My parents had just got divorced and I bottled my hurt and anger inside like a well corked bottle of vintage champagne ready to pop. Consequently, I began a short-lived series of rebellious actions that seemed to help me cope with my pain such as having a few beers after school at my girlfriend Claudia's house.

The first time I was introduced to pot was in fact at Claudia's. Her older brother Alex had a lot of cute friends that made the peer pressure so much easier to give into. The tightly rolled joint made it's way towards me testing my judgement the closer it came. The foreign object was held closely to my pursed lips and I tried to inhale. As the smoke filled up my lungs I began to choke. Laughter filled the air and everyone told me that it happens the first time you try it. At that point I didn't want to ever attempt to smoke again. I was quite happier with being able to breathe and swallow bitter beer instead. The daily routine became quite familiar, a

My only alternative left was a heart operation. " Heart surgery?" I thought to myself, no way. The word surgery was so extremely scary, but it was the only way for a normal life. My desire for normality outweighed my fear and so the operation was scheduled. I woke up that mourning at 4:00 and was a nervous wreck the entire time in the car to the hospital. When I walked through the hospital doors I was greeted with the all too familiar smell of anesthetic. I was checked in and prepped for the operation. They made me wear a stylish gown and an extremely attractive bracelet with my name on it. After being completely anesthetized with medicine they inserted three huge tubes called cathedors into my atrial veins in my groin and my chest. They then proceed to travel into my heart and bring my heart rate up and down to locate the nerve. When they finally found the nerve after five hours they killed it with sound waves. During the operation I was unconscious but could actually!

I've started a new relationship with my mother that was never there before. We have become very close. She is not only my mom but also my mentor and my best friend. Going to the movies and out to dinner is something we love to do or even just stay home can be fun. We share everything with one another and I trust and love her with all my heart. I do believe that my life would be very different if it were not for the life threatening experience that seemed to kick me in my butt and wake me up. I finally feel that I'm traveling on the right path and have become a better person inside and out. I thank God everyday for my health and all he has blessed me with.

One particular day after school, I was sitting on Claudia's bed eating and watching television, when my heart started pounding furiously. I didn't pay too much attention to it because I hadn't done any drinking and never did any drugs. After about ten minutes of constant pounding, I started to worry. My friend's mom took me home and my mother told me that it was probably nothing but a little bit of anxiety. The doctor advised us over the phone to take my pulse, so my mom and I stood in the kitchen staring at the clock trying repeatedly over and over again to get my pulse rate. It was a mission impossible. My entire body shook with the rhythm of my heart. You could actually see the skin on my arms and legs pulsate with every beat. My chest was going to explode.

feel them prodding in my chest. I was in the hospital for three days and didn't fully recover until four months later.

Needless to say the operation was a success and

Some common words found in the essay are:
Mommy Daddy, Frequency Oblation, Claudia's Alex, Rude Awakening, Leave Beaver, rushed emergency hospital, extra nerve, constant fear, heart rate, sound waves, hanging friends, life changed, rushed emergency, emergency hospital, heart racing, beats minute,
Approximate Word count = 1745
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)