I am a military widow and the mother of five children. After my husband was killed in action in Iraq, I witnessed the lack of services for injured soldiers. Realizing how much I wanted to help others, I decided to go back to school to become a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA).

Prior to entering the program, I had to finish prerequisite classes which took me more than a year. I thought I would not be able to get into my desired program. Many times I wanted to just quit and return to work. Caring for five children was not easy; there was a lot stress and crying throughout the process.  Becoming a PTA was something that I truly wanted to accomplish not only for myself, but for my children. Once I was in the program, I had to adjust my lifestyle as well as my children’s lifestyle. It took some adjustment and I spent long hours studying every day. Thanks to this program, I have learned how to be a better listener, observer, and critical thinker. I realized that not everything is black and white and it became necessary to think “outside the box”. Today, I am inspired by what the patient is experiencing which allows me to be a better caregiver.