Court Cedergreen

‘I’m Doing the Things They Said Were Impossible’

Ten years after a traumatic accident, Court Cedergreen achieved the college degree that doctors told her would be unattainable.

In the summer of 2014, Court Cedergreen’s life changed forever.

She was on her way to perform at a farmer’s market with her church’s band when their vehicle was hit. Court sustained significant head trauma that would shape her life for years to come.

‘Will I Exist for the Rest of My Life This Way?’

“I had a very rare brain injury and didn't quite understand – the doctors didn’t quite understand – what the full impact would be, but when it happened, all I knew is I just had a really bad headache that just continued to get worse and worse.”

While her external scars healed and faded, her condition worsened. She lost her ability to read and retain information. The brain injury caused her to get sick and, unable to keep food down, she grew physically weaker and weaker.

“My accident was in July and by September of that same year I couldn't get out of bed for more than 30 minutes without getting really sick and being in extreme pain,” she says.

“It was really scary to wonder what my future was going to look like and asking, ‘Is this going to be my new normal? Will I exist for the rest of my life this way?’”

Her doctors saw she was deteriorating quickly and worked hard to figure out options. They referred her to specialists around the country, but the prognosis was bleak.

“A world-renowned specialist said, ‘I'd give you five years at best to just live the best life that you can live, but I don't think that there's a way to fix you.’” 

Court took a chance on a surgery, which helped alleviate some of her sickness. Still far from cured, she tried to find a new normal. 

“I really enjoyed my job and wanted to continue to work. I wanted to do something. Being stuck at home in bed was just not the way I wanted to live my life.”

Court had kept her job at an insurance company through it all, working with them to adjust her schedule as needed. The opportunity opened up for a promotion shortly after her surgery, and she eventually landed a management role that she loved as a trainer. 

‘Nothing Else Was Going to Work’

Court Cedergreen traveling

As she grappled with how her life was unfolding, she was connected with Shaun Davis, a family friend who was in the PsyD program at George Fox. Shaun asked if she would like to be part of her thesis work and test a few of the ideas she was researching.

“She gave me this Scripture that says, ‘Be still and know that I am God,’” Court says. “And she said, ‘I want you to take this, and even if it means you need to go sit in a dark room, I want you to concentrate on this Scripture and just see what happens, see if anything changes.’”

Skeptical, Court told herself she would try it, but for no more than 15 minutes at a time. 

“It was just kind of beautiful – God really met with me in that place. That was the first time that I remember actually getting emotional and allowed myself to cry and say, ‘I lost something, but can I trust God in that?’”

“I had to mourn the life that I lost. There are 10 years I cannot get back. Can I still live a full life even though it's not going to look the way I thought it would at 18?”

Because her condition was hard to notice from the outside, she wrestled with her questions and grief mostly behind the scenes. To most, it looked like she was doing just fine, but even working from home took its toll.

“My organs started to fail during that time, because they just couldn't handle it anymore,” she says.

A close friend encouraged her to pray: “Why not ask God one more time to see if he can do something crazy for you?” It certainly wasn’t the first time she had asked for God to heal her – and many had prayed for her over the years – but with no other treatment options, Court had nothing to lose. 

“That was such a pivotal moment. Nothing else was going to work. So if God wasn’t, then nothing would. I attribute everything to that moment.”

After a year and a half without any significant issues, Court miraculously received a clean bill of health from her doctor.

‘I’m Going to Need a Degree’

Court Cedergreen and family/friends

With her health in a more stable place, Court was eager to keep pushing. Although she had landed in management at her company, such positions technically required a degree.

“If I want to go any further than where I’m at right now, I’m going to have to get that degree. Or if I ever want to go to another company in this same position with the same status that I have, I'm going to need a degree.”

Court had always planned to go to college. Her dream was to be a PE teacher. After high school, she enrolled in community college to work toward an associate’s degree while saving to attend a university. But the accident put all of that on the back burner. In fact, doctors warned her school would never be an option with her inability to retain information and trouble reading.

But now she was ready for the next challenge. Court finished her associate’s degree at Chemeketa and enrolled in George Fox’s online bachelor’s degree program.

“I really enjoyed the remote and online aspect of it, being able to control my own time and pace,” she says. 

The support she received at George Fox further boosted her confidence. From the first meeting, the professors and staff encouraged her and gave her cohort advice on how to be successful.

She remembers a specific conversation with Dr. Rae Casey, who had been supportive throughout her journey.

“She said, ‘Have you ever thought about getting your master’s [degree]? I think you would make a great professor.’”

Court was determined to focus on one goal at a time, but the conversation planted a seed. 

“It means a ton to have that type of support coming from somebody who has seen some of my story. The potential she saw has expanded my imagination for what my future could hold.”

‘There’s More Out There to Accomplish’

Court Cedergreen graduation

Last July marked 10 years since the accident, and the milestone was more meaningful than Court expected.

“I read some of my medical records and the things that the doctors wrote down about what they expected to happen. It's definitely by the grace of God that wasn’t my story. I'm doing the things that they said were impossible, and it's OK to let myself be excited and to celebrate that.”

A few months later, Court beat the odds and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management and organizational leadership from George Fox. For the first time, she started to dream about what could be next. Her time at George Fox helped her rediscover a love for writing, which she plans to pursue in some form, and introduced the idea of teaching at the college level.

“This program has provided such confidence in what I can accomplish in my job, school and life. It also has expanded my vision for what I could do in the future. Having conversations with people at George Fox and my own support system, it’s been really encouraging and validating to say, ‘You’re not in survival mode anymore. Not only are you accomplishing this, but there's more out there to accomplish. Why don't you go find it?’”

Categories:

Adult Degree Program

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