Nick, born 1990

I was born on December 6th, 1990 with Truncus Arteriosus. Bummer, right? I have undergone four operations; 3 months, 11 months, 7 years, and at 14 years old, but I have lived a fulfilling and uninhibited life. I played hockey, baseball, and golf through high school, and was heavily involved in drama and improvisational comedy. At age 17, I started performing stand-up comedy, and have since performed and numerous festivals, comedy clubs, and colleges across the country. Now at age 22, I am a recent graduate of Boston University with a BA in psychology, and am currently living in Los Angeles working as a comic/tv writer/actor. I used to look at my scar with disdain. I thought it was ugly, and needed to be covered. Pools were my nightmare. Bearing the evidence of several major surgeries was the last thing I wanted as a self-conscious adolescent. Why me? Why was I so unlucky? However, becoming an adult has cause me to do a complete 180. I am proud of my scar, and I wear it with pride. It is my battle wound, my badge of courage. I have earned it. People say we are unlucky, that it is such a drag we have this burden to bear. Maybe they're right, but only in part. How lucky we are that we are born with conditions that are fixable. Sure, surgery and semi-annual cardiology appointments are a pain, but the way I see it, it is a small price to pay. We've all been around hospitals long enough to know that it could be so much worse. As far as I'm concerned, we are the lucky ones. That is not a scar on your or your child's chest; it is a badge of honor which we have earned. Let's wear our badges with pride, and not be afraid of the world seeing how brave we really are.

 

Story by Nick from Minnesota