Magna Cum Laude and all that...

Friday, May 17th was one of the greatest, proudest days in my life.  And one of the worst.  Ellen, after a very long road that included several colleges, major changes, a life changing diagnosis of Celiac Disease, and some time off to regroup, graduated from Rowan College with a degree in Law and Criminal Justice.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude (just .01 from Summa!) with a 4.0 for her last semester.  She was accepted to grad school and is leaving with a job as a case worker.  I'm so incredibly proud of Ellen and all of her accomplishments!  Here she is receiving her diploma...

And with that precious diploma that she worked so hard for!

 

The new graduate!
 

 My parents were there to cheer her on at graduation...

 

 

And so was my husband....

 

 

Her boyfriend Joe also graduated...

 

Do you see a picture of me?  No?  That's because I wasn't there.  While Ellen was graduating on Friday, Grace was taking me to the Emergency Room for a bladder infection gone bad.  I thought I might have one when I came home from picking Grace up at school on Wednesday.  I called the doctor on Thursday for some antibiotics but it was too late. 

 The infection had moved into my kidneys and had gone septic.  I was admitted and spent 5 days in the hospital on IV antibiotics, fluids and anything they could come up with to keep the fever down and get this bug out of me.  There were a few times I was worried...when my blood pressure dropped down very low the first night in the hospital, when my fever shot up over 104 degrees and they had to cool me down with ice packs...but all I could do was lay there and cry that I was missing one of the most important events in Ellen's life.  I also missed her party on Saturday which sounded like lots of fun!  I can deal with a lot of things, but this was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with.  Not being sick, that happens.  Missing graduation?  That sucked.  Ellen, I swear I'll be at your grad school graduation...I'm so glad I'll get a second chance!