People I have the extension!!! I have an extra six weeks. I am going to use it wisely. Feeling like a very lucky girl right now. Thank you all for encouraging me to ask. Thank you xxx

Heidi - that's great news. It will take the pressure off you a bit. I'm glad you're feeling a little more optimistic. Good luck with everything!

I second bewildered. Keep posting here during your write up to help maintain your motivation - You'll get there! Best of luck.

Good luck Heidi, I've just read your story and feel very humbled indeed! You've gone through a lot and put up with so much that I hope you can get it finished soon and move on with your life. You give us all strength to be able to survive. Let us know how you get on. All the best and lots of cuddles to your daughter. She's very lucky to have you for her mum! (up) :-)

Good luck Heidi, I've just read your story and feel very humbled indeed! You've gone through a lot and put up with so much that I hope you can get it finished soon and move on with your life. You give us all strength to be able to survive. Let us know how you get on. All the best and lots of cuddles to your daughter. She's very lucky to have you for her mum! (up) :-)

Good luck Heidi, I've just read your story and feel very humbled indeed! You've gone through a lot and put up with so much that I hope you can get it finished soon and move on with your life. You give us all strength to be able to survive. Let us know how you get on. All the best and lots of cuddles to your daughter. She's very lucky to have you for her mum! (up) :-)

Heidi, just wanted to wish you luck after reading your incredible story. You're quite brave, and your determination will pull you through. Very sorry about your husband - PTS is not easy to deal with. In a way, I think I may understand a little bit what you went through: during my write-up, my husband had a psychotic break, and spent several months in hospital. But one has to pick up the pieces and carry on, and it's sounds like you're well on your way! Very proud of you!

So its a new day....and we have blue skies. Today I am going to tackle two things. The first is I am going to start writing. I shall report back whether I have any success. The second is that I am going to learn about PTSD - and try and be more supportive for my husband. Even if it turns out that I am just useless to him - and he never wishes us to be a family again - at least I can start trying to understand and communicate better. One way or another - we will always be connected as we have a daughter. Thus - start writing phd - and then later start reading up on PTSD and how I can be more supportive.

Hi Heidi

I've just seen this thread, and like everyone else, I'm in awe of how well you're handling such a difficult situation. I don't really have much to add apart from to say good luck with it all, and I hope we on this forum can be of some support to you. We may not have experience of your exact circumstances, but between us we do have some good ideas about how to manage the stress and workload of a PhD so I hope this will be useful alongside whatever your own university/a counsellor/your lawyer can offer you.

I would say, though - it sounds like your husband is going through a bad time, but you have your own stresses to deal with - it might be that the best thing you can do for yourself and your daughter is to focus on those things first. I can totally understand that you want to be there for him as much as you can, but by looking after yourself and your daughter for now you will be in a stronger position to help him in the future - if you try to take on too much of his stress at the same time as your own, particularly as you try to meet this deadline, you may become overwhelmed. But hopefully a counsellor will be able to help you sort out those priorities and talk through in more detail than can be done here (or would be wise here) about what your exact situation involves.

I wish you all the best - it sounds like you are strong enough to get through this, and that there will be people around you who can help you with this. Take care.

======= Date Modified 02 Apr 2012 21:06:29 =======
First day of writing:

Number of words achieved: 3

Number of hours on the paragraph: 6

Best experience of the day: Ten month old daughter learning to kiss me - even if it was all sloppy - and kind of wide open mouthed - like a man eating shark - but I liked it!

Progress back to writing the phd has strong correlation to Top Gun - in the scene after Goose dies - they say 'keep sending him back up' to get Maverick flying again.

Tomorrow I'll send myself back up - and see if more words can fall on the page.

H

Hi Heidi,

Just wanted to add my support! It sounds like you are doing an amazing job despite everything. Really glad you got your extension, I really hope you can get it all done. And don't worry about day 1 being slow going - it will get better!! The first day is always the worst. Glad you're having fun with your daughter too :-)

Obviously I haven't experienced all the trials you have, but hopefully the forum can be a support for you, as many people are at the same writing stage you are and you can keep each other going!!

Best of luck.

Tomorrow is a new day, make it a new start and three words are better than no words. Starting is the hardest part and you've done it!

Heidi,

I'm surprised you only asked for six weeks. Given your circumstances, I think you'd be okay to ask for more time if you needed it.

That said, you've probably now got a manageable deadline to work to as you need to devote time to your daughter too. Hand in, concentrate on her and move on so to speak.

It's good that you're slowly getting sorted out.

Chin up, the finish line is in sight!!! (up) (up) (up)


Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Second day of writing:

Number of words: 560

Hours spent: 6

Best experience of the day: Daughter getting her third and fourth tooth - all the better to chomp with!

Best quote of the day: "There's nothing like unrequited love to take all the flavour out of a peanut butter sandwich." Charlie Brown.

Heidi,

I loved reading that, it made me chuckle, you achieved a lot and so report back to us regularly and I'll continue to cheer you on!!!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!(up)