Like most people, I have had hard times in my life. However, tougher my life got, someone stronger stood by me, whose presence was enough for me to feel blessed. She is my best friend and childhood sweetheart. She is someone, whom I look up to. Before, I flow into a song, here is a brief about her: Puja Chawla, a strong, smart and sweet girl
With determination for educating herself, 25-year-old Puja Chawla continued studying even when doctors had her locked up in a glass box with medicines to control most of her body functions.
Sharing her story, she said, “Like most 17-year-olds, I was preparing for CBSE class XII Board exams, when I started vomiting every morning after having milk.” Her mother felt that it was because she did not like milk and was stressed. “But after a week, I fainted and was rushed to a nearest hospital,” she said.
Hoping that it was a minor case of food poisoning, her parents sat in the waiting room, when the doctor told them that both her kidneys have failed. “My parents did not know what to do, because it was too sudden and rare, they did not even tell me about it,” Chawla shared. However, it was imperative to tell her, because she had to be operated.
“My world shattered after I understood what it meant, in blink of an eye, I turned from an ordinary young girl with hopes and dreams to someone on the verge of dying,” she said. After thinking for a while, Chawla told her parents to delay operation and go for temporary dialysis.
“They were reluctant, because my haemoglobin level was poor, which would reduce further in temporary dialysis,” she said. However, she stayed put saying that she can’t miss her exams. “I went to the examination hall with needles in my hand and throat,” Chawla said.
She passed her exams. Further, her struggle continued as she got a kidney transplant that failed. “I was stuck in a glass box after the transplant, as my immunity went down, blood pressure went up, and everything went out of control,” she said.
However, even during that time, she continued to study as and when she could. “My progress was slow, I could not read for days, I could not go to college, but I studied,” Chawla said. She is preparing for her last semester Masters of Commerce exam.
Quoting what inspires her, Chawla said, “Everyone has problems, mine were a little bigger than most, but that does not mean I can’t dream and live.”
With determination for educating herself, 25-year-old Puja Chawla continued studying even when doctors had her locked up in a glass box with medicines to control most of her body functions.
Sharing her story, she said, “Like most 17-year-olds, I was preparing for CBSE class XII Board exams, when I started vomiting every morning after having milk.” Her mother felt that it was because she did not like milk and was stressed. “But after a week, I fainted and was rushed to a nearest hospital,” she said.
Hoping that it was a minor case of food poisoning, her parents sat in the waiting room, when the doctor told them that both her kidneys have failed. “My parents did not know what to do, because it was too sudden and rare, they did not even tell me about it,” Chawla shared. However, it was imperative to tell her, because she had to be operated.
“My world shattered after I understood what it meant, in blink of an eye, I turned from an ordinary young girl with hopes and dreams to someone on the verge of dying,” she said. After thinking for a while, Chawla told her parents to delay operation and go for temporary dialysis.
“They were reluctant, because my haemoglobin level was poor, which would reduce further in temporary dialysis,” she said. However, she stayed put saying that she can’t miss her exams. “I went to the examination hall with needles in my hand and throat,” Chawla said.
She passed her exams. Further, her struggle continued as she got a kidney transplant that failed. “I was stuck in a glass box after the transplant, as my immunity went down, blood pressure went up, and everything went out of control,” she said.
However, even during that time, she continued to study as and when she could. “My progress was slow, I could not read for days, I could not go to college, but I studied,” Chawla said. She is preparing for her last semester Masters of Commerce exam.
Quoting what inspires her, Chawla said, “Everyone has problems, mine were a little bigger than most, but that does not mean I can’t dream and live.”