Genoa Central High School Senior Perspective
A month after graduation, I received a text from my counselor asking me to write an article from a senior perspective. At first, I was hesitant, only because writing has never been my strength, especially in school. As I thought about it more, I knew exactly what I would want to talk about and share with all of you. This was something that had consumed many months of my senior year.
My mother, Myla Whitehead, is the most hardworking, caring, selfless, and loving woman I know. In my 18 years of living, she has always gone above and beyond to care for her family and many others around her. If you know my mom, she is always willing to step in and volunteer to help the community. At any Genoa Central sporting event, you will see her working concessions in the scorching hot or freezing cold weather.
To give a little back story, my mom suffered a stroke after giving birth to my little brother in 2005. She was hospitalized for a short time, but she powered through, and life was normal, except for her health. The stroke had given her lasting health problems, and she still has to see doctors to maintain her health occasionally. The summer before my senior year, my mom began to experience a lot more stress than usual, and we could not figure out exactly why. We blamed it on everyday life or the fact that her eldest child, myself, would be stepping out into the real world very soon. She would have really good days where her health was better than usual, but she would frequently have bad days where the stress would get to her, and she would need to rest. Once school started in August, she did not experience any problems, and we were all relieved to see that maybe, she was finally okay! She was able to work without any time when she might feel sick or random spurts of fatigue.
At the end of September, my mom’s health problems really took a toll on her. The random stress and anxiety returned, causing her blood pressure to go sky-high. I was getting ready for school one morning when I suddenly got a call from my dad. He said, “I need you to tell your teachers you might be late today. Your mother needs someone to come get her”. I rushed to her work and saw my mom sitting silently beside the nurse. When I sat down next to her, she could hardly open her eyes. I knew she genuinely was not okay. I finally got her home, where she could rest, but she insisted that she would be able to work the next day. My dad and I told her she might need to wait a few days, but the next morning she left for work. She did this for a week but could only last an hour until I had to come to get her again.
Her health was at its lowest. I know it affected her not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. We would take her to doctors, but no matter how many tests they ran, they could never find anything wrong. The doctors changed her medication and suggested different health habits, but the high blood pressure would hit her again and again. Seeing my mom like this really affected me mentally and emotionally. I could see the sadness and hurt in my mom’s eyes because she feared for her health and was confused by all of it. For months, my mom’s health kept her from being able to attend my school events and my basketball games. She would watch the uploaded film later on with me, telling me how proud she was of me and how sad it was to miss another game. Since my mom would need someone to take care of her, my dad would also have to stay home and miss my games. As a senior, having your parents at every school event means so much. As an athlete, no matter who shows up, you will always look in the stands to see your parents there. Many times when I looked up in the stands and didn’t see my parents. I have always had them there, good game or bad, and not seeing them made me so sad. I knew it wasn’t my mom’s fault that she was sick; I knew she would be there if she had the strength to go.
With my mom’s health taking a toll on her, it also took a toll on my mental health. There were many days and nights when I would stay up and pray for her health. I was so afraid that my mom wouldn’t be here anymore. I wanted her by my side at every basketball game, track meet, school dance, etc. I couldn’t imagine my mom leaving me and my brother so soon. We haven’t grown up and experienced the real world yet. My mom’s health was a lot to take in, especially on top of school, sports, friendships, and a relationship. I could feel myself distancing myself from everyone and everything only because I was genuinely worried about my mom. I remember getting so emotional when people asked me for updates, only because I didn’t know what the next step was for my mom. I grew angry at my life, wondering why my mom, of all people, was suffering from this. I looked to God during this moment and prayed that he would take care of her no matter what. I know he had a plan for her, and he has a plan for all of us.
After a few long months, my mom was scheduled to see a cardiologist. She had never gone to one before, and her current doctor was just changing her medication to see if anything would change. After she visited with the cardiologist, they put her on a completely different medication and even ruled out the ones she had previously taken before. I knew my mom was nervous about the change, but I assured her everything would be okay. Her blood pressure started to calm down, and she was more relaxed after this. I could see her become herself again. I had never felt so happy in my life. My mom was able to go back to work after months of being off. She could work concessions for the sporting events, and finally, I felt like I had my mom back.
As I went through my mom’s health journey with her during my senior year, it opened my eyes to many things. I was surrounded by so much support and love as I struggled mentally and emotionally. My friends and family kept us in their thoughts as they wished for my mom to improve. Dealing with the emotions of senior year and “last firsts-” friendships, a relationship, self-worth, and lastly, my mom’s health really changed my perspective on my life. It made me realize that you shouldn’t take the people around you for granted. As I went through the months of caring for my mom, I was also caring for myself and learning more about myself. I didn’t need to get angry at the world for what was happening to her because everything happens for a reason. I taught myself that focusing on school, sports, and friendships would comfort me during challenging times in my life. Having people that care for you and love you dearly, especially during hard times, is the best feeling. You will never feel alone in times of need. Although I struggled with my mental health during those months, having a strong circle really helped me get through it. I also realized you do not know what happens behind closed doors. Not everyone knew that my family and myself were struggling with my mom’s health. Not everyone knew I struggled mentally with the stress and sadness during those months. You only learn so much from what a person tells you; that does not mean they are telling you everything. Going through all this taught me to think of others and the emotions that they may deal with every day. What helped me the most was the kindness others showed me, and I will forever be grateful for those who were there for me.
