So . . . I wanted to share with you an email that I sent the dr who prescribed the ECT and told me at one point that I would probably never amount to much because my illness was so out of control . . .
I just wanted to drop you a note. I am so excited to share with you
that I finished my first year of full-time grad school with a
cumulative GPA of 3.9. I am currently working on a single online class
for the summer (It is the only class available for my program). I have
to admit, I really enjoy being in class and discussing issues alot more
than simply posting on discussion boards. I'm looking forward to
beginning school again in the fall. During the summer I'm really
enjoying working with the head of the psychiatric emphasis for the
rehabilitation counseling program. It is interesting to me how much my
experience with a psychiatric disorder actually provides me with insight
in this situation and learning environment.
This summer I'm also taking a 75 hour peer education
training/certification program through the Recovery Innovations of
California (RICA). It is teaching me SO much and I really enjoy the people in
the program. I didn't meet people who were really living sucessfully
with psychiatric symptoms until mid 2009. I think that if I would have
met people who were living successfully with symptoms earlier on in my
journey, maybe my ability to cope would have been strengthened a long,
long time ago. It is interesting how sharing coping strategies really
does work. In the years I attended groups, they were always with people
who really were not progressing or living at the level I wanted to,
which added to my depression. I honestly began to believe that if those
people couldn't live sucessfully with the symptoms and had been in the
programs for months and years on end, that meant I would be too. When I
began going to the NAMI peer to peer group in 2009 I realized that there
were students, business men, writers, moms and dads who were
sucessfully doing what I wanted to do. I learned from them things that
worked for them and actaully believed it could help me because I could
see it worked for them. It made a HUGE difference in the way I perceived
myself and in the way I perceived my potential.
I wanted to share with you a photo of my boyfriend. His name is
David. He's an amazing man with a great, strong character, hilarious
sense of humor and keen sense of compassion. We've known each other for
more than a year. He comes from a wonderful family and really is a
gentleman. As an added bonus, he's an absolute joy to be around!
(I sent him a picture I already posted)
---His response:
"You look so happy together. I know you
certainly deserve to have the kind of joy that a good relationship can
bring. Congrats on school! But ONLY 3.9 ???!!!! Stay well Sarah and
thanks for sharing such good news."
_________________
I guess I can only say,It's amazing what perspective can do!
-MOPS
