Dreams act as a vision towards the purpose of life we are born with. So dream and work hard till your last breath. Always pray that no matter what happens in life, ask for strength from the heavenly father. For he’s all good, full of love and mercy. He gives rest to the burdened. He is my God and yours as well.
Hello everyone. I’m Karishma Joshi. A girl full of dreams and ambitions. But life always comes with hardships that later on prove to be the biggest lessons. I live with arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, a condition that causes my joints to contract. From the seventh day of my birth, I have been seeing doctors and have visited almost every big hospital with hopes to be cured, or have my symptoms corrected by operation or plastic surgery.
I have been dealing with others’ laughter and gossip since my childhood and still at the age of 24 I am not comfortable with it. But life has to go on, right?
My physical growth has been a little bit slow. I started my periods at 16 or 17, a bit late in comparison to other girls. Don’t know about others, but for me, it was the best moment of my life. It was like a message from the God that I too have my own baby. Now, with every period my belief, happiness and my prayers get doubled.
Just like every kid is, I too was very prone to pneumonia. Every time I fell sick, my chachu, who’s a paediatrician, made sure I got better soon. He’s the best doctor I know.
In 2011, I again suffered from a cough and cold. There was no doctor I hadn’t seen or a test which I hadn’t undergone. Days, months and year passed. In 2012, the illness brought breathing difficulty along with it. Things started becoming worse day by day. Sleepless nights and scary days. I used to sit outside the house as it gave me more oxygen. No one was able to understand what was happening and where it would end.
On July 6, 2012, I was nothing more than a body, lying on a ventilator in Jaipur. I lay unconscious for seven days. I was in the ICU, mumma, papa and Minnu kaka kept waiting outside. I always felt the presence of God around me. Minnu kaka says “God is around, He’s most powerful. Powerful than these ventilators and machines. Everything will be fine just trust Him.” And see I am here sharing my story.
Being kept on a ventilator changed my outlook towards life. It reminded me that I have been sent here with a purpose.
Talking about my dream, despite my illness, I dream to live a normal life. I want to get married and have my own family. I don’t know whether most people think about all this, but I really do. Because I know society will always create hindrance in between.
Dearest people, please take care of yourself. Take care of even smallest cough and sneezes. Be kind to others. Spread love. Open your heart and speak up. If something is going wrong, then raise your voice against it. Be courageous. Don’t discriminate.