[alyash]

Hello, My name is Kristi. This is my first post. I'll give you an EXTREMELY brief history..

I am 26 (next month), and married with two beautiful daughters, ages 10 and 6. I had a stoke in my medulla at age 22. The main symptoms were ataxia and vertigo, for which I was prescribed Valium. I was never told that my body would become dependent on it. I received SSD after a long battle, so that's how I manage to pay the bills.
I decided...None of the doctors that I am seeing are helping me, so it's time to help myself. It's possible that my brain is healed, and that the benzos are masking the "wellness" that I should be experiencing. So I decided to taper my Valium really slow. I was on 20-25mg a day, now I am on 8.5mg a day. Still a really long way to go but I am over half way there! Slow and steady wins the race!

I have wanted to be in the medical field since my first Fisher Price medical kit. I had a lot of obstacles in my life..being a Mom at 15 and being forced to drop out of high school as a freshman, and being kicked out of my house was a big blow to my dreams. I had to work full time + a lot of overtime to provide for my family. I had received my GED when I was 16, but there was nothing that I could do with it at the time. I think having a stroke at a young age was a wake up call for me. I have a whole new perspective on life. I look at is as a gift. Once I am off the Valium I plan to go to college to get a nursing degree. It has always been my passion. I just pray to God that the benzos haven't done permanent damage to my brain. Have any of you heard of this?

I spoke with the Social Security Administration, and they said that I could continue my education while receiving benefits. I am really lucky!

Now, here is my biggest fear.....since I was forced to drop out of High School as a freshman, I obviously have to advanced math or science classes behind me. I am terrified that I won't even pass the pre reqs! I have drive and passion, but will that be enough?

I bought a few books from "The Idiot's Guide To" series. Algebra, Chemistry, Biology, and A&P. The thing is, right now my benzo brain can't comprehend a paragraph, let alone learn from it! I hope that this will go away and I will be the "sponge brain" that I was once before.

I have browsed this forum, and I understand that a lot of people here don't like their job and are really stressed. I am prepared for the job. TOTALLY. What I am not prepared for is college.

That's my story. Sorry if I bored anyone to sleep. If you made it this far, is there any advice that anyone could offer me? Thank you SOOOOOO much!

Kristi- Hopefully a future nurse!

[Snailrace]

All I can say Kristi is read read read. And really pay attention in the first year. I am not sure how your program will compare to mine, but the more you review before the program starts and during the first year, the better you will do. My first year (which just ended 2 weeks ago) was almost entirely theories, family theories, chronic illness theories, ect. If you can get your hands on a few nursing books and get a handle on the theories, your first year will go a lot easier than mine did. Good luck and I hope all the best for you!

Elaine
Canadian student nurse