From Stroke Survivor to Scholar

In her closing semester at UCF, Alex Dixon was at last capable to total a process that most higher education college students get for granted: reading through a textbook on her own. For the graduating early childhood enhancement and training key, walking across the phase for graduation with her friends this summer months seemed like it would get a wonder a 10 years ago, as an alternative of her reliable difficult do the job.

When Dixon was 10 she caught pneumonia, which brought on a uncommon malfunction that prompted her mind to start off attacking her body. She recovered from the infection, but ongoing to fight soreness, muscle spasms, contortions and loss of function for two several years as she visited specialists close to the place who could not determine out what was incorrect. By the time she entered sixth quality she began to use a wheelchair. At 12, she underwent a deep brain stimulation method as a very last hope to find a solution, but even though she was anesthetized she experienced a stroke.

“It was exceptionally terrifying,” claims Juli, Dixon’s mom and a professor of mathematics training at UCF because 2000. “The stroke damaged the part of her brain that was killing her, but there was rather a bit of collateral hurt as properly. As she was coming out of her coma, we ended up informed she might be in a vegetative state. It is been pretty slow development above time, but she returned.”

That collateral damage contains remaining partly paralyzed on her appropriate facet and legally blind — ready to see only fifty percent of just about anything straight on. Prior to Dixon became sick, she was a joyful, balanced baby who took gifted courses, performed piano, beloved art and wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. Following her stroke, she had to relearn each individual element of her lifetime, from normal bodily functions and academics to who she even was. It was in that relearning procedure that Dixon found an interest in training.

“I want to perform in a preschool location with college students with and without having disabilities and distinctive requires, ideally in an inclusive environment,” Dixon suggests. “The first number of several years of lifetime are so precious to construct a foundation of the instruction and play so little ones are enthusiastic about finding out and produce the optimistic way of thinking toward it that will assist them persevere later on on.”

“[Student Accessibility Services] served me be as independent as achievable. [They] gave me the possibility to exhibit what I understood because I had the sources.” — Alex Dixon, UCF college student.

With the assistance of her family members and her possess dedication to boost, she slowly but surely regained capabilities these as going for walks, speaking, and completing schoolwork. In the course of center college and higher college she had an aide assistance her get to and from courses and help her finish her assignments. When Dixon came to UCF in 2016, she no extended required an aide, but in the course of her time listed here she’s utilized Student Accessibly Solutions for assist.

“They aided me be as impartial as doable,” Dixon suggests. “I continue to had problems reading in the commencing and even now occasionally, so they gave me unique technologies, like looking at software package on my computer. They helped me get a notetaker and clever pen to capture what my professors were saying, a reader for exams and added time if I necessary it. It gave me the chance to demonstrate what I understood simply because I experienced the assets.”

Attaining independence through day by day duties, these kinds of as finding to and around a big campus like UCF, grocery buying, performing laundry and preserving relationships, has been just as crucial for her development as her scientific studies. Her moms and dads, who lived 15 minutes from campus right before she enrolled at UCF, even moved further away so she would have to do these matters on her own.

“If we hadn’t moved, she would have just held coming residence and we wished to press the limits of her independence,” her mother states. “I assume that any guardian has those people tensions of how a lot do we assistance and how considerably do we use a little bit of tough appreciate to thrust our little ones to achieve their full prospective. With a boy or girl with distinctive wants, I believe the selections are extra hard and the opportunity outcomes are larger. It was terrifying to fall her off and established her up in the dorm. I recall pretty clearly owning people ideas of, ‘What have we carried out?’ But then I notify myself, ‘What we’ve accomplished is to give Alex the opportunity to be impartial.’”

Dixon has also been concerned with UCF’s chapter of the Scholar Council for Exceptional Youngsters, an intercontinental group focused to improving upon educational results for learners with disabilities and/or are gifted. As a portion of her tutorial software, she’s concluded internship with the Conductive Education and learning Center of Orlando, which performs with children who have motor impairments and disabilities. She’s finished volunteer encounters at nearby educational facilities as well, together with UCF’s Innovative School for Little ones, which she attended when she was a little one.

“Alex was usually a polite, bright baby who was in a position to do really very simple items that other kids could not do,” states Giatry Bacchus, an administrative assistant at CSC who taught Dixon when she was young and has witnessed her volunteer perform. “Her loved ones was always incredibly involved with her and what was going on at school. As a volunteer, she was equipped to guide in almost everything we needed and she enhanced throughout her time in this article. Viewing where she’s occur from to now is awesome, and the support she’s had shows a spouse and children that did not permit go of Alex or give up hope — and that is a blessing.”

Despite the fact that Dixon’s restoration has been difficult, it is strengthened her familial bonds and given them a possibility to support other individuals. Employing perception from each loved ones member, Juli and Dixon’s sister Jessica — a senior at FSU who was motivated to review neuroscience simply because of her — have even released a book, A Stroke of Luck, to share their activities with other individuals likely via very similar instances. Dixon has also traveled the country as a motivational speaker with her mom and sister. This pursuit was sparked by her to start with communicate in 2013, which was given at UCF.

“UCF is a huge position, and individuals can get shed in major places. … Even however it’s enormous, it supplied the community and help for Alex — for a person person to thrive — and I feel that’s unique.” — Juli Dixon,  Alex’s mother and a UCF professor

“UCF is a massive place, and people today can get shed in big destinations,” Juli suggests. “It was rough to make the alternative. But the combination of what Alex introduced to her working experience at UCF and what UCF provided to Alex has been a good match. Alex has realized and grown so significantly more than the very last 5 yrs. Even even though it is massive, it supplied the group and support for Alex — for 1 individual to do well — and I imagine that is specific.”

With graduation approaching, Dixon has by now been approved into the master’s plan for early childhood progress and schooling at UCF. She’s also been interviewing for instructing positions at neighborhood general public and non-public colleges. And the working day after she graduates, Dixon and her spouse and children will travel to North Carolina to decide up her assistance doggy, a goldendoodle named Dunkin — a cross among a golden retriever and a poodle — which will assistance her in the classroom, at function and safely and securely obtain general public transportation.

“It’s a reduction to be graduating, and I’m especially proud of myself for undertaking it on time with my friends,” she states. “I’m continue to figuring out my foreseeable future and increasing, but all people is improving upon.”