Chapter 31 - The Final Exams
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The final weeks of Grace’s university career were a blur of intense stress, massive amounts of coffee, and towering stacks of flashcards. To earn her degree in Occupational Therapy, she had to pass a grueling series of comprehensive practical and written exams.
She moved back home for a week to study in the quiet of our dining room, escaping the frantic energy of the campus library.
Daniel took time off from the architectural firm to help her study. He sat across from her at the table, holding a stack of index cards, wearing his reading glasses.
"Okay, next scenario," Daniel read from a card. "A pediatric patient presents with hypertonia in the upper extremities following a traumatic brain injury. What is your primary intervention goal?"
"Inhibit spasticity and facilitate active, voluntary movement," Grace answered immediately, rubbing her tired eyes. "Usually through weight-bearing exercises and slow, sustained stretching."
"Correct," Daniel smiled, setting the card down. "You know this material backward and forward, Grace. You are going to ace the boards."
"I just want it to be over," Grace sighed, resting her head on the table. "I want to start actually doing the work. I want to be in the clinic."
I walked into the room, setting a plate of sliced apples and cheese on the table.
"You are almost there," I reminded her. "One more week."
"Mom, if I fail the practical exam..."
"You won't," I interrupted firmly. "You have fought federal judges, massive corporations, and an entire internet hate mob. A practical exam on gross motor function is not going to defeat you."
Grace lifted her head, a small, tired smile breaking through her exhaustion.
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"That’s actually a very good point," she conceded, picking up an apple slice. "Hit me with the next card, Dad."
Daniel picked up the deck. The ordinary, mundane stress of a college exam felt like a massive luxury. It was a normal problem for a normal twenty-two-year-old. We cherished the absolute normalcy of it.
