4.jpg
Few can truly claim a victory dance of rebirth. Nadia Esani is one of those remarkable individuals who has had a near-death experience and has lived to tell the tale.
Nadia came to the US at the age of 10, with a cultural heritage strikingly different from that of her home in Pakistan. During her teenage years, she struggled with acclimating to the Western culture, which motivated her to seek a Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies.
Life doesn’t always evolve according to one’s plan, and the divergence for Nadia was particularly striking, while she was living in Houston. In 1999, during the year of her husband’s Law School graduation, she began a journey of illness that could have quite easily taken her life. She was diagnosed with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, a rare thrombotic condition that causes major organ failure and severe damage to kidneys, while also jeopardizing her eyesight.
Nadia’s journey for two and a half months was critical, as she was placed on dialysis and her survival was a testimony of her faith and courage. Life after her treatment has included management of hypertension, but despite these major setbacks she has been rigorous in her pursuit of education.
In 2000, four months after the onset of the condition, Nadia created new goals for her future. With the assistance of social workers, the Texas Commission for the Blind (currently known as the Department of Assistive Rehabilitative Services) and The Lighthouse of Houston, she was able to relearn her ability to operate a computer, regain her independence, cook, clean, and become motivated to seek a path for further education. With the aid of a software called Job Access with Speech, Nadia was able to access the web browser, read emails, work on documents and much more. Additionally, her computer screen has a refreshable braille display.
Nadia is a proud mother of two children, Aariz (12 years) and Kiran (17 years), has successfully completed her Master’s degree in Family Studies, and is now hoping to complete her Ph.D. in Psychology this year. She attributes all her achievements to her husband, Farooq Esani, and her family, who have supported and empowered her to reconquer her fears and constantly have encouraged her to relearn new skills.
Nadia is able to learn her curriculum through audio recordings, and with the assistance of a white cane and guide dog, she enjoys her strolls through nature. Her greatest challenge is overcoming technological issues, as her computer is designed especially for her use, so if she experiences any issues related to web-browsing or software malfunction, it is not as easy for her to switch to another device for support.
As a family, Farooq’s approach to life has changed. He now believes, “Blindness does not mean helplessness,” and nothing is impossible if one is willing to redefine disability and be motivated to find solutions to the challenges one faces.
Nadia is an active reader and listens to two books a week, mostly mysteries and romance novels, with the help of Talking Books, a service provided to the blind and dyslexic. Her favorite quote is by William W. Purkey, “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, love like you’ll never be hurt, sing like there’s nobody listening, and live like it’s heaven on earth.”
Despite losing her eyesight, Nadia realized that her other sensory skills were sufficient for her to enjoy life. She recites ginans in Jamatkhana and has adapted her skills to relearn the text through audio recording files on cassettes.
Nadia’s advice is to just challenge yourself and to try to do whatever you dream of achieving. After her Doctorate degree, she aims to pursue a career as a consultant through online sessions. She illustrates that no matter the physical disadvantages, one can live a full life if one has the courage, determination, and positive attitude to overcome life’s challenges.
