An Overwhelming and Humbling Day………

Many, many wonderful opportunities have come my way since being diagnosed with dementia. None of which I would have ever thought possible when I sat in the Consulting room, bring told there was nothing they can do. I believed them, I thought it was the end….because they never told me any different……

However, as the days and months passed by, I woke up. I woke up to the fact that there was still so much I CAN do and still a life to be lived, no matter what others told me. I saw the effect on my daughters of this attitude of ‘the end’. The ignorance we shared, as we knew nothing then. But through their love and support and working together as ‘Team Mitchell’ we began to rise to the challenge.

It’s not be easy, but then nothing worth fighting for is ever easy. Some days I felt like giving in and ending it all. But then, a smile, a comment, a thank you has stirred that need to continue once more.

So why am I telling you all this? Well yesterday, I was overwhelmed and humbled. Once again I’ve been fortunate. This month 2 Universities have given me the honour of presenting me with a Doctorate – Bradford Uni is next week and yesterday my local Hull University started off a wonderful week.

I wasn’t allowed to take my iPad with me so no real time recording of the event. The best thing of all was that Sarah, Gemma and Stuart were all there with me.

I woke feeling overwhelmed with a banging head before it had even started. Usually I never get nervous, but this was a truly alien experience, after all I’d never been deemed clever enough to go to University in my youth, so this was totally unexpected in my life.

The ceremony took place at the new Bonus Arena in the centre of Hull.

I’d been given detailed instructions for the day and we were ending with a get together in my village pub. I though it was just Prof Liz coming for a cuppa, until I got emails…😳😂

All the previous words were written before the event, now I’m snug at home after a very wonderful day.

Needless to say, the detail has long gone but I was allowed into the realms of academia for a VIP lunch with the Chancellor and other people before we went into the robing area. We then trooped in line into the arena…..

Lots of piccies were taken before the start but I only managed one of me and Liz, who spoke kindly about me before I received the Doctorate

And during the event as I was receiving my Doctorate, thanks to Sarah…

After the event I was met downstairs by Sarah Gemma and Stuart so time for a family piccie – 3 most very special people in my life…..

Many people came up and said kind words to me before we headed off to the village pub, where very special people joined us. All people I’d worked with at Hull….

Catherine Hart, from the Research Team gave me the most amazing momento of all the things I’d done with her team, in pictures and words…..so that, along with the certificate and brochure, made for very special keepsakes…

My batteries were dead, my head was banging  and this Duracell bunny needed some silence, but what a lovely day…..

Next week Bradford for an equally overwhelming day…….

Our family joke is that now we have 2 Doctors and one nurse amongst us and only the nurse can save a life……..😂