In June 2011 my occupational therapist told me I wouldn’t be able to finish uni without getting an electric wheelchair, I stopped using my ‘manual’ wheelchair in August just two months after she said it and have not used one since. I graduated in June 2012 16 months after the stroke with a first class honours in Media Studies. Never Say Never.
I went into Uni on Tuesday, something that I thought would be quite hard for me. As everyones so busy in the library I didn’t see anyone I know and headed straight up to speak to the student support worker who helped me talk about how I was coping and what my goals were. we discussed me eventually coming back to uni and he advised me about what to do if i wanted to see a counsellor. I was worried that I would have a breakdown talking to a support worker about what had happened but he was so helpful and understanding and helped me talk about the positives as well as the negatives I as feeling. Although I think talking to a professional helped it made me realise I might not be ready for a counsellor just yet. I’m quite lucky in that i’m such an open person anyway it’s not like I bottle anything up, if i feel something I show it as I once embarrassingly said to my housemate “I don’t have any secrets, but I do have a lot of emotions”
I then went to speak to my lecturers who told me they will do everything they can to help me be able to start uni again in january and that as soon as i’m ready if I want to start doing any work towards the modules I can and same with my dissertation and just to let them know anything I need to allow me to do it. It has made me really look forward to going back knowing that there will be so much support around me and i’ll finally get to experience third year deadline madness and library all-nighters,something that I know will be a nightmare but I wish I’d of experienced this year with all my media peers.
