It is the last day of 2024, and I can honestly say that I am happy to have had a 'boring' year. After having two difficult years, I was ready for a year that did not involve daily visits to the wound care clinic for hyperbaric treatment, high antibiotic doses, and other medical treatments in an attempt to close the two wounds that had formed after my 2022 surgery.
In January of this year, I was given the all-clear, and in October, I celebrated one year since my last surgery. I spent the better part of two years focusing on healing physically. Unfortunately, I dismissed my anxiety and depression, but now that I am healed, I have been focused on my mental health. I still struggle with the reflection that stares at me each day. I am not happy with my smile; however, I know that with time, I will once again love my smile.
This year, I stepped away from blogging and posting on @mynf_life. I have steadily lessened my digital footprint because I have been uncomfortable with who I am, which has decreased my confidence and desire to share. It makes me sad that I did not share more because I did have stories and moments of this year that I felt were worth sharing, but I did not due to self-doubts and negative self-talk.
So here I am, the last day of 2024, and as I reflect on this year, I would like to share impactful moments.
In April, I participated in This is My Brave college edition. Unfortunately, the recording is still unavailable, but I promise to share it as soon as it is. Standing on stage and sharing my experience with bullying was cathartic.
Also, in April, I flew to San Antonio, Texas, for the NF Summitt. I met and reunited with incredible individuals, one of which is Amit Ghose, an amazing NF hero who lives in London. Amit and I initially connected on Instagram, and when we learned that we would both be in the same city, we instantly knew we would need to meet in person. I am so grateful to have met him because our stories are similar.
In my pursuit of finding love, I signed up for a speed-dating event with my friend Chantal. It was the first time I had done something like this. To say I went out of my comfort zone is to put it lightly. The whole event lasted about two hours. I spoke to about eight men for a total of six minutes each. Even though I did not have a 'love connection,' the experience was worth it, and I would absolutely do it again.
I started my second year in my master's program in August; as of this month, I have 21 credits and 43 to go! Getting into graduate school has been one of my most significant accomplishments to date, and I am excited to graduate in May 2027.
And there you have it, my year in summary. I have experienced additional gains and losses, but I prefer to keep those private. I am still figuring out how much of 'me' I will share on my social media accounts. I have become more apprehensive of what I share since my cyberbullying experience last year, yet another reason why I have significantly reduced my presence on here and Instagram.
All right, this is all. Happy 2025!!
