BFA Photography Show: Adapting to Adversity

Thank you everyone that came to and helped me with my final BFA photography show last Thursday! For those of you that weren't able to stop by, I have posted the virtual version here :)

Adverse experiences are never erased from life or completely overcome, only learned from and viewed with new perspective.  The person we each become is shaped simply by how we adapt to our adversity and what we choose to gain from it. Sometimes we can see hints of what others have faced, but does anyone else completely understand what another person has endured or the impact that has on their life?

  

Katie

“In February of 2014 I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.  In March I had a mastectomy and by May I began personalized chemo infusions through the power port in my chest.  I lost all of my hair, needed an oxygen tank to breathe, and then received radiation in September.  On May 28^th 2015 I had my last Herceptin infusion treatment at the Huntsman Cancer Center. 

Cancer was my blessing; the unspoken trials we all continue to deal with alone on a daily basis are the real challenges in life. I can now honestly say I would rather have cancer than most other trials that are emotional rather than physical. I will forever feel blessed by this experience and for the many kindnesses shown to my family and me.  One of the hardest parts of having cancer is wondering if I learned everything that I was supposed to learn from the experience.”

Ashley

“My junior year of high school I went digging in the foothills with some friends, but it was not long before the jeep ended up rolling 500 feet down the mountain.  Doctors were able to save my leg, but it took 2 years and 6 surgeries to do so. 

That accident was definitely the humbling experience that I needed to lose my ego.  Before that I thought that I was invincible and could do whatever I wanted.  I needed the fear.  I also learned how important true friends are; the others just drift away when things get hard.”

Emily

“Emily is stubborn and her having down syndrome causes a language barrier, but as her sister I have also witnessed her sweet spirit that epitomizes the qualities that most people are striving for, such as kindness, patience, accepting others and unconditional love.  From her we could all learn to be more childlike.  Just be who you are, live life simply treating others how you would like to be treated and do what makes you happy.”

Mark

While cutting down a tall tree in his yard, Mark’s harness was cut, resulting in a 40-foot fall to the ground.  After a 14-hour surgery he then decided against the amputation of his left leg and on the road to recovery, began using a wheelchair.  Not until 5 years later was he again able to walk without it.

“I believe that we are not dealt anything we cannot handle; in any situation we simply have to ask ourselves, “What am I going to do now?”  As I looked around the recovery rooms, at trauma patients like me, I could point out which ones had a better chance of survival just based on their attitudes.  We have to stretch or bend and it may hurt, but we are given opportunities to utilize trials to be made stronger and help others.”

 Amanda

“From the time we found out that something was wrong with our baby, doctors asked us multiple times if we wanted to terminate the pregnancy, but I chose to carry him until he was 37 weeks.  Once Roman was delivered he lived only one hour. 

His short life brought me closer to my spouse, made me more aware of other women who have also lost a baby and increased my desire to be better so that I may raise my baby after this life.”

Kyle

"5 months out of high school I was working at a truss plant where a bolt caught my sleeve and pulled my right arm into the machinery.  My arm was broken, stretched and stuck in the gears to the point that it could not be saved.  At the hospital I was told that I could not go home until I could get dressed and tie my shoes; because of my determination that took me only one week. 

I decided that I was not going to change who I was just because of my situation.  I still did everything I wanted to even though I was not as good at throwing a ball or writing as before.  I slalom waterski, drive a manual and learned that a person can do whatever they put their mind to with what they have to work with.  I feel my arm everyday, sometimes it hurts, but to me it is all still there."

Margery

“An accident at the age of 4 years old caused me to eventually lose my right eye.  I grew up very self conscious of the way my eye looked, but I learned that we have to accept the things that happen to us and just know that we can do anything that we decide we want to do in spite of what has happened.  Since losing my eye I have been very blessed with understanding people in my life and learned to be more understanding of others in their unique circumstances.” 

Zac

“As a mom of a child with so many lung and other health problems, people ask me all the time, “How do you do it, carrying oxygen everywhere and spending so much time at the hospitals?”  My answer is that, “You can’t not do it!” You find out how strong you are, what you can handle and that each of us if given what we can handle.  There are lots of things I see others going through that I would never want to trade our struggles for.”

I am now finally and officially finished with college and it feels so great!!