Graduate / 'when I met my extended family' - My personal essay for Physical Therapy program [2]

This is just a rough draft, writting and grammar are not my strengths at all :/ please give me all the feedback you can it will all be much appreciated :)!!!

the question is which personal characteristics and motivating factors have led you to pursue the profession of physical therapy?

I was thirteen when I met my extended family for the first time. I had always heard stories and nicknames my parents had for their siblings. However, for the first time I understood why one of my uncles had such a silly name "chunco" which means inferior parts of the body that are inserted into the hip, used for locomotion. I was surprised to see his condition; he walked while holding one of his legs in place with his hand, while lifting the other in front of him. My uncle is part of a vast population of people in my country that had acquired paralytic poliomyelitis at a very young age. Though the vaccine did exist at the time, my uncle was unfortunate to not have received it. As a child I was intrigued by his condition and soon found myself spending more and more time with my uncle in search of answers and in a great desire to understand his condition. I spend time listening to his stories, and through them I realized how hard it was for him growing up with an incapacity. I would analyze his extremely thin legs in comparison to his body and his curved and disfigured feet. I never felt sad for his condition, on the other hand I felt proud because regardless of his physical incapacity he was a strong man. He found ways to do anything he wanted to. He knew that it didn't matter how long it took you get somewhere as long as you got to where you wanted to be. I grew fond of him as he took the figure of a friend and a father in my life. It was at that moment that I learned what I wanted to do for the rest of my life; I wanted to help people with physical disabilities. I understood that before having the physical capacity, one must have the internal strength and will to achieve ones goal.

As an adult, soon after graduating from Lehman College with a degree in Biology I volunteered at Alexander Physical Therapy Clinic. On my first day as a volunteer I remember how extremely enthusiastic I was. However, I quickly learned that some patients lack motivation to better themselves because of the severity of their condition. One of the patients (M.J) I grew fond of had suffered a stroke two years ago, and as a result he was bed-bound. I realized that many times our compassion for others provides us with a greater desire and will to help and comfort those in need. I was appealed to this MJ because of his depressed appearance and soon found myself dedicating a great amount of my volunteer hours offering support by listening and keeping him company as well as encouraging him throughout his rehabilitation sessions. By dedicating this time I saw how his attitude and perspective slowly changed, he actually seemed less reluctant to the therapy and was willing to try new things as well as share a shaky smile. I am gratified for having had the opportunity to view my patient's happy facial expression to see me in association with physical therapy as an enjoyable part of his day. I learned a lot through MJ, I learned that physical therapy deals not only with the physical aspect of a patient but his or her emotional aspect , and that providing motivation, compassion and perseverance create an environment of support and trust in which a patient's recovery can thrive.

I feel the quote "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile" by Albert Einstein describes how I feel towards a career in Physical therapy. Working closely with others and being able to aid and make a difference in their lives also brings me happiness. Even though at times it appears that progress is slow, when we look back we are able to see what our hard work has accomplished and it is very rewarding. I feel the factors that have motivated me to choose this profession are reinforced everyday with the encounters of people like my uncle and patients like MJ. The patients expand my desire to help them and become a positive influence in their lives.