I'm writing this post for all those people who think life isn't fair and need some motivation or inspiration in life.

Here's my story –

It was Sunday July 14, I was on my way to a conference at MGM hospital, Navi Mumbai and it was raining heavily and roads were water logged. I was on my motorcycle and my bike slipped because of open pothole which I didn’t notice because of water logging. When I fell, I could see a truck coming towards me but I couldn't move because of my bike. I could see the truck approaching closer and closer, and it ran over my stomach. It happened so fast – I was in terrible pain. I fractured 8 ribs , 4 vertebrae and suffered a spinal cord injury. Next day I got operated and when I woke up I realised I couldn't move my legs… no sensation at all. Doctors said that it's temporary and it will be restored in few days and suggested that I take Physiotherapy in Delhi. When I reached Delhi doctors examined and told me I wouldn't be able to walk ever. I was in terrible shock I just couldn't believe it and my eyes started watering, I just couldn't control my tears. I couldn't sleep for many nights thinking about what's the use of such life when I can't walk.

After spending many nights sleepless nights one day a physiotherapist came to me and said,

“ You are crying because you can't walk, but there are people here who can't even move their hands or turn their neck around”. He told me to focus on what I have, instead of brooding over what I don’t.

It was a turning point in my life, and I started accepting my life on the wheelchair. Earlier I had to struggle even for the simplest thing like eating with my own hand or sitting on a chair. But I kept working on it with rigorous physiotherapy from morning 8 am to evening 6pm for months. Soon I started developing the balance to sit unsupported. I decided to come back to Mumbai to complete my post-graduation.All my friends, family and staff members of my college supported me. It was painful for me to sit on the chair even for 30 minutes. But I still wanted to give exam. We had theory paper of 3hours and I had to write it in pain, I was in tears because of all the pain, but still I managed to write for 3 hours (4 papers).

Also read: What is Medico-Dental Symbiosis?

Yes…. I cleared my exam with flying colours!

Then the real struggle began.

It was the time to open my own clinic and put all the things which I have learnt for many years to use. Searching for a place which was on ground floor and without any steps was a big problem. But after few months I got one. After setting up a clinic, people were skeptical to visit my clinic as they had doubt on my capabilities to treat them, just because I was in a wheelchair.

One patient asked me, "Doctor, how will you remove my teeth? Last time I had an extraction, that doctor had to apply so much force that he was all over me, how will you manage all that in a wheelchair?"

I told him it's not about how much force it's about where to apply force and even little force could remove the tooth. He agreed to let me remove his tooth and I extracted it in just 10 minutes. He was very happy that it was so quick and painless, and so was I. After that, I never looked back. Life is amazing! Only thing you need to do is believe in yourself and nothing is impossible.

– Dr. Nikhil Mahajan, Orthodontist