Reia graduates. With flying colors.
On April 2, 1997 a tiny girl weighing 850 gms (1.87 lbs) and whose weight dropped to 770 gms (1.69 lbs) was born and spent close to 2 months in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) of Bombay Hospital was born. And when I held her for the first time, she seemed to fit in my palm and I wondered, what was to be. Nevertheless we had a miracle baby. One that no one expected to make it. Except her Mom, Ives, who always believed in her daughter. She was premature and was born after just 26 weeks. We hadn't even got around to picking a name. And were so hassled , we couldn't even come up with a name. So we just got rid of the "F" from our elder daughter's name Freia, and named her Reia.
https://lobodecoded.blogspot.com/2010/05/miracles-do-happen.html
As it turned out, Reia was a fighter, and fought her way slowly but surely putting on a few gms at a time, to where we could take her home. We took her to preventive physical therapy sessions and she got glasses she refused to wear at 2.
She grew up to be a bubbly, enthusiastic child who loved life and lived life queen-size. She was a kind of a bully, albeit a cite one, which she continues to be. Both a Bully and a cute one. During the intervening years, we found early on that she had not one not two but all 3 of the learning disabilities. Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia. Academics were a challenge for her, especially in the Indian context where all the knowledge acquired during a semester is tested in 1 exam at the end of the semester.
We would have happily allowed her to dropout and get home schooled. She refused and loved school in-spite of the challenges. She shifted schools in the 9th grade so she could take alternate subjects that were relatively less taxing. And when I was temporarily moving to the US on work, she chose to check it out. As luck and fate would have it, we ended in Wilton, CT in a wonderful school with some amazing teachers. And she graduated.
http://lobodecoded.blogspot.com/2015/06/reia-graduates-finally-and-with-sense.html
They were supportive and not only did she manage her classes, she managed to make it to the Honors list on each of the 12 quarters she was there. We were happy for her and though she'd be done with school. She had other ideas. She decided to take up college. And joined SCAD in Savannah, GA.
With a lot of hard work, a good school, amazing teachers and some guardian angel friends she did well. Once again, she managed to be on the Honors list. And the person sending the mails happened to be Jesus. So every quarter, we'd get a message. Jesus has come. Again.
On Friday, she graduated. "Magna Cum Laude". i.e. "With Great Distinction". Something I didn't think could happen in my wildest dreams. Not the distinction. Just the graduation.
Joined at her graduation by her grandmom, uncle, aunt and cousin.
Her Scad family that made it possible: Tiffany, Caroline & Michelle.
At this point I have no words to express my awe and delight and so will end with:
"Congratulations. You have done what I never thought possible. Go out there and make a difference. Not only to yourself and your family, but to the world at large."
Reia always insist on proof. So just in case ever forgets, "Here's the ploof", :)
On April 2, 1997 a tiny girl weighing 850 gms (1.87 lbs) and whose weight dropped to 770 gms (1.69 lbs) was born and spent close to 2 months in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) of Bombay Hospital was born. And when I held her for the first time, she seemed to fit in my palm and I wondered, what was to be. Nevertheless we had a miracle baby. One that no one expected to make it. Except her Mom, Ives, who always believed in her daughter. She was premature and was born after just 26 weeks. We hadn't even got around to picking a name. And were so hassled , we couldn't even come up with a name. So we just got rid of the "F" from our elder daughter's name Freia, and named her Reia.
https://lobodecoded.blogspot.com/2010/05/miracles-do-happen.html
As it turned out, Reia was a fighter, and fought her way slowly but surely putting on a few gms at a time, to where we could take her home. We took her to preventive physical therapy sessions and she got glasses she refused to wear at 2.
She grew up to be a bubbly, enthusiastic child who loved life and lived life queen-size. She was a kind of a bully, albeit a cite one, which she continues to be. Both a Bully and a cute one. During the intervening years, we found early on that she had not one not two but all 3 of the learning disabilities. Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia. Academics were a challenge for her, especially in the Indian context where all the knowledge acquired during a semester is tested in 1 exam at the end of the semester.
We would have happily allowed her to dropout and get home schooled. She refused and loved school in-spite of the challenges. She shifted schools in the 9th grade so she could take alternate subjects that were relatively less taxing. And when I was temporarily moving to the US on work, she chose to check it out. As luck and fate would have it, we ended in Wilton, CT in a wonderful school with some amazing teachers. And she graduated.
http://lobodecoded.blogspot.com/2015/06/reia-graduates-finally-and-with-sense.html
They were supportive and not only did she manage her classes, she managed to make it to the Honors list on each of the 12 quarters she was there. We were happy for her and though she'd be done with school. She had other ideas. She decided to take up college. And joined SCAD in Savannah, GA.
With a lot of hard work, a good school, amazing teachers and some guardian angel friends she did well. Once again, she managed to be on the Honors list. And the person sending the mails happened to be Jesus. So every quarter, we'd get a message. Jesus has come. Again.
On Friday, she graduated. "Magna Cum Laude". i.e. "With Great Distinction". Something I didn't think could happen in my wildest dreams. Not the distinction. Just the graduation.
Graduating Class Photo - 2019
At this point I have no words to express my awe and delight and so will end with:
"Congratulations. You have done what I never thought possible. Go out there and make a difference. Not only to yourself and your family, but to the world at large."
Reia always insist on proof. So just in case ever forgets, "Here's the ploof", :)
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