 |
Jessica Beam, Miss Union, SC
|
My journey is unique in its own way. I was adopted at 2 days old into a loving and caring home. They took me in as if I was one of their own and accepted any issues I might have. My life was full of fun times. I had an older sister to show me the ropes of life and cousins who helped too. I went to a private school as a child and when I started middle school is when I moved to the public life. I began high school in 2004. I attended Berea High School, “the home of the bulldogs”, in Greenville, SC. As my high school years started I became involved in numerous activities. My schedule was overwhelming, but I loved it. I cheered and was apart of many in-school organizations. I couldn’t wait until I was a big senior and almost on my own. However, as I look back I never knew how 4 years of my life passed by so fast.
It was my senior year at Berea and I was more than ready to attend college and broaden my experiences. I had made the decision to attend Newberry College in Newberry, SC. Excitement couldn’t touch what I had! This is where my story really starts. I was 17 years old and getting ready for my final Miss Green and White pageant. I did this pageant every year and I was excited and sad it was to be my last one. I woke up the Thursday morning before the Saturday pageant. I could not feel the right side of my body. My mom thought it was a pinched nerve and sent me to the chiropractor. When that didn’t work, I went to my family doctor. He told me that I had a type of migraine that didn’t affect my head just my body. With time he said it will go away.
Friday night was the freshman and sophomore pageant. One of my best friend’s little sister was going to be in it. By the end of the night I couldn’t walk up the stairs to congratulate her on getting 1st runner-up. I went home that night praying the pain would go away.
Saturday came along and I was nervous like every other girl was. I began to get ready and I was feeling like a new girl. The pageant started at 7:00pm sharp. I did the opening number and introduced myself to the judges and audience with no signs of pain. As the night went on, the pain began in my legs. When I walked on the stage and stood before the judges, my body felt as if it was falling backwards. I could not stop moving because if I did I was going to fall. During the awards ceremony I had to lean on a close friend of mine. I received people’s choice and 2nd runner-up, however, I did not care about anything. All I wanted was for the pain to stop.
EMS rushed me to the hospital. They took me in for a CAT scan. The ER doctor said nothing was wrong. The next week my pain did not subside, it got worse. I was weak, tired, and could barely walk. My muscles would cramp up so bad, I couldn’t write. My family doctor referred me to a neurologist. He did a full neurological exam, and found nothing wrong. He did blood work and sent me on my way for an MRI.
A week later I went back for the results. He told me that I had 3 lesions on my brain and 1 on my spinal cord. That day he did a spinal tap. I was scared; my body shook. When he received the results from the spinal tap, he sat me down and told me that I had Multiple Sclerosis. Those words pierced through my heart. I was taken back. My hands started to shake and I started to sob. He gave me a few weeks to make a decision on my treatment. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t even talk about it. I went into a state of depression and anyone who came near me made it worse. I couldn’t stop the tears. They just kept rolling down my cheeks. The doctors took me out of school and put me on homebound. I couldn’t even write to do my class work. The main question I asked God each night was “Why me?” Why did I get stuck with an illness that would never go away? I was an honor student, worked, and did community service as a hobby and I was the one stuck with a sickness that would never go away. Family and friends accepted my sickness and realized that the journey I was about to take part of was not going to be easy. I can honestly say that I wanted to end everything when I was diagnosed. I couldn’t handle the pain anymore nor did I think I could handle MS the rest of my life.
I went back to school around the end of January. I was welcomed back with open arms. I had a dream as a child to be Miss Berea. Miss Berea was the queen of the school. She was the perfect example of the students and talent that Berea High School had. It was my last year to win and my last chance to become the “old me”. My doctors said it would be okay for me to dance and compete in the pageant. I worked for weeks to dance normal again. The pageant was held a month and 13 days after I was diagnosed. I wore my MS pin in the interview room and as the questions rolled, I was asked what my pin meant. I told three random women my story. It was the first time I had ever shared it with anyone.
Later that night the competition began. We had the usual opening number, casual wear, talent, and evening wear. I kept thinking that the pain was going to come back. As the award ceremony began, I stood beside 10 wonderful young women; each of them wanting the crown at hand. The emcee called out 4th through 1st runner-up. As I stood in the back waiting for the winner to be called, a girl whose dad has MS looked at me while she held my hand and told me that my hard work and dedication has shown and Miss Berea was mine. Then they announced the winner. “And the next Miss Berea High School is……..Contestant #2 Jessica Beam”. I couldn’t believe it. As the former Miss Berea High School put that crown on my head, I couldn’t stop thinking - I was back to being “Jessica” and I knew right then that this illness was not going to get the best of me.
In June 2008, I graduated 25th in my class. I walked across that stage to get my diploma as if nothing had ever occurred that past year. Now I am a freshman at Newberry College double majoring in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. I am apart of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority where I hold the Community Service chair. I was awarded with the Deans List for the fall of 2008. Besides my college life, I am the reigning Miss Union 2009 for the Miss South Carolina/Miss America Organization. I have completed over 400 hours of community service and work hand-in-hand for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National MS Society. I help in four different Union County Schools and mentor 8 young men and women on a weekly basis. When I look at this past year, I realize the obstacles I had to over come and I thank God that I had the strength to do it. December 13, 2007 was the day my life changed forever, but not to the bad! - “All things are possible if you just BELIEVE!”