Stephanie's Life of Perseverance: Achievement

I Graduated College!! I did it!!

I did it. I accomplished one of my biggest goals in life- graduating from college. Not only did I graduate college, but I graduated with honors- Summa Cum Laude (3.95). I got my degree at Compass College of Cinematic Arts. I now have my Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in Cinematic & Media Arts.

It has taken me ten hard years to graduate. Why did it take me ten years? Ask my body. In these ten years, I had 6 major surgeries and a crap load of other health problems. I have almost died three times in my life and two of those times were when I was trying to go to College.

For example, everything from gallbladder, heart, to even lung surgery. Also in those ten years, I almost died twice. Frist time was in 2003 I got down to 84 pounds all because doctors were too busy being a-holes and wouldn't stop to look outside their darn textbook. Long story short, after fighting with them they finally figured out it was my gallbladder. The second time, in 2007, was much worse. Again doctors weren't listening to me because they were so fixated on believing it was an eating disorder. I got down to 54 pounds. One night I died and went to Heaven. I saw Heaven, my spirit guide, an angel, and my great-grandmother. I was blessed with the choice to come back and I took it. Finally after 2 years of fighting doctors, I ran into an ER doctor who has been studying Celiac Disease. He believes it was triggering my immune system to attack itself. He was opening up a small clinic. God is good because this allowed him to treat me. He figured out I have Gastroparesis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. He put me a bunch of steroids and heartburn medications. After a month, I started putting on the weight.

Here is the Timeline Sickness:

1994- Diagnosed with IBS. Told to eat high wheat diet, whole grains.
1998- Found out I had scoliosis.
1999- Found out my pectus bone is caved in.
1999- So I had pectus excavatum surgery.
2000- Diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I was in such a severe state the doctor called me himself to tell me if I don't get on the diet right now he would give me one year and I would probably be dead. He also said I don't have IBS.
2001- Deviated Septum surgery

COLLEGE YEARS

2002- Graduated High School and started Community College
September 2002-Aug 2003- Fighting Doctors to figure out what is going on. Got down to 84 pounds.
2002- Sinus surgery
Aug 2003- Gallbladder Removal
June 2003- Pneumothorax
December 2003- Pneumothorax
February 2004- Pneumothorax
April 2004- Pneumothorax
May 2004- Tonsils and Anodes Surgery
June 2004- Pneumothorax
June 2004- Lung Surgery to stop me from getting the chronic Pneumothoraxes. They had to take some of my lung due to infection.
August 2004- Heart problems started kicking in. Doctor didn't believe me. Thought it was just stress kept putting it off. Until I ended up in the hospital with a heart rate of 220.
January 2005- Diagnosed with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia
October 2005- Tachycardia ablation. Went through the surgery to find out they couldn't do it because it's too close to the nerve that meets the lung and if they missed it would paralyze my lung. They put me on heart medication instead. Helps a little but not much.
2005- Heartburn so severe it was burning my throat.
2006- Hiatal Hernia Surgery
2007- Got down to 54 pounds. Found out I have Gastroparesis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
2008- Back Surgery
June 2009- ER nurse damaged my leg with an injection. This caused STAFF and MERSA infection.
June 2009- Wound Surgery.
January 2010- Diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.
2010- Sympathetic Nerve Blocks once a week. I have to get knocked out to get these long needles inserted into my spine.
2011- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Getting Sympathetic Nerve Blocks every week
2012- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Getting Sympathetic Nerve Blocks every week
2013-Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Getting Sympathetic Nerve Blocks every other week.
2014- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Getting Sympathetic Nerve Blocks every other week.
2015- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Getting Sympathetic Nerve Blocks every 3 weeks.
2016- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Getting Sympathetic Nerve Blocks every 3 weeks.
2016- Hysteroscopy

My mom and I.

I don't know what I would have done without my mom. She was there for me and helped keep me staying positive. My grandma who I love so much. My grandpa who always put a smile on my face. I know he was there in spirit, but you don't know how much I wish he was there in physical form. When I received the two awards on stage, you don't know how bad I wanted to yell out, "This is for you Grandpa. I did it! " I also don't know what I wold do without my best friends. Especially Lauran who I look at like my second mom and Lauren who I see as my little sister. I met them when I was in ninth grade in an all girls choir.