“I felt like I had a mission to share my story with the world. A message that with hope, strength, and little creativity, anything is possible.” Amy O. turned what could have been a tragedy into a triumphant tale of survival — and a comedic, yet poignant musical. #ImNotAverage
- Condition: Short Gut, PTSD
- Age: 28
- Location: Westport, Connecticut
I may not have a stomach, but I am hungry for life.
According to doctors, I am a “surgical disaster.” A week before my senior prom, my stomach started to hurt. My dad took me to the Emergency Room for an x-ray, and on the way to the hospital, I collapsed. I slipped into a coma and didn't wake until months later.
While I was unconscious, my lungs collapsed and my stomach burst during a surgical procedure. I went into sepsis and was read my last rites. Through my doctors' dedicated work and expert medical treatment, I survived instead.
A few months later, I was discharged from the hospital, and I was soon starring in a local musical – tubes, bags, and all. Since then, I've painted, produced a musical called “Gutless and Grateful: A Musical Feast,” and enrolled in college. I'm hungry for life.