[rjg72001]

I took my first exam, FAR, late last year and was humbled. Knowledge, college, & testing have always been a cake walk for me but the CPA is its own beast. I studied 2 months (obviously not hard enough) before I sat for FAR. I thoight I passed or came very close but my score of 62 knocked the wind out of my sails.

I immediately began studying for REG in december even before I got my score back. Instead of putting REG on hold to circle back to FAR, I decided to continue pressing on. Being a single mom of 2, a busy tax season with my tax prep side job (20 new clients!) trying to save up to sit for REG, and working 2 extra side jobs on top of my busy full time job gave me excuses to let my studying slide. As soon as April 16th hit, I threw myself back into REG.

Now that you know my background, here is my problem. Two weeks ago I was in a car accident and ended up with a concussion. The doctors say it should come back eventually but it could be weeks, months, or even a year or two. My mind is slowly clearing, but I’m still seriously lacking. I feel stupid for the first time in my whole life! I’m having trouble doing simple math during a yard sale & cant even remember most basic facts about myself like how much I paid for my car or my house or how much I make an hour at work. I forget most things told to me unless I write them down. My biggest problem is that looking at accounting stuff seems like a foreign language. REG is a foreign language right now!!! I feel like it all just fell out of my head.

I guess what I’m looking for is advice on how to start from scratch studying for REG again? I have until mid november before my NTS expires but I’m not confident I can pick it all up by then. I’m so worried that it will never come back & my dreams of running my own CPA business are unattainable.

Thanks for listening to my rant. I hope that all of your CPA journies are going much better than mine right now.

FAR - 61 (1/15), Rematch - NEXT
REG - 70 (11/15), Rematch - Coming after next FAR Exam
BEC - Planning in 2016 after FAR & REG Wins
AUD - Planning in 2016 after FAR, REG & BEC wins

Good things don't come to those who wait.
Good things come to those who work their A$$es off
and never give up!

Every negative experience has taught me something.
I am like the weathered willow,
I bend with the wind,

[Tncincy]

How are you going to study and retain the info knowing you have a concussion. Exercise due care and get better, the test can wait.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[JohnWayneIsGod]

You have had a brain injury that is hindering your abilities just like athletes suffer injuries that keep them from competing. The most appropriate thing to do right now is to allow your brain time to heal from the concussion. If you are having a hard time doing simple math, then the test has to wait. I regret to say that it really isn't your decision right now. Hopefully your state makes a hardship exception for someone such as yourself so that you don't lose the money that you spent to take REG.

BTW: Was the car accident your fault or was it that of another party? If a different party was at fault, it looks like you have suffered a loss that may warrant some kind of civil action.

FAR - 80

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

-John Wayne

[Missy]

First does your doctor advise that you hold off on mentally strenuous activity for a period of time? Please ask your doctor if the answer to this question isn't clear to you.

IF your doctor clears you to take this on, then you'll have to build up to it just like someone with a physical injury needs a period of therapy/rehab to get back in the swing of things. Start with 10-15 minutes and work your way up to more intense studying. If you are medically cleared to do this, the only way to get your function back is to work at it won't just magically all come back one day.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[rjg72001]

Thanks for the replies. I was run off the road by a pickup truck that said he didnt see me & moved into my lane. I got a lawyer because the insurance company immediately began talking about shared responsibility & it scared me. The concussion wasnt evident until the next day when I was dizzy, sick, & had blurry vision. My doctor says to give it time & start slowly & to stop any activity if it causes pain or makes me dizzy. I was cleared to go right back to work the next day after the accident, but to only do what I can handle. I'm a bookkeeper/office manager & my bosses are being very patient with me. I cope at work by taking constant notes, loving my calculator, and a lot of the spreadsheets I created to auto-balance the checkbooks each day. I'm told to rest a lot. My problem is that all of these instructions go against my entire personality. I'm usually smart, driven, motivated & bounce back quickly. I thought that a concussion meant a day or two of headaches then bam – fine. My best friend tells me that it will all come back eventually & the doctor agrees with him. Meanwhile I'm walking around like I am an alien in my own body/life.

I guess I am just very scared that somehow I will be permanetly stupid and all my hard work will be for nothing. (sidenote: when I say stupid I dont mean it as an insult, its just the best way to describe how I feel.) I'm desperate to get back to me & frustrated that there is no real cure or answers, just rest & give it time. I guess I will just give it a week or two more then try to start again with reviewing my notes or something to ease into studying again. I may be set back, but I wont ever give up.

P.S. spelling has suffered too, please excuse the errors

FAR - 61 (1/15), Rematch - NEXT
REG - 70 (11/15), Rematch - Coming after next FAR Exam
BEC - Planning in 2016 after FAR & REG Wins
AUD - Planning in 2016 after FAR, REG & BEC wins

Good things don't come to those who wait.
Good things come to those who work their A$$es off
and never give up!

Every negative experience has taught me something.
I am like the weathered willow,
I bend with the wind,

[Anonymous]

one of my good friends suffered a “mild” concussion playing tennis (she and her partner collided and she fell back and hit her head) It took her over a year to feel “normal”. Give yourself time. You're not stupid, you're injured. I would write your state board and ask for a medical extension for your NTS for a year.

[ijustwant76]

Unfortunately, it's not just rest you need, it's BRAIN REST. This means doing absolutely NOTHING, no thinking. My kid had it and he was so restless. All we did was run errands and take long walks. It means no TV, no phone, no reading, no computer, and absolutely no video games. The longer you go without brain rest, the longer it will take you to recover.

Think of your brain as a muscle. When you pull a muscle, you lay off of it and recover faster. If you use the muscle more, it takes longer.

So sorry to hear about this. It does mean CPA gets put aside for a while…..

[Author]

Replies