Christopher Bowman, Personal Statement

The massive, multicolored building that is Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh beckoned on the horizon as the ambulance careened down the Bloomfield Bridge with my dad following behind. In the ambulance, I remember the paramedic and my mom assuring me that we were almost at the hospital. Despite being doubled over in pain, a sigh of relief brushed over me when I saw the large red letters that said CHILDREN’S EMERGENCY.

I was rushed into a critical care room where a nurse immediately inserted an IV line for fluids and narcotic pain medication. After what seemed like an infinite number of questions were asked, the nurse then drew four vials of blood. Results of the blood test had confirmed that this was, as we predicted, a severe episode of Pancreatitis, a disease I had been hospitalized for numerous times in the past. Pancreatitis is a disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed and food cannot be digested properly. Pancreatitis pain is excruciating and treatment involves fluids through an IV line and narcotic pain medication, no food or drink may be ingested. During my most recent and final hospitalization, I was admitted for three months; during that time I had my gallbladder removed and have been pain free ever since. As a child, into my young adult years, I experienced the day-to-day activities inside hospitals much more than many other children my age. As a result of my numerous hospitalizations, a new interest sparked in the healthcare field for me. I believe that being hospitalized so many times in the past has taught me many valuable lessons. First, I have come to appreciate all of the advances made in medicine compared to how it was 100 years ago. I have also come to appreciate the little things we take for granted in life. I have also come to embrace and understand that there is always someone worse off than myself. Despite spending weeks and months in the hospital connected to machines, I could not help but notice all of the young children with baldheads due to chemotherapy, some of them who may never smell the outside air again or feel the sun on their bodies. That being said, they act as if nothing is wrong and find the ability to be happy and play, just as any other child outside the hospital would be. Being in the hospital has also taught me to be patient with others. While I was in severe pain waiting for the nurse to pump more narcotics through my IV, I realized that she had many other patients at the same time, some of them with even more life threatening illnesses than mine. One of the most significant lessons I have learned is to be selfless and give back. I have been involved as a volunteer since March 2012. I take on a multitude of tasks including; working in the inpatient playrooms on units 9A and 6B, as well as bedside visits to patients. I also spend time supporting patients’ families when needed. In this setting, I am required to maintain patient privacy and confidentiality, and adhere to all policies. This experience has given me a wealth of beneficial information for when I officially work in a hospitalized setting.