Week 10: Triumphs and Tattoos

This week's post is gonna be a little different as I wasn't really sure what to talk about. 

This month being liver awareness month which I know sounds pretty goofy but it gives me some reflection on the past four and a half years. I am not gonna talk about the downfalls of my health that I've mentioned several times over in my blog (but go check those posts out if you want) but this time talk about the triumphs I've achieved throughout college.

One thing that I have overcome that would be probably my most prominent struggles I have faced is even attending college. I have probably missed more hours than I can even remember and or think of. That hasn't stopped me from making it through college. My professors here at Ohio Northern have been unbelievably helpful and kind. It is really hard even for many adults to understand and I have received more support than I could ever imagine here at Northern. It is moments like this that makes me think everything happens for a reason as I originally had dreams of going to college out of state. With the help and support I have received here I am able to still graduate on time at the same time as my friends and peers, which something at many times through these last few years at Ohio Northern I wasn't sure that was going to happen. 

I’ve always somewhat known that I want/feel the need to get a tattoo to commemorate my journey growing up. A tattoo is obviously a huge commitment as it is permanent ink being needled onto your body. I have had a few varied ideas on how to put the writing or artwork into permanent ink. I do finally think I have nailed my final idea on what I want my tattoo to look like in every aspect including the design, the size, the color or no color. 

Now for the origin and creation and through the thought process of what I want it to look like. 

The forget-me-not flower is the symbol that represents organ, eye, and tissue donor heroes. So that is the basis of design because I want that to represent my liver donor but not only that I want it to be in colored ink that shows the livelihood of the flowers and how it represents living. I also wanted to include a part of my childhood and the hospital that saved my life but that's a tricky thing that thought about trying to visually represent but I realized I could use the symbol of Nationwide Children's Hospital which is a butterfly so im gonna either have the butterfly on the forget-me-not flowers or above/around it. I know that since it is very thought out it's gonna take a particular designer and or design studio to accomplish my vision. I was thinking of getting the tattoo within the next year and most likely around my fifth liver transplant anniversary to mark a significant milestone.