Never Thought I Would Be Able To Do This

[txplowgirl 97]

CONGRATS Raven! Gives me hope that my problems will be gone in time too.

[psawyer 708]

Well done, and congratulations. It is possible to overcome many obstacles it you try hard enough.

[Roda 186]

Cheers and congrats!!

[kareng 2,318]

Congrats, Raven! I feel I should say something deep and meaningful here......but then you would ask who wrote it for me!

Really, this is a great accomplishment! You have overcome a lot of obstacles.

[kayo 37]

I have chills! Congratulations doesn't seem like a big enough word for all that you have accomplished. You're amazing, simply amazing.

[gifree 4]

In 2002 I had given up all hope of ever being able to do anything but live in pain and continue slowing dieing. Even after diagnosis I still had little hope of ever being able to accomplish much as my brain and body were so very damaged. Everything was so hard from thinking to walking to even talking to my children. I felt trapped in my own body.

I had to quit college one semester short of my degree in 1996 due to being so very sick from undiagnosed celiac. In 2008 I tried to go back to school and finish my last semester but my brain was still not back enough and my memory was still so poor and movement was still so difficult at times that I went back for a little over a month and gave up. It was just too hard physically and mentally. To say that was demoralizing is an understatement. But I continued with physical therapy for my motion issues and never gave up on the idea that I could heal fully.

Last summer I decided to give it one last shot. I sit here now with tears in my eyes still not quite believing that I took my last exam today. I did it. I finished my duel degrees. Even if I don't ever find a job with them at least my children can say now that their Mom at least finished college. Something no one else in my family (other than my children) ever did. It was hard and I spent many many hours studying to get my brain to be able retain what I was reading but I did it. I even had a 100% average in 2 of my classes going into the exams.

For those of you who are still struggling with neuro damage keep the faith. We can recover even from severe brain damage. I wish it hadn't taken so long but I am so glad I never gave up. You shouldn't either.

Big, big congrats Ravenwood!! I know from personal experience how difficult it is to persevere academically when Celiac affect's one's cognition...so, a big hats off to you!

Hang that diploma prominently and proudly!

[Googles 27]

Awesome! That is so cool!

[Ox on the Roof 12]

Congratulations! You are a kind person and even though I've been here a short time, you've already been an encouragement. I celebrate with you! Someone should bake you a good ol' gluten-free CAKE!

[plantime 12]

Way to go!!

[sandsurfgirl 194]

Congratulations!!!! I am SO proud of you! What an inspiration you are. Thank you for sharing and for all you do to help others on this board. Way to go!!!!!

Woot woot! Woop Woop! Yippee!!! Yay! Awesome! You're number one! Go Ravenwoodglass! (that's my cheerleader impression)

[finally diagnosed 0]

In 2002 I had given up all hope of ever being able to do anything but live in pain and continue slowing dieing. Even after diagnosis I still had little hope of ever being able to accomplish much as my brain and body were so very damaged. Everything was so hard from thinking to walking to even talking to my children. I felt trapped in my own body.

I had to quit college one semester short of my degree in 1996 due to being so very sick from undiagnosed celiac. In 2008 I tried to go back to school and finish my last semester but my brain was still not back enough and my memory was still so poor and movement was still so difficult at times that I went back for a little over a month and gave up. It was just too hard physically and mentally. To say that was demoralizing is an understatement. But I continued with physical therapy for my motion issues and never gave up on the idea that I could heal fully.

Last summer I decided to give it one last shot. I sit here now with tears in my eyes still not quite believing that I took my last exam today. I did it. I finished my duel degrees. Even if I don't ever find a job with them at least my children can say now that their Mom at least finished college. Something no one else in my family (other than my children) ever did. It was hard and I spent many many hours studying to get my brain to be able retain what I was reading but I did it. I even had a 100% average in 2 of my classes going into the exams.

For those of you who are still struggling with neuro damage keep the faith. We can recover even from severe brain damage. I wish it hadn't taken so long but I am so glad I never gave up. You shouldn't either.

Congrad's.... you earned every bit of that degree, its never to late to finish what we started many years ago....

be proud...

[Mama Melissa 15]

Congrats Raven!!!!!That is awesome all that hard work did pay off:)

[Marz 42]

Wow, congrats Raven!! Taking up studying after several years of not studying is hard enough, having to deal with celiac disease and disability on top of that must have been almost impossible.

Well done for tackling the impossible, you are an inspiration!