My name is Savanna Michalak and I am ten years old. I was born with a lazy left eye, which my ophthalmologist diagnosed as right intermittent exotropia. My eye would wander off to the side without me knowing and without me being able to control it. My parents took me to University Children’s Eye Center to be treated by Dr. Sepideh Rousta. I had to patch my good eye several times a day to make my weak eye work more. I also had to perform daily exercises which made my eyes very tired. Unfortunately, all the work I did was not enough, and I had my first eye surgery when I was four years old, then three more surgeries in the years that followed.
Some children at my school would say, “stop looking at me”, even though I wasn’t, it was my lazy eye wandering off. My classmates would constantly call me ugly and laugh at me because my eyes were different. My mom told me that having another eye surgery would now be my decision to make. I remember coming home from school in the third grade after being bullied, crying to my mother, and asking to have another surgery; I was tired of being bullied every day. School days were excruciatingly long for me and many times in school I would go into the bathroom to hide my tears. I feared having to participate in class because I felt everyone was watching my eye and laughing at me. My teachers gave me lower grades because I would not participate in activities where I had to speak aloud. I felt none of the teachers understood me and what I was going through. Only my mom, dad and other family members told me to believe in myself.
When I was seven, my parents brought me to a farm in Pennsylvania and let me pick out a puppy. I immediately knew which dog I wanted, she was so calm and had such soft golden colored hair. I named her Sky and home we went. Sky stays in my room with me every night. I suffer from migraines due to my eye condition and Sky is at my side through each one. Petting Sky calms my nervous and having her next to me, I never feel alone. Whenever I’m upset, Sky lays by my side. She knows when I’m depressed and she wants to make me happy, so she starts wagging her tail, kissing my face and tries to make me feel better.
Throughout the years, Sky has taught me how to overcome being bullied. Training with Sky has given me confidence and built my self-esteem, which is something that I never had. I am in the fifth grade now and this is the first year that I’m starting to like school. I decided to run for Class President; I had to give a speech in front of my class, and I did it!
In 2017, I joined my local 4H dog club called “Little Woofers”; The following year I graduated to the older club called “Woof”! My 4-H leaders have shown unbelievable confidence in Sky and me. I would like to thank Ms. Sue, Ms. Pat, Ms. Denise, and Ms. Amy for helping me and Sky. They have helped teach me how to talk to people that I don’t know and show a sense of confidence. Sky and I are a team, we work together and support one another. In school, I had to get extra help with reading. At home, I would practice reading to Sky; Sky does not judge me, she is always there for me and listens intently to me.
I became an American Kennel Club Junior Handler with Sky in 2021. Together, we compete in Obedience and Rally competitions. My first two shows, I was the only Junior Handler in my class, but to my surprise, not the only Junior Handler that was competing. I was not overly nervous because I believed in Sky and myself. The shows I attended proved to me that people were not looking at my eye, but rather watching the way Sky and I performed together. I was not being judged alone, being made fun of, or bullied, I was being supported and cheered on.
Sky helped me overcome my fears and now I do more things because Sky helped me get through the hard times. I now like school and I am no longer afraid to be in front of other people. I am working with Sky for her to become Certified Therapy Dog. She can help other people who are scared, by comforting them like she does to me. No child should get bullied because of how they look. No one should not be judged for things out of their control because it’s not their fault. Some people are born with different diseases and conditions, like me, I had lazy eye. I hope my story can help others conquer their fears and provide hope.