Mahogany Geter, a stunning damsel born in Tennessee, a landlocked state in the South of the United States, is a classic example which shuns and wipes the fears and scars of the agonies brought by lymphedema on her left leg.
Lymphedema, also known as lymphatic obstruction, is a long-term condition where swelling is caused due to the collection of excess fluid in tissues. Mahogany, 23, never wanted to lose her battle to be in the limelight, despite having an enormous physical burden which as she herself notes was extremely unassuming and rather heartening.
Despite an abundance of hard feelings while being engulfed with quite a lot of frustration, Mahogany decided to challenge her inner self. Having seen another woman who was of her same calibre, Mahogany’s hidden desire of being a model all of a sudden came off the carpet. She fought with a swollen leg for which there was no cure. She became adamant and forced herself to accept the fact that her leg was not a barrier any longer.
Confidence
She ignored the dreadful comments made against her. Regardless of what people may think about her, Mahogany began to love her body. She started to learn with maturity which gradually gave her the confidence that she needed to go on. Despite the enormous weight that she has to carry with her leg she refuses to limit her mobility. She comments that shopping and choosing an outfit makes her so tired
Mahogany said, “They don’t often make something that fits one big leg and one little leg”. She notes that many times she was embarrassed to see people staring at her when she wears shorts or a dress and that has stopped her going out attired in such outfits. The more she grew up, the less the pictures of her legs she posted on social media due to awkward and uneasy feelings.
Whatever it is, she has taken a firm decision to push herself out of her comfort zone. She said,“Once you do it it’s like a weight lifted off your shoulders”. With time she was flooded with positive, motivating and encouraging online reactions which gave her courage to chase after her dream of becoming a model. She firmly declared, “Fashion is a way of expressing yourself and beauty. To me, it is embracing everything about yourself, every flaw and imperfection”.
“God’s curse”
During a photo shoot, Mahogany urges that photos should be taken from her waist up only due to lymphedema. She was like a prisoner of fears regarding what people would think of her swollen leg.
But now she is an entirely different woman who does not care about what others think of her; meeting friends, having a cup of coffee at a wayside restaurant surrounded by her loved ones has made her more confident in showing her legs to curious onlookers.
She once explained, “I did feel alone because I thought I was like the only person in the world to have this condition. Growing up with it, I was depressed and I felt pretty much like God had cursed me and I used to cry all the time”.
She recalls the time she tried hard to get physical therapies and surgeries done to lessen the swelling in her left leg, despite the doctors repeated comments that no cure was possible for her condition. She proudly says that in spite of a swollen leg she has been an inspiration for everyone who worries about their bodies.
She has 2,017 photo shoots to her credit so far. There is a reason for your condition. Albeit mentally it is extremely tough, you have got it, firstly you are able to bear it, secondly you shoot it and eventually you rock it.
