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Interview Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-917C6Ye9c&feature=youtu.be   Erin Leo

News Writing and Reporting

Professor Tierney

12/11/12

Profile Story

If you were to ask Marianna Consiglio what she wants to be when she grows up, the 16-year-old from New Fairfield, CT would firmly tell you she wants to be a doctor with a concentration in sports medicine.

It was a career path she never would have considered before her injury; an injury that not only changed her desired profession, but has completely altered the way she lives her everyday life.

Nearly four years ago in April of 2009, Consiglio stepped out onto the field to play goalie in a youth lacrosse game. Halfway through the game, after already making half a dozen saves, Consiglio stepped up to block yet another shot from a girl less than five feet away from her.

She blocked the shot, but it came with a price.

The loud crack as the shot rebounded off of Consiglio’s helmet made the whole crowd cringe. The force of the ball caused her head to snap back against her helmet, doubling the impact of the hit. Within seconds she was dizzy and had a throbbing headache, but she continued with the game. Afterwards, however, she knew something was very wrong.

“By the time I had gotten home, I was throwing up and could barely see,” Consiglio said.

Her mother rushed her to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with a concussion, not an uncommon injury in sports.

“At first I didn’t think it was that big a deal—a lot of kids get concussions and recover without significant issues,” said Laura Consiglio, Consiglio’s mother.

However, three months and three different neurologists later, the symptoms from the concussion, specifically the debilitating headaches, had not subsided, and she was referred to Boston Children’s Hospital Sports Injury and Concussion Clinic. An ImPACT test revealed significant cognitive impairment in her visual and verbal memory scores.

“The doctor at Boston told us that the younger the athlete, the longer it generally takes for them to recover from concussions,” recalled Laura Consiglio. “He prepared us that it might take up to 12 weeks for her to fully recover, which I remember thinking no way!”

As it turned out, Consiglio and her mother are now wishing it had really only taken 12 weeks.

For a year, doctors monitored her cognitive function and prescribed several different medications intended to ease the headaches. By March 2010, she had recovered cognitively, but the headaches had yet to go away. Marianna was then diagnosed with Chronic Daily Migraine. Now, in 2012, she has seen seven different neurologists, tried five different naturopathic remedies, and been on countless medications. Still, she experiences near constant headaches and has not gone more than six days without a headache since her initial injury four years ago.

Now, the daily migraines she experiences turn everyday into a battle.

“The hardest part about having the headaches for so long is always missing stuff with my friends and family, and always feeling like I have to explain it to them,” Consiglio said.

As a junior in the middle of her high school experience, not being able to hang out with her friends or attend their birthday parties can be hard. It’s a luxury most other students take for granted.

“She has to cancel a lot of the time because she doesn't feel well,” said Courtney Leo, 16, one of Consiglio’s best friends. “Sometimes she can stay the entire time at a party or sleepover, but other times she won't come or she'll leave early.”

Leo goes on to say that even though they are upset when Consiglio has to cancel on plans, her friends understand and want nothing more than for her to get better.

“A lot of people might think she over-exaggerates her symptoms, but I'm sure she would want nothing more than to hang out with her friends more,” said Leo.

Her condition has impacted her family as well. Having gone through all of the ups and downs with her, they hate seeing her struggle and are frustrated at the lack of a cure.

“It is so frustrating to see her in pain and not be able to do anything to help her,” said Laura Consiglio. “Or more like, everything I do to try and help her is futile.”

Her older brother, Timothy Consiglio, 17, feels the same way.

“Seeing her in pain every day and having trouble helping her get through it is the hardest part,” he said. “You just feel helpless, and that’s the hardest thing to cope with and overcome for all of us.”

However, the biggest obstacle for Consiglio and her family so far is school. Though she has a 504, a medical form that allows her to miss school and assignments without consequences, she struggles daily with make-up work and dealing with teachers who don’t understand her condition. She has not been able to attend a full month of school since her injury.

“I’ve had to come up with totally different school strategies,” Consiglio said. “I used to procrastinate to the last minute to start and finish my assignments, but now I know I have to do them right away when I feel good because I don’t know when the next headache is going to come on and prevent me from doing it.”

She goes to a local tutor regularly and has had to finish classes over the summer to receive credit for them. The school has also rearranged her schedule so that she has a free study the first and last period of the day in case she has to come in late or leave early.

“She gets very stressed out about missing and late assignments,” said Laura Consiglio. “She is determined to do well and wants her grades to reflect her true ability.”

Despite the many challenges, Consiglio has been able to keep up in school and has been able to complete all of her requirements, even if they are just handed in a little later than everyone else.

“She always has a ton of make-up work, even over the holidays and the summer,” said Timothy Consiglio. “But she works so hard and always manages to get it done.”

Even more impressive, is the fact that this year she was inducted into the National Honor Society in her high school. NHS requires all of their inductees to have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and maintain it throughout the rest of their high school career, a feat many normal students cannot achieve, proving just how hard Consiglio has worked to continue doing well in school.

After all, she needs to keep up her grades if she wants to pursue her career path of becoming a doctor, and follow her dream to help others with similar conditions.

“I’ve missed a lot of school, but I also know that many people wouldn’t be able to keep up their grades like I have, so I am even more determined to become a doctor in sports medicine,” she said. “I know how bad athletes want to get back on the field.”

Perhaps most impressive of all, however, is that despite the amount of pain she experiences daily, she doesn’t let it dampen her spirit, and does everything she can not to let it stop her from being a normal kid. She also credits her family, for always being there for her.

“Each one of my family members are my biggest support system,” Consiglio explained. “I love them all and couldn’t do it without them.”

Her family continues to hope for a better future right by her side.

“I am so proud of her determination,” said Laura Consiglio. “But she is sick of being sick, and I keep hoping that tomorrow will be better for her. I promised her we would not stop until we found a doctor to cure these headaches.”

Even with the many set-backs she has encountered, Marianna has always maintained a positive outlook and believes that she would not be the person who she is today had she not been injured so long ago.

“It has certainly taught me some of my most important lessons in life,” Consiglio said. “I’ve missed out on a lot, but I’ve also come to realize who my true friends are and what really matters to me.”

The quote she now sets her life by and draws strength from is the one she thinks best describes her whole situation.

“It’s not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”