The big day..

Three years leads up to the whole hat throwing, big smiles & the ceremony,
This day was something I never expected, As me mum Liam and my step dad arrived at the royal festival hall (the people who had been there for me)

Surrounded by students, so many people who’d completed three years of; stress, money, debt, anger & tears.
Mine?
A goal..

Me & Annabell qued for the photos
“I can’t use my other hand so how do I hold the scroll?”
The photographer helped me pose..

I knew I had to walk down the long red carpet to collect my certificate so I avoided the alcohol pre ceremony.

As I was seated at the end of the aisle to make it easier for me, We were escorted one row at a time, our names called..

“ ‘BA Honours Graphic Design’ - Elizabeth George Ashmore-Fish”
I was first to walk, I looked down to make sure I didn’t trip, head held high with a smile when I shook the chancellors hand
“thankyou”
I wanted to turn and do a speech about how nothing is impossible..

My heart racing, as I waited for the ceremony to end I wanted to cry..
the speeches of
 “you’ve all achieved so much” my heart sunk & I had flash backs of -

Sitting in my hospital bed feeling depressed and hopeless, my neuropsychologist telling me I wouldn’t return, my old friends ditching me because I wasn’t the same & the interviews I attended at Canterbury college when I thought I wouldn’t return to university.

I held in the tears and smiled, the stress is gone and I’m still here, my walking was actually better than some of the students who wore stupid shoes & tried showing off.

Life is full of challenges & recovery is for life but nothing is impossible.

My beautiful brain
Walking the red carpet,

 at graduation.