Your task is going to be tough. The "exceptional category" waiver is given NOT due to your hardship, but rather to the exceptional hardship caused to your U.S. citizen/permanent resident child and/or spouse either if they'll be separated from you, or if they follow you to your home country for 2 years. You must prove their hardship will be "exceptional" first to USCIS, and if they approve your application, also to the State Department (which is the tougher obstacle). When I was a grad student, a colleague of mine was impregnated by her husband (USC). Despite their attempts, she had to go back to her home country (Turkey) with her baby.
By the way, you can do the 2 years (730 days) in several visits, if your legal status in the US allows it.
I was a Fulbrightