a chair and fell straight down on her right side twisting her ankle. She fractured her right ankle, and was off for four days before returning to work in a boot cast. She still does a lot of walking, and has to drive with her left foot. She did not want to take any more sick time so she is working with a boot cast.
I have tried to help my mother by driving her when I could, doing the housework, laundry, and making dinner. It is difficult for her to walk up and down the steps. I also help with the school work of my three brothers who are on the autistic spectrum.
My mother is very active usually and this has slowed her down some. She does not know how long she will need the boot, and has to go back to see the bone specialist at the hospital she works for. Until then, I will keep helping her as much as I can. I hope that she gets better, and that it does not get worse by her walking on it. She has never broken anything before, and does not know how it will heal.
Essay #40
A few years ago my dad worked for the HIghway Sate Patrol when a truck hit his partners car. They were both trapped inside as the truck dragged them down the highway and it caught on fire. This horrible accident caused my dad to have horrible back trouble and he stopped working there. Since he stopped working, he has stopped paying my child support. Although my mom is remarried, my step-dad is very sick so I live in a one income household. We used to rely on the child support for help and without that extra income, things have been very tough. Not opnly is very step-dad sick and unemployed, but I am a sickle cell patient, so my medical bills and medications can get very costly. My dad was also supposse to pay half of my fees and medical bills but he doesnt pay that either. This is why I would like this scholarship. Without my dad's child support, college is looking very hard and thjis scholarship would help so much since my dad lost his job due to his accident while on duty.
Essay #41
My mother ha d a work related injury last February. While at work, my mother was walking down the front stairs at her office and somehow fell down the last three. To knee from landing face forward, she cushioned the fall by turning on her right side, thereby causing damage to her knee, side, ribs, and primarily her shoulder. My mother had to go to the emergency room for her injuries. Several X-rays and MRI were completed. My mother underwent eight weeks of physical therapy two to three times per week. In order to do so, she would have to either go during work hours and not get paid, meaning less money coming into the house hold or she would have to go after work and miss out on all of my after school activities, such as ,wrestling matches, and other programs that I was involved with. Of course we could not afford for her to miss two or three days of work per week, so I was the one that had to suffer because she could not be there to support me. This was difficult because ever since I was five years old, my mother has always been present for all of my activities, even if I sat the bench or stood on the side lines. My mother was always there.
This injury has affected how she handles home as well. Since her shoulder is still not 100%, she can not do all of the things she use to do at home. Mopping, sweeping, cooking, driving and even doing her hair is still difficult. I did not realize how much you need you shoulder. When it comes to driving, my mother can not turn around and back up the way she used to because of the pain in her shoulder. I now have to do the mopping and sweeping because it is too painful for my mother. When I see my mother struggle to do her hair in the morning, I see the pain in her face as she tries to lift her right arm to comb her hair. If she is just sitting around and relaxing, a sharp pain just shots through her arm.
Despite the pain she is in, my mother never complains and says that if she can do something because of her injury, she will just suffer through the pain. My mother is done with physical therapy, so now when I wrestle, the only person I look for in the stands is my mother and she is sitting right there cheering me on.
Essay #42
Injury. What is it? Some people would claim it to be a physical pain that would inhibit further physical activity. I would like to bring to the table another possibility. Yes, that description holds water in most cases, but the types of injuries that seem most to effect households, and definitely my own, in the long run would have to be emotional injuries. My father works at Lincoln Electric in the IT department. The job pays well, the work itself is safe, the air-conditioning isn't so great, but that is beside the point. Where my father has never been hurt physically from his job, the emotional scars from that cubical, that world even, reach far from vocation and into the tenderness of our home.
My home breaks the mold of most I have seen. We eat together, laugh together, and honestly live together. I know my family better than most know their best friends. My father and I have breakfast together every Sunday morning at Panera. I get a delicious bagel with hazelnut cream cheese and my father will get the breakfast sandwich washed down with a piping hot cup of coffee while I sip on a not so piping hot cup of ginger peach tea. During these times, I have been able to peer into his life at work, and from there I have seen pain. Discussions on his boss, mundane actions and loss of what he truly wanted to do sprinkle to the top every once and a while, and when they do, his life makes so much more sense.
These occurrences at work do not stay there in the least. They spill over into our home, especially after Christmas or when the drive is slow. Our normally beautiful home turns into a place of stress and resentment and brewing hostility as our father's mood and emotional injuries from work ooze into the fabric and seams and carpeting - intoxicating the very air. For example, only during these times of emotional injury or pain received from a cutting remark by the boss, or overworking, even going into the weekend and taking him away on Sundays, will my father go upstairs and lock himself into his office and watch movies. Only during these times will our normally hospitable dinners turn into silence or awkward laughs.
These times of injury have been far reaching in my life. However, this is much more easily seen in the relationship of my mother and my father. My mom can detect these from a mile away and gives us a warning, but this should be a telling sign of the emotional injury of work stressing the relationship of my parents. How sad is this that things like a cut in salary, a cut in bonus, a cut in words, or a cut in air conditioning should detract from the depths of love or the richness of a family.
Essay #43
My step dad works for a farmer's cooperative, and over the summer he was fertilizing a field when he parked the tractor and tried to step out of the cab. When he tried to step down his foot hit a large rock and fell. A bone in his knee chipped off and carved a circle in the bone that was still intact. For about a month and a half, we lived off of my mom's paycheck. It was quite difficult, because I was only visiting them in Oklahoma for my summer visitation. My step dad's injury brought upon a huge financial struggle on my mom's shoulders. She had to disconnect the internet and home phone service. We were not able to really do anything outside of the house, because of course that costs money that they really did not have. At night we would play board games or watch movies that we already had. My mom also had to cut down on the spending for groceries. She had to buy the less expensive food, which obviously is not always as healthy as it should be and also does not have the great taste as other foods. Another challenge was that at the end of the month it was time for me to go home, but the drive is really hard on my step dad's knees and my mom cannot drive long distances. In the end, it turned out ok because my step dad would only drive for about two hours at a time and then stop at a rest stop to walk around, and then my mom would drive for about an hour. This cycle happened about four times until I was finally back home. When my step dad was given the "ok" to go back to work, his boss was nice enough to offer him all of the over time that he wanted. It was a tough couple of months, but everything went back to normal in the end.
Essay #44
I am seventeen years old, and is currently working in a nursing home as a nursing assistant. Ever since I've started working my lower back has been killing me. Every night when I would come home from work I would come home crying to my mom about my back. Eventually when I couldn't handle the pain anymore, I let my mom take my to the doctor. My doctor said that my lower back was stressed out and I should relax for a while. He also prescribed me some analgesics that wouldn't take effect until and hour later. This injury has affected my own and family lives by because of the pain I was in, my mom was worrying a lot for me. She had so much errands to go take care of, but instead stayed home and took care.
Essay #45
In America today, citizens are expected to further their education whether it is through joint vocational schools, community colleges, or universities. People spend many years preparing for their dream career, but what happens once their career leaves them unable to work and help care for their family?
Such a helpless feeling could not have been expected, especially not when so much time and money was spent to prepare for this career.
Of course, the horribly common examples of work related accidents and illnesses come to mind like police or firefighters being hurt when trying to save innocent people, but let us not forget about some of the more unheard of examples.
There are numerous amounts of people confined to their homes due to asbestos from their jobs in factories, falls that took place during construction related jobs, or even carpal tunnel found in jobs where repetitive motion is expected in jobs like store cashiers or secretaries.
Without the security of the stable job they planned to hold onto, they are trapped within their own homes only to mull over every aspect of their life they will struggle to pay for. Eventually, what was once viewed as just the loss of a job, is turned into a debilitating depression that will continue to affect an entire family.
Certain steps can be taken to ensure safety in the workplace though. Fortunately, the majority of these steps are simple and included wearing the proper equipment, and following instructions carefully.
With technology advancing at such a steady pace, hopefully these accidents will begin to lessen over time.
Essay #46
My mom called me and my two sisters into her office and I knew by her voice something was wrong. She said to us was "dad is alright but he was in an accident." My dad is a utility line mechanic so a million things started racing through my mind on what could have happened. Before I could settle my thoughts she told us that his foot was crushed.
It has been 5 years since the accident but his injury is still prevalent today. The marks on our stairs from him simply trying to maneuver around his own house are still visible. Simple chores became impossible for him, which put more of a work load on the rest of the family. From taking care of him when he could not move around to making sure the house was ready for winter everyone contributed. He is such an important part of this family and farm that when he was laid up because of his injury it had an effect on every part of our family. The part that affected our family the most however was seeing him in pain. Although our family has had hard times with his injury we were able to overcome the challenges.
When my dad is not working he volunteers as an assistant coach for the Ledgemont High School for the girls' varsity basketball team. Although limited to crutches and a chair at times he persevered to never let his injury get in the way of his commitment to the things he loves. The doctors didn't think he would be able to walk again, let alone run. He pushed through and proved them all wrong. We had the help of friends and family to overcome all the obstacles we have faced. When we needed to build a fence for our horse farm we saw the impact of his great friendship. His co workers pulled together and installed 2000 ft of fencing and also delivered 3 dump trucks full of firewood to help our family. This gave us a lot of hope knowing we had many people to confide in. We have gone through a lot of difficult times but we have managed to overcome all the obstacles we have to come across.
