A Girl Who Never Gave Up Despite Trigeminal Neuralgia Diagnosis

Morgan was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia as a teenager. 

My name is Morgan Jones.

I lived in a small town in Illinois.

I had everything a girl can want:

— two wonderful sisters and two wonderful parents.

— a smile that lights up the world.

All I can do is smile — I had a crazy dream that I wanted to be a model and Disney actress. There’s nothing I enjoyed more than watching Disney because I felt pretty with my smile.

I was afraid of bad storms, and afraid of sleeping alone in the dark. I even had stage fright. When I was little I would sleep with my mom because of how scared I was.

My mom got me into music and the idea of being famous. She taught me how to dance. She heard me singing everyday in the bedroom. I wanted to help my parents out because we were struggling at the time and I wanted to get them a big house. I was mostly thinking of them.

When I was around 9, I started losing my smile. My teeth ended up getting bad, all because I wouldn’t brush my teeth because I was in so much pain. My mom took me to so many dentists. I remember one time I was told I couldn’t have chocolate milk. Dentists were no help. I know it’s not my parent’s fault. They didn’t want to see me in pain, so they didn’t make me brush my teeth which led to tooth decay.

I remember how hard it was for my mom, because the school kept calling when I was getting bullied for my teeth. I would sit alone at the table. I got ditched at football games and carnivals. People laughed at me in school hallways. People said I paid to have friends. I was called a toothless freak. I even got 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 still remember the places where I was bullied at. I wanted so bad to fit in that I made up a story that I was a mermaid. How embarrassing right? That cause more bullying. Not only did I get bullied, I also lost my mom at the age of ten. No girl should lived 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 became even more sick. I kept getting infections in my teeth, as well as fevers, headaches, you named 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 that I said I wasn’t afraid of anything? I wasn’t afraid of getting my teeth cut out. I know they were going to put me asleep. I remember my mom told me to tell a surgeon your favorite tv show if I ever had surgery and you will dream about it.

I went three years without teeth. Three years of just music and me. I had my sister, my cousin and her friends so I had support.

I got my teeth my freshman year. The bullying got worse. There was a homecoming prank, I found it funny now it didn’t hurt me, but it’s like how can someone do that? I still don’t understand it that day.
My dad met someone online in a young widow group. It made me happy knowing he was happy. It made me happy knowing I have a new best friend who constantly made me laugh and got me a backbone.

For a long time I wanted to start over, I started Moorestown High School, I was a shy a little bit. I met this two girls and we become best friends. Her and Mel I wouldn’t trade those girls for the world. They said you only get two best friends. They became like family to me. We hang out all the time, I can called them anytime, they are the girls I can 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 knew. I went through so many medicines, and I still get pain to this day, but I always come back from the spasm. I overcome any obstacles that comes my way.

I am one of those girls who doesn’t give up. My boyfriend always encourage me that I am a fighter, and I have to stay positive. I have great people here in New Jersey that tell me how much I inspired 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.  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 ❤️