Growing up as a kid with Haemophilia was a pain. School posed a challenge to me as I used to wear full sleeve shirt and pants with cotton stitched in them near my joints so that I don’t bruise myself if I fall down, whereas everyone else had a different attire. Everyone considered me different, and no one wanted to be my friend. I was bullied because I was different.

To add to that, I could not go out to play with the kids my age and had to be stuck indoors. I used to get hurt, and the pain was unbearable and I wondered to myself, why me?

The constant loneliness and trauma played a major role in shaping my mental health. It made my personality strong, and I realised that just because I have a chronic disorder doesn’t mean that I am incapable of doing things that a normal individual can do. So even with my haemophilia, I played football, cricket, and various other sports which a person with haemophilia can’t even dream of playing. I have been on treks and partaken in other physical activities such as dance and drama.

Through the hard times, I found solace in books and music. Books made my imagination run wild and see the world outside the box. Whenever I was in pain, my guitar gave me company and It made me forget the pain. These two things have been an integral part of my life and has made me who I am.

I never let my haemophilia demotivate me. I always considered it a blessing and adapted to it. Through my indomitable attitude, I now embrace my haemophilia proudly and consider myself unique and capable of achieving anything if I put my mind to it. To put it poetically, my head is bloody but unbowed.