You're Beautiful Just The Way You Are! - Akankhsya Mohapatra

 “After undergoing body shaming, hormonal imbalance and painful periods due to an ovarian cyst, I finally decided to get fit. YouTube was my first guide, I started working out at home, gained knowledge on nutrition and lost 17kgs in 8 months. Later, I developed interest in yoga and eventually, won medals in competitions. I was also teaching yoga to people. I had goals set and life was good until I met with an accident in 2016.

In the hospital, they sedated me and after returning home, by around midnight my belly started to swell and became hard as rock. I couldn’t sleep as it was painful. My parents took me to S.C.B. and as it was crowded, I had to lay on the ground. After waiting for hours, the doctor came and diagnosed me with an internal injury, being unsure of what it is. 

I got admitted to another hospital where they ran tests. I had high fever & my condition was deteriorating Doctors had lost hope on my survival. Later, with the help of my Uncle, a renowned cardiologist, we found the best doctor and flew to Hyderabad. I got admitted in the Global Hospital where the started my treatments on pancreatic injuries.

I underwent through numbers of surgeries. I had been given so many doses of anaesthesia earlier, that the surgeons feared injecting me with more, so I literally took the pain some of the holes being drilled into my belly. The drain out pipes weren’t enough for taking out the fluids so they had to inject it out. Not a single part of my body was unpricked by then.  

The prolonged hospitalisation led to PTSD. In this state, I flew back to home as the doctors suggested being around the family for speedy recovery (which did happen). But, some people stated theories like ‘You must have done wrong to others. Hence, the suffering’, ‘if you had fat tissues instead of the abs, it would have protected your pancreas’, ‘You will get diabetes soon’. Such things did shake me, but my doctor motivated me to be fearless.

People have been insensitive and cruel. Not paying heed to them is the best way out. My mother stayed up with me on those sleepless nights, didn’t have water and prayed all day. She made me realise that suffering isn't personal."

I am forever indebted to people who have prayed prayed for me and to those who pulled me down. They have helped me to face the challenges of life." - Akankhsya Mohapatra.