Doctors Know Best

In the year 2000, after my daughter Sarah’s brain hemorrhage, she started a series of Gamma-knife surgeries. During an initial session with the neurologist, she was expressing concern about the impact of her condition and treatment on her dream goal of studying neurology. The neurologist pretty much told her that college would be tough, and advised her to reconsider pursuing higher education, period. I remember the look on her face, and how hard those crushing remarks felt for her and for me as well. But Sarah was determined to forge forward with higher education plans – I don’t know what fueled her determination. Nonetheless, I will need to acknowledge that high school and college were full of hard fought battles, with peaks and valleys. But despite all the frequent challenges and setbacks, Sarah has completed her Bachelor degree in Biopsychology, Masters and a PhD in Psychology, focusing her academic work on brain injury and neurorehabilitation and her research on social isolation and introverted behavior. She also managed to maintain straight A’s, except during some periods of setback. Sarah’s persistence and determination have been an inspiration to us all.