Keep Flying, Butterflies! - by Kristy McDonald

Hi, my name is Kristy McDonald. I am 34 years old. I was born hearing impaired, so I’ve worn hearing aids all my life. I was diagnosed with Turner syndrome (TS) when I was 14 years old when an aunt noticed one of my legs was shorter than the other.

My mom took me to a new pediatrician to get a referral to an orthopedic doctor. The new doctor immediately noticed the way my elbows turned out, my scoliosis, and my short height (I was 4 ft 6 in). She asked if she could run a karyotype of my blood. The test confirmed I had TS. It was scary, but also a relief. I had always known I was different, but no one, not my parents or my long term ENT, knew why. It took a young doctor not long out of medical school to figure it out.

Since then, I grew to a final height of 4 ft 11 in. I am a registered nurse working in a skilled rehabilitation facility. Currently, I am halfway through my journey to be a nurse practitioner. I always tell people not to let others tell you that you can’t do something. I was told I couldn’t be a nurse because of my hearing, but here I am, a nurse over 9 years and about to graduate next year as a nurse practitioner. Keep flying butterflies!