Defying odds, specially abled Budgam girl leaping ladder of success

Inspiration:-

Ability is found in a word disability utilities these abilities and make your life exemplary:- Zeenat to specially abled persons

Srinagar, Feb 12 (KNO):- A 27-year old girl from the Summer Bugh area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district is leaping a ladder of success despite meeting a tragic accident in her childhood.

Zeenat Maqbool, a resident of Golapura Summer Bugh Budgam whose right leg has been amputated a few years before is currently working as a laboratory technician in a private super speciality hospital.

Talking to News Agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Zeenat Maqbool said that her family was very excited about her birth as there wasn’t any girl in the family but the joy turned short-lived when she met with an accident.

“I was just eight months old when my father kept me on my wooden structure and my right limb got a twist as it got stuck in it, following which I was taken to the famous Kashmiri bonesetter but instead of curing it got fractured there”, she said.

Zeenat said she was later taken to B&J hospital Srinagar where doctors informed that the leg has fully fractured and it is very difficult to get it cured and even getting treatment there, there was no improvement in the leg.

“For three consecutive years, my parents moved from pillar to post for my treatment but there was no improvement in my leg and at the age of 3 my surgery was done but unfortunately that too was unsuccessful”, she added.

She further added that during the operation, a bone of the left leg was taken out and put in the right leg and as surgery remained unsuccessful, both legs were operated and the right leg got weak,deformed and short in size besides reduced muscle mass.

“My family tried their best but didn’t get any success despite taking me to doctors, bonesetters and faith healers”, during these years my right arm also got fractured but that was recovered shortly
she said, adding that due to continuous unsuccessful efforts, her mother got very depressed as she lost hope and took extreme step and lost her life when her daughter was around 7.

She said that her mothers loss was her biggest loss of life and living a life without mother that too with damaged limb is very difficult as condition of my limb got worsened with each passing day.
I never had shoes of my choice because of unequal foot size.

“I continued my studies and till I was in 4th primary, I used to go school with damaged limb without any support but later limb started to freeze and I wasn’t able to move. My father later brought crutches and started walking in them but i wasn’t able to walk well on them my clothes used to get torn, my hands and few areas of my body got boils and blisters, i got injured several times as I wasn’t able to balance my body at times but I never stopped and continued my studies till 10th in a local school with distinction and later in Nowgam Srinagar”, she added.

Zeenat Maqbool said that despite facing odds and unable to touch her leg and continuous bleeding, allergy and pain, she opted for medical subjects and crossed her 12th class with flying colours.

She said that my father mostly used to take and bring back from school in his load carrier and family especially father continued me to motivate and they never let me down.

“Till 2015, I continued walking on sticks due to which my body posture was getting incorrect and bleeding in limb increased following which I was taken to non-local doctor in Srinagar who motivated me that you will be fit and you will have come Amritsar for treatment”, she said.

In 2016, she said that we visited there who informed me that you leg till knee has got involved but if you will wait more your whole leg may get involved.

“In the same year the below knee amputation was done and one year of bed rest was advised following which prosthetics was done and they trained me how to walk on artificial limb as it has its own limitations and patient faces multiple problems problems”, she added.

“It was the turning point of my life as I was able to walk well without any support and wear clothes and shoes well after 22 years”, She said, adding that in 2017 I joined college where I learned a bit to live life till then my life was confined to home corners but that too proved short lived as father met with an accident but somehow with much courage complete BSc followed by Diploma in Medical Lab Technology in Govt Womens Polytechnic College Bemina and then BSc in Chandigarh.

“I am currently working as a lab technician in a private super speciality hospital and preparing for exams to get job in a Govt hospital
and I am going to pursue my masters and Phd as well as I want to study more, she added.

She said that till Diploma, her all expenses were borne by family but after BSc she has been managing her expenses herself besides supporting her family.

“Despite this tragedy I had met great family issues and destitute but I embraced it all as part of my life and never gave up on myself”, she added.

Zeenat is planning to establish a laboratory where she can do tests at minimal rates so that she can benefit patients as she has spent her whole life as patient and she feels their pain more as she has gone through.

“My message to the other specially-abled persons will be that your disability isn’t the end of life, rather you need to be courageous to fight all odds and overcome challenges,” she said, adding that loss of one organ doesn’t mean end of life as your brain is working and that is enough to dream and work on your dreams to make them come true.

“You will meet a lot of people who will make you feel useless, just ignore them and never rely yourself on others and have your sense of right and wrong and trust Allah and be your own muse,” she said.

“I am highly grateful to Almighty who choose me for these trails. Besides my hardwork and dedication I am thankful I got a supportive family especially my idealistic Father and blessed with great teachers throughout my journey. Hopefully I am making proud them all,” Zeenat added.

“Embracing abilities found within disabilities can lead to remarkable outcomes. By focusing on strengths, adapting utilities, and leveraging these abilities, individuals can create exemplary lives that inspire others and showcase the power of resilience and determination.” She added