My name is Morgan Jones. Here is my story: I used to live in Illinois, a small town. I had everything a girl could want - two wonderful sisters, two wonderful parents, and a smile that lights up the world. All I could do was smile; I had a crazy imagination, and I wanted to be a model and Disney actress because I felt pretty when I smiled. I wasn’t afraid of anything when I was a child, except for bad storms and sleeping alone in the dark. I even had stage fright. When I was little, I would sleep with my mom because I was so scared.
My mom got me into music and the idea of being famous. She taught me how to dance and heard me singing every day in the bedroom. I wanted to help my parents because we were struggling at the time, and I wanted to get them a big house.
When I was around 9, I started losing my smile. My teeth ended up getting bad because I wouldn’t brush them due to the pain I was in. My mom took me to so many dentists, but none of them really helped. I remember one time I was told I couldn’t have chocolate milk. No dentist really knew what they were doing, and it wasn't my parents' fault; they didn't want to see me in pain, so they didn't make me brush my teeth, which caused tooth decay.
I remember how hard it was for my mom because the school kept calling about how I was getting bullied for my teeth. I would sit alone at the table, get ditched at football games and carvels, laughed at in school hallways, told I paid my friends, called a toothless freak, and even bullied about my hair at one point. I was bullied to the point where I lost my self-esteem. I still remember those words and the places where I was bullied. I wanted so badly to fit in that I made up a story about being a mermaid, which only caused more bullying.
Not only did I get bullied, but I also lost my mom at the age of ten. No girl should live without their mom; I would do anything to have my mom here. I know God wanted a pretty flower, so he picked my mom.
I kept getting infections in my teeth, fevers, headaches - you name it, I got it. My dad found a dentist who was willing to do surgery on me. He said I had to get all my teeth cut out. Remember I said I wasn’t afraid of anything? I wasn’t afraid of getting my teeth cut out; I knew they were going to put me asleep. I remember my mom told me to tell the surgeon my favorite TV show if I ever had surgery, and I would dream about it. I went three years without teeth, just music and me. I had my sister, my cousin, and her friends, so I had support. I got my teeth my freshman year, but the bullying got worse. There was a homecoming prank; I found it funny now, but it hurt me then.
My dad met a girl in an online young widow group. It made me happy knowing he was happy. It made me happy knowing I had a new best friend who constantly made me laugh and gave me a backbone.
For a long time, I wanted to start over. I started at Moorestown High School, and I was shy at first. I met two girls, and we became best friends. Carolyn, Mel and I wouldn’t trade those girls for the world. They said you only get two best friends. They became like family to me. We hung out all the time, I could call them anytime, they were the girls I could count on.
Around my senior year, I found out I had trigeminal neuralgia. This whole time, it was a disease that I didn’t even know I had. I went through every medicine, and I still get pain to this day, but I always come back from the spasms. I am an overcomer; I can overcome any obstacles that come my way. I am one of those girls who doesn’t give up. My boyfriend always encourages me that I am a fighter, and I have to stay positive.
I have great people here in Jersey who tell me how much I inspire them, how much they look up to me. I am not ashamed of my story because I know it’s going to help a lot of people. One day, I am going to have someone tell me that my story helped them. I hope I can change the world.
Please be kind, guys; there are so many people who need it.
Just because you have an illness doesn’t mean there’s no greatness in you; it doesn’t mean you are not a fighter because you are a fighter. Don’t give up; share your story and help many ❤️.
Check out Morgan's Etsy Store where she raises money to donate to facial pain awareness!
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