EDLD+5363+Personal+Digital+Story

Keep Going - A personal digital story

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** Keep Going Script ** ** Richa Muhammad ET 8012 ** On the road called life, there are many speed bumps, pot holes, road blocks, detours and traffic jams, but the key to navigating all of these hazards is to keep your engine running and just keep going. On my road, I have suffered abuse and rape. Yes, these were bigger than pot holes for me, like a bomb was dropped on the ground, but I dealt with it in the best way I knew how at the time which was to never speak of it; block it out and redirect my focus. Yeah, I know…that is not the best way to deal with it, but I was able to keep going. Once in a while, speed bumps of those memories pop up, but I address it and keep going. What helps make the journey easier is the occasional stretch of scenic highway where I can enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the open, country road. A major roadblock that decreased my speed to a virtual standstill was the death of my little brother. My whole family was stuck in a traffic jam and it was hard to keep the engine running, but we were able to keep going, albeit slowly. Moving down the road a bit, I got married. He married me knowing that I could not have children, so our journey was slated for a particular route. One thing about driving, there are many variables that you can’t control. It’s not just up to you what happens on the road. God blessed me to get pregnant. By the way my problem wasn’t getting pregnant, my problem was staying pregnant. Anyway, I am in my fourth month of pregnancy and I am giving a presentation at a business meeting when I start hemorrhaging. They rush me to the hospital and do everything they can to stop the contractions and the bleeding. They were successful; however, I had to be placed on bed rest for the remaining five months. This was an unexpected detour for me physically, emotionally and financially. After that traffic jam, I delivered a healthy and beautiful baby boy, but my body began its own journey towards disrepair. I did have a few more miscarriages, but was able to deliver another healthy and beautiful child, a baby girl. My body was still traveling down its painful road, but I kept going. After five more years of going, my body couldn’t go anymore. Two days before I was to have a hysterectomy, I discovered I was pregnant again. Against my doctor’s wishes, I continued the pregnancy and was blessed with my miracle baby. This time, my body was really finished. I did the bare minimum necessary to keep functioning, but I kept going. A few years and a few exits later, my husband and I found ourselves on different roads. We started divorce proceedings and we obtained separate residences. This seven month road block taught me a lot about myself and what was really important. I know that we were destined to travel this road together and thankfully, we both realized this before it was too late. I am more than ecstatic to say that we are once again working on traveling together on one road. Of course there have been many more pot holes as well as scenic drives in my life, but I guess I needed to share these with you in hopes that someone might see this and realize that on the road called life, there are many speed bumps, pot holes, road blocks, detours and traffic jams, but he key to navigating all of these hazards is to keep your engine running and just keep going. Keep Going- Storyboard