It was hard and still is hard to see my dad in pain. I still remember my dad before the accident so when he is stopped by his injury it still surprises me. He never wants any of us to see him hurt and that makes him the strongest and most brave man I know. When I found out he had been in an accident it was one of the scariest moments of my life. I have seen him succeed and push through his injury but I have also seen him limited because of it. Our family has gone through a lot related to his injury and has overcome many obstacles. We can still see the affect his injury has on our family and we will always be overcoming obstacles.
Essay #47
A work related injury has definitely impacted our family. At first, life in the Kinzel/Johnston household was divided. After my parents divorced and we moved out of Cleveland to Wellington, my brothers and I were very close, but had little or no closeness with my stepfather, Scott Johnston. I loved him and we were a family, but there was something missing. A bond, maybe, but it was something I had to figure out for myself. After ten years, I still felt that Cleveland was my home and chose to stay with my dad, in Cleveland, whenever I could. As much as I tried to find that missing piece, I couldn't find it.
A couple of months after my mom, Jean, had been cured of her breast cancer, our family went through another hardship. It was on October 6, 2009. I was in school in the afternoon when our school secretary told me my mom, a teacher at the school, had left because my stepfather had an accident at his job at the Elyria Foundry. That's all she knew.
I was thinking that the accident was no big deal, but as soon as school let out, I talked to my grandmother. She said that a 2,500 pound weight fell on his arm, and Scott was taken to Cleveland Metro Hospital. I rushed to the hospital with my cousin to make sure everything was all right. Everything was not all right. Scott had lost his left arm. A handy man was without half of one of his arms. At that point, I thought things at home would never be the same. I was right, but it wasn't the same in a good way. Our family has never been closer. Scott's missing arm happened to be the missing piece in our family. Now, I feel that there never was a time when Wellington wasn't my home. I have grown as a person and realized that a drastic change can happen in an afternoon.
Our family is fortunate enough to come together during the hardest times, which can't be said about all families. I've learned that things happen for a reason, whether good or bad, the result is always a learning experience. Like Scott says everyday, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
Essay #48
Some people will never think that it can happen to them, but I know better, expecting the unexpected is what I do best. That's why there was no shock on me upon hearing that my grandfather had been laid off work until further notice. My grandfather was the only person working in the household of four, besides my grandfather and me my grandmother and my little brother.
The economy was so bad, all factories were closing and my grandfather's boss told him that he will not be working for a while. No one knew whether my grandfather would ever get his job back or not. In less than a month bad habits began to form; his drinking habits went over the roof, he would constantly have a can of beer near him: to help drink his problems away. With the drinking increasing, so did the arguing in the family, he and grandma would always scream and yell at each other, even over the littlest of things. I would use to cry a night when I heard my grandfather in the bathroom throwing up all the alcohol in his body and spitting up blood. I prayed to God asking him to give my grandfather back his job so that our household could once again have peace.
My prayers did not get answered as quickly as I had planned, there was still arguing going on within the house and it would seem that it would only get worse, our family went into complete isolation. We were a "broken" family. My grandfather's drinking habits were so bad that other relatives outside the household would not come over. I was amazed by how a loss of a job could destroy the whole family.
Four months later my prayers were finally answered. My grandfather's received a call from his boss telling him that he would be able to resume his work in the factory. It seemed as if the weight of the world had been lifted off our shoulders. As soon as my grandfather went back to work, the drinking has ceased and the arguing had stopped, the isolation was no more and our broken family has been repaired. My grandfather apologizes the way he had reacted when he was laid off work; he was quickly forgiven and welcomed with open arms. My grandfather vowed never to abuse the use of alcohol ever again. He said he would also attend church more often and spend more time with family. He came to the realization that he almost lost his family, because of his actions due to a lost job.
My grandfather pushed me to get a good education and to finish high school and go off to college. So that I will never get put into the situation he was in. I work real hard to make sure that I will be successful and that I will always remember to keep my family close to me.
Essay #49
There is an enormous amount of our society that characterizes themselves as leaders. They believe that capturing the attention from others, being controlling and having the power to make others act the way they please is leadership. This behavior is not leadership; its dictatorship. Dictatorship is a form government in which one absolute has control over everything. A leader is much different. A leader is someone whomotivates others to act towards achieving a common goal. I believe the most important qualities a leader must have in today's society are integrity, dedication, and confidence. Integrity is the ability to gain ones trust through your actions, management, and morality. It is not easy to get. You have to build and maintain integrity. A leader has to lead others in the right direction. Without integrity it's impossible to do so. Your supporters look up to you as a result of the high integrity you've gained such as the intellectual decision you've made and your reputation. Who wants a leader who can not be trusted? Many will agree that integrity is a very important quality of a leader. Leadership is not a light switch you can turn on and off. It is an ongoing process that takes a lot of dedication. Dedication is being devoted or committed to something. This is an important trait because without dedication a change will never come. You must follow through with your values and goals to vigorously make them happen. This also teaches motivation. Dedication motivates all ages. Young children, peers, and adults all look up to you for your loyalty. Anything worth having requires commitment to get it and to keep it. Confidence is the key to success. However, do not get confidence confused with arrogance. Confidence is the strong belief in your ability to succeed. Arrogance is the rude obnoxious way of showing overbearing pride. You must have confidence in order to lead and set directions as a person in the role of leadership. You set a course for the future with assurance. Even though everyone may not agree with your views on a certain topic or situation, you have to be confident in your decisions. Self-confidence guarantees a strong leader with a powerful foundation.Now I ask myself, am I a leader? I have great integrity. I lead through my actions. I take pride in everything I do. I am dedicated to getting a task complete. I never start anything without finishing it. And finally, I am very confident and I stand up for what I feel. If I don't speak up my voice will never be heard. You will agree, I am a leader and I'm not another common portrayal of what the society defines a leader.
Essay #50
met 'CC" on my third day volunteering in the Physical Therapy Department of Huron Hospital in East Cleveland, Ohio. He appeared to be a very muscular, agile young man. As he was led across the room to sit down next to me, I noticed he needed assistance in the simple maneuvering around the room. From the start, CC told me that he suffered a head injury and as a result he had lost most of his eyesight; he was only able to see rough outlines of objects. Due to his limited eyesight, he was unable to see the closing of a large door and he injured his left shoulder, arm and hand, thereby requiring extensive physical therapy.
Often missed and not appreciated with occupational injury is the struggle that the patient goes through during their rehabilitation; the time needed to rehab along with the loss of self-esteem and loss of income. Getting CC involved in all aspects of therapy was easy but other patients came with anger and frustration. Many of the older patients were frustrated with how long recovery was taking and were often depressed. These individuals needed not just therapy but emotional support. While working with the patient they often cried. Further complicating the patient's recovery was that many of these individuals lacked resources to receive home therapy that could help with their rehabilitation. Many of the patients were afflicted with arm and leg weakness along with shoulder and neck pain from work related injury. Some of the patients were simply unable to lift their arms to comb their hair (rotator cuff injury from repetitive labor) a task I took for granted. Just to take a few steps was exhausting for the patient with a leg injury. I came to realize that the more the patients were able to do, the faster they were able to develop the necessary agility to perform the task and the quicker they recovered.
Throughout my time at the Hospital I asked if there was anything more that I could do to help those patients at this facility. The head of the department told me that Wii fit games were being used to assist in rehab. Once the patient was shown how to do Wii they could do their exercise alone freeing up the therapist. Unfortunately the hospital did not have the money to purchase the necessary Wii consol, games and TV. I rallied friends and local businesses to donate funds to raise the needed monies to purchase the necessary equipment. The first of many patients are now able to integrate the use of the Wii games into their physical therapy routine!
I continue to think about my experiences at Huron Hospital and now realize that an unappreciated and critical issue of work related injury is the difficultly of rehab. By aiding these patients with rehabilitation I hope, in some small way, that I helped make a difference in their life and this can be applied to other healthcare facilities.
Essay #51
When I was younger I remember my father Billie Cisternino had worked for a construction company. Labor Union 860 to be exact, my father had provided for my mother, two brothers, and myself. When he worked for them he had fallen while working on a bridge to repair it, after he fell and was in the hospital he had to go on work-mans composition for the troubles that he went through. After he had fallen he couldn't do all the things that he used to be able to do. He walked with a cane and had a handicapped sticker for his car because he could not walk far distances without taking a break. This injury caused him to gain a lot of weight because he could not work out. This injury also caused my mother to have to go to work instead of her being a stay at home mom with my brothers and myself. Then my parents divorced and it was even harder because we only saw my dad on the weekends and when we did see him he couldn't do much activity because he was always in pain. After my father passed away on October sixteenth two-thousand and six, I always wondered if it was not for his injury would he have been able to keep living. This is a question I will never understand, and because of these hard times it is hard for my mother to put her only daughter through college. Thank you for taking the time to read my essay, I hope to be hearing from you soon.
Felicia Cisternino
