I have a master's degree
I was born to my parents, in an apartment, in Tacoma, WA. The same apartment I'd spend the rest of my childhood living in. I moved out shortly after 19. The apartment was run down, and the walls were covered in mold, and the wallpaper peeled on every exterior wall. The carpets were filthy. The linoleum floor peeled, and cracked. We had mice, a lot, when I was growing up. I'd find their shit in my dresser drawer, mixed with my clothes. Once I woke up to a rat, not a mouse, on the end of my bed.
We were poor, just like most families in my neighborhood. The city I was raised in is the most dangerous city in Washington State. We lovingly refer to it as, "Tacompton." Drive by shootings. Hookers down on South Tacoma Way, 2 blocks from my parents apartment. Drug house directly across the street, and on the next block.
We didn't own a car for much of my childhood. It was either broken, or we couldn't afford to fix it; later sending it to the junkyard around the time I was in the 6th grade. We never owned a car, again. We began using the bus to grocery shop, and take our laundry to the laundromat.
My father has a gambling addiction, and my mother has schizophrenia. It was a hell of a thing, growing up with the type of neglect I endured. I nearly died as an infant from something called Failure to Thrive. I'm sure any of my fellow medical colleagues will understand just how serious that is, and just how overt the neglect was at that time. My father would leave me alone with my schizophrenic mother, as an infant, while he went to work all day. She provided zero care. If you've never seen videos of what happens to a baby when they are denied human interaction, you're welcome to check it out, but it's not for the faint of heart. He would tell me about coming home from work and finding me in my crib. Bottle empty, or soured, covered in my own excrement after working to get my feces away from my already severely blistered skin. You're probably wondering, "why would he even admit to that?" Because he has narcissistic personality disorder also, and he loves to feel he's a saint. Blaming my mother for the neglect after my grandmother told me about my nearly dying.... well that just makes sense, when it comes to him.
So, infancy was pretty rough. But it didn't end there. My parents were poor, and couldn't afford childcare...... got it. But, what about my hair growing up? It's simple enough to brush a child's hair. Once again, overt neglect.
Once a year I would be taken to a salon to have them comb the birds nests from my hair. Sometimes the naps would get as large as a softball. Giant balls of tangled hair. And my father would complain about the cost of the salon, but he sure did have the money for those pull tabs.
I suffered much more abuse and neglect than what I've listed and described here. I could write a book on my life that would shock people. And probably break many a heart.
I say all of this, to say.....
Poverty. That's my greatest fear. I'm overcoming it step by step.
Today, in spite of all the things I endured growing up, I graduated with my master's degree in nutrition and dietetics, and completed my dietetic internship.
God did NOT help me. I did. I worked so very hard to achieve this. This was all me. Because growing up in a religious household, I was told to pray. And I did, like a good little girl. And it didn't stop any of the abuse. I always knew it wasn't real, deep down.
I did this. I overcame. I persisted.
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130 comments (76 - 100)
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Wow. You are awesome. I grew up so different. Although we lived in a very poor area and I had many friends as a child who grew up similar to you so I can't say that I'm shocked or don't understand completely. I just never experienced that kind of life myself. All I can say is that most of my childhood friends are either dead now or carrying on the legacy of their parents. You are truly a very strong person with a lot of determination and a strong mind. Good for you.
Lewdsurfer
Level 5
Aug 20, 2018
0
@nutrition_nerd You're welcome.
I grew up poor as well. Although not as bad as you. In my case, my parents were loving and tried, but there were 5 kids and my father was a deckhand on the tugboats. Mom had different jobs over the years, fast food, once in a sweatshop in St. Louis, etc. When she did work. We wore salvation army clothes and my shoes were often held together with duct tape. Roaches and rats, yes. I was made fun of for being poor in school. I'm sure you know what I mean. Constant fighting with the other neighborhood kids (we all fought each other despite being friends). But now I'm relatively successful with a job I like.
So, just wondering, do you feel all the adversity you experienced helped make you a stronger person? I think maybe it helped for me. While I suffered from anxiety attacks and depression in my 20's, once I got over that and went back to school, I found myself feeling stronger for having experienced what I had. Now I'm relatively successful and like who I am. As a result of where I came from and went through I know I can survive anything and I'm very thankful for all I have.
towkneed
Level 7
Aug 14, 2018
1
Wow what a story, i remember as a child and young man tacoma was always a very bad place to live, but spokane is way worse now, grew up here in spokane, our whole city is turned into a pile of you know what. anyways, I am a diabetic myself, server nephropathy in feet and legs, i have tried the vegan diets only to make my sugars even more worse. Your story should be told though to the world. so that people cn learn from it. just saying.
cobra3282000
Level 6
Aug 11, 2018
1
@nutrition_nerd that is why i am mostly on a meat diet. which seems to work for me, atleast my own good organ in my body that works great is my heart. knock on wood.
Good for you for standing up for yourself and not allowing your life to live continue that way. Way to go! Give them hell!
Unclehotrod
Level 7
Mar 6, 2019
0
See, this is why I'm a screaming lefty. Because I believe that as a society, we have a duty to make it as easy as possible for people to escape the accident of their birth.
No child should be allowed to fail to thrive.
Go you good thing!
MrBeelzeebubbles
Level 7
Feb 16, 2019
0
Enjoy being online again!
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