Dasha has an iron structure in her spine. Her story may be interesting to men and women, and even to children, who are going through similar difficulties, because illness is not a reason to close yourself off from the world, and not a reason to give up on your goals.
Please, tell us about yourself. How was your childhood?
I was born in Stavropol, a small city in Russia. I was an active and inquisitive child, but my childhood was unusual. I felt “invisible” to my peers. My spine was curved by 140 degrees from birth. Because of my appearance, guys did not communicate with me and were not friends with me.
After the operation that I had when I was 15, my classmates suddenly started paying attention to me. But by that time I realized that my life was mine alone and I had to achieve my goals myself.
What operation did you undergo?
Doctors completely removed one of my ribs and pierced my body with rods. They pulled me out, hanging weights, and it was very painful. This lasted for four months. Then they did an operation and put a metal structure in my spine.
After the operation, I had to learn to walk again because my muscles had atrophied. I wore a corset and couldn’t sit for six months. I could only move around lying down in a taxi. It was as if my whole life had started anew.
Is the metal structure still in your spine?
Yes, but only a different one. When I was 23, the metal structure broke, and I had to undergo surgery to replace it with a titanium one.
Dasha, you are a real Iron lady! What helped you get through these trials?
My mom and family helped me along the way. My relatives treated me like a normal girl, without instilling in me a sense of disability, and, at the same time, always supported me.
Did your titanium spine hinder your career?
People around me had no idea about the peculiarities of my body; I carefully hid them.
As a child, I grew up around sewing machines and materials, my mom was a sewing technologist, so I created my own tailor shop. At first, we worked in a semi-basement, and then we grew to large-scale production and sewed bed linen for the IKEA retail chain.
But then my husband and I decided to move to America, and I left the project.
How is an Iron lady doing now?
My life is wonderful, but it is different from the usual.
I can’t play sports, do many exercises. It’s hard for me to travel – I can’t go through magnetic frames and this requires additional examination.
For a long time, I was embarrassed to talk about my peculiarity and establish close relationships; I was afraid that it would push people away from me.
But when I decided to tell my future husband about it, his reaction was amazing. He said that it was not a problem, that he loved me the way I am.
Please, tell us about your husband. How did you meet?
Raul Megrelishvili,my husband, is from Tbilisi, Georgia. He won my heart with his customs, upbringing and the way he treats a woman.
My husband has family restaurants back home. I am captivated by his commitment to the traditions he wants to bring back here in America.
My husband plans to open a family restaurant in Los Angeles. I’m looking forward to this moment to return to Georgian cuisine again.
Please, tell us about your move to the USA
The adaptation was not easy, I had a hormonal imbalance associated with the move, and my overall health deteriorated.
In 2023, I gained a lot of weight, 20 kilograms on top of my normal weight. I was prescribed treatment with Mounjaro medication, and I returned to my normal weight.
How did your experience of gaining weight affect you?
This experience stirred up my childhood fears such as fear of rejection, isolation, unwillingness to do anything.
When I saw myself in the mirror with extra weight, I was overcome with a feeling of insecurity not only because of the extra weight, but also because of the insecurity that was inside.
The trials did not break me, I’m happy with life and continue to move forward.
Why did you decide to share your story now?
Openness and honesty are the path to freedom. When we hide our problems, we drag them along like a heavy burden.
I want to create a platform where people like me can share their stories without fear of judgment. I want us to support each other because we are all in this together.
This is a fantastic idea. How will it be implemented?
I imagine a community on Instagram where people can share their stories using a special hashtag. We will support each other, share our experiences and inspire each other to be open and honest.
You already have a hashtag, can you name it?
Yes, I tell my story on my page under the hashtag #myironstory
I invite those who are ready to stop being afraid of hate and open themselves up to the world to use this hashtag.
I want that people who will join me will feel free and that they will feel that they will be able to achieve something great that they are not limited by societal standards and can follow their dreams.
Dasha, what do you dream about?
I dream of visiting every corner of the world!
I currently live in the United States of America and want to explore the entire country from Alaska to Texas, experience its diversity, see the Northern Lights, and meet Native Americans.
Your life has not been easy. Please, tell me, what advantages have you gained from your difficult experience?
I often wonder why all this happened to me. But I understand that it was a test that made me stronger.
I learned not to give up, I believe in myself, despite everything. Thanks to these trials, I learned to deeply understand people and to feel their pain and joy.
Thank you, Dasha, you are a true example of resilience and optimism!
Published by Stephanie M.
