My Story

My Name is McKinsey Veenker I'm 19 years old and currently serving a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You could say that I've lived a pretty "normal" life.  All except for one thing at the age of 15 all I had worked for in my life was suddenly taken away from me.  I grew up a competitive gymnasts with hopes of making it to the collegiate level someday.  But all that changed when I injured my elbow and had to have a career ending surgery.  At the young age of 15 I felt lost and depressed it felt like my whole life was over and there was no point in living anymore.  As time went on I focused on my recovery and my time was filled with rehab.  But once that was over depression started to sink in.  Until one day I finally realized I wasn't accomplishing feeling sorry for myself and dwelling on the past.  I slowly started trying new things I tried out for my high school student council and made it.  I played recreation sports that I had given up at a young age to focus on gymnastics.  Life was going well and I could truly say I was happy again.  But just when I had reached the point of acceptance of everything around tragedy hit.  It was a year later and it was student council elections for the upcoming year student council was the main thing that took the place of gymnastics and so I was excited to be trying out again and looking forward to the upcoming year with new ideas and hopes of what I could accomplish.  But what was in store for me was not student council, results were announced and I had not been selected.  I hadn't made student council and again everything seemed lost.  The next couple weeks were hard and if you asked anyone I truly wasn't myself.  But on a fluke I tried out for high school cheer.  Too much surprise with no cheer background I made the high school cheer team.  I was uneasy about the decision at first and wasn't sure if I was going to accept the spot on the team but I did and it ended up blessing my life in so many ways.  Until about half way through the season when my elbow injury came back and again I found myself sitting in the doctor’s office.  The information I received from the doctor was not what I had hoped for, I would have to receive another surgery on my elbow.  The doctors wanted to do it as soon as possible but agreed to let me finish my current cheer season.  I finished the cheer season and had the surgery performed.  I rehabbed it in the off season and came back in time to try out for cheer for my senior year.  I made the team and practices started.  But after about a month a practice I was back at the doctor.  He told me that my gymnastic/cheer days were over.  I had to quit the team and was left wondering what to do with my senior year.  I tried out for student council again and made it! I also applied for an internship for sports medicine at my school and got it also.  I was thrilled with all that I was blessed with to do for my senior year but was stilled down about cheer.  I slowly came out of that and enjoyed my summer. With great family and friends to help me when I got down.  Everything in life was good again accept for one thing my elbow pain never really went away even though I had given up all activity on it.  I went to a couple different doctors and the problem was never found.  Until just the other day the doctors discovered several different problems on the MRI I learned that I would again have to have a third surgery performed. In December of 2012 my third surgery was performed.  Cartilage was taken out of my knee and placed in my elbow as well as some other things.  I went through my trials with this surgery and shared most of them with you through this blog.  Since then I have graduated from high school and have served a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Washington DC North Mission. I'm now attending college. Figuring out my next move in life and trying to make a difference in the world. I know we can all make a difference in the world through our examples.  I challenge you all to strive everyday to make a difference in at least one person's life.  and as always don't get down look for the door that's opening in front of you (: