When I was little I wished and asked for so many things and was told to be careful what I wished for. At the time I had no idea why it was such a big deal because I never wished for anything bad. I wanted normal things like a puppy, at one point I wanted a baby brother or sister (but later realized that wasn't something good to wish for, being the "baby" of the family suites me well), and a list of other things.
Over time I've gotten pretty much everything I could have wanted more, but with the good came the bad. Now in my twenties I know why making wishes can sometimes end up completely different than you plan. If someone would have told me when I was younger that I'd eventually get a puppy, the VW beetle I wanted since I saw them, not being forced to live in a dorm my freshman year of college, and so much more I'd have think I would have hit jackpot. Unfortunately it came with so much more, things I'd never imagine or wish on anyone.
One of my biggest "wishes" was getting my masters. I remind my senior year of high school and freshman year of college my dad and I had several conversations about college. It always ended the same, no matter how hard I tried and how much I tried to work my magic (which had worked for me several times in the past) about getting my masters. His response was always the same, they would pay for me to get my bachelors but anything more I would have to pay for. Really, I was lucky they paid my way through college, while I had a few part-time jobs it wasn't nearly enough to pay for anything.
By the time I started my sophomore year of college I gave up on the fight, it was clear this was one thing I wouldn't win or so I thought. I went through the rest of my college career and was slowly having more health issues so getting my masters was really the last thing on my mind.
The summer before my last semester (student teaching) of college I was diagnosed with MS. My last semester there were days I thought I wouldn't finish my degree because I was in pain, on so much medicine, and was so fatigued I mostly went to school and slept. The day I graduated (which happened to be my 23rd birthday) was the best day ever because I made it and there were days we didn't know if I would.
After I graduated things went down hill and that's finally when I found a new doctor and slowly weaned myself off the medicines that weren't working. It was definitely hard, getting a job wasn't even an option at that time because I was going to the doctor so much. It turned out I had more issues than just MS so I slowly added new doctors over a six month period and had so many tests run from blood work, x-rays, MRIs, and so many others. I probably saw some of those doctors in that six month period than they saw of their own families.
That summer I was finally turning the corner, I was getting the support from the doctors that I needed. These doctors were listening to me and validating my complaints, I wasn't told that my symptoms weren't MS related or that I doctor wouldn't treat me because I had MS! Believe it or not, those living with MS can actually have other health issues which my previous doctors never looked into.
Once I started feeling better I went to Barnes and Nobles and got a GRE study book. For the first time in about 3-4 years I started thinking about getting my masters again. This time when my dad and I talked about getting my masters he said I should continue going to school until I felt well enough to get a job. This is exactly what I had wanted for so long.
I had know when I was 17 or 18 years old that getting my wish would come with MS and years of chronic pain I definitely wouldn't have pushed so hard for it. I'd trade everything to be pain free and have a job, even one that I didn't like. It's been a very tough 4 years there have been many highs and lows, but I feel like I'm at a point that is better than it was 4 years ago.
I'm finally in a place where I have some great doctors who are creative with treatment. I get botox in my back every 3 months, go to a pain management doctor monthly, and I've had countless procedures in hopes that one day I can have a job and be pain free, or at least less pain.
I started working on my special education certification first because that was only five classes. I still have one left, but after everything that happened at the end of last year and the beginning of this year I needed to take time to get healthy again, plus the class I needed got cancelled due to lack of enrollment. I guess they weren't all about having a class for one person, although last semester I was in classes that only had 4 or 5 people. While the need for special education teachers has probably gotten higher, there aren't many people getting their certifications.
Over time I've gotten pretty much everything I could have wanted more, but with the good came the bad. Now in my twenties I know why making wishes can sometimes end up completely different than you plan. If someone would have told me when I was younger that I'd eventually get a puppy, the VW beetle I wanted since I saw them, not being forced to live in a dorm my freshman year of college, and so much more I'd have think I would have hit jackpot. Unfortunately it came with so much more, things I'd never imagine or wish on anyone.
One of my biggest "wishes" was getting my masters. I remind my senior year of high school and freshman year of college my dad and I had several conversations about college. It always ended the same, no matter how hard I tried and how much I tried to work my magic (which had worked for me several times in the past) about getting my masters. His response was always the same, they would pay for me to get my bachelors but anything more I would have to pay for. Really, I was lucky they paid my way through college, while I had a few part-time jobs it wasn't nearly enough to pay for anything.
By the time I started my sophomore year of college I gave up on the fight, it was clear this was one thing I wouldn't win or so I thought. I went through the rest of my college career and was slowly having more health issues so getting my masters was really the last thing on my mind.
The summer before my last semester (student teaching) of college I was diagnosed with MS. My last semester there were days I thought I wouldn't finish my degree because I was in pain, on so much medicine, and was so fatigued I mostly went to school and slept. The day I graduated (which happened to be my 23rd birthday) was the best day ever because I made it and there were days we didn't know if I would.
After I graduated things went down hill and that's finally when I found a new doctor and slowly weaned myself off the medicines that weren't working. It was definitely hard, getting a job wasn't even an option at that time because I was going to the doctor so much. It turned out I had more issues than just MS so I slowly added new doctors over a six month period and had so many tests run from blood work, x-rays, MRIs, and so many others. I probably saw some of those doctors in that six month period than they saw of their own families.
That summer I was finally turning the corner, I was getting the support from the doctors that I needed. These doctors were listening to me and validating my complaints, I wasn't told that my symptoms weren't MS related or that I doctor wouldn't treat me because I had MS! Believe it or not, those living with MS can actually have other health issues which my previous doctors never looked into.
Once I started feeling better I went to Barnes and Nobles and got a GRE study book. For the first time in about 3-4 years I started thinking about getting my masters again. This time when my dad and I talked about getting my masters he said I should continue going to school until I felt well enough to get a job. This is exactly what I had wanted for so long.
I had know when I was 17 or 18 years old that getting my wish would come with MS and years of chronic pain I definitely wouldn't have pushed so hard for it. I'd trade everything to be pain free and have a job, even one that I didn't like. It's been a very tough 4 years there have been many highs and lows, but I feel like I'm at a point that is better than it was 4 years ago.
I'm finally in a place where I have some great doctors who are creative with treatment. I get botox in my back every 3 months, go to a pain management doctor monthly, and I've had countless procedures in hopes that one day I can have a job and be pain free, or at least less pain.
I started working on my special education certification first because that was only five classes. I still have one left, but after everything that happened at the end of last year and the beginning of this year I needed to take time to get healthy again, plus the class I needed got cancelled due to lack of enrollment. I guess they weren't all about having a class for one person, although last semester I was in classes that only had 4 or 5 people. While the need for special education teachers has probably gotten higher, there aren't many people getting their certifications.
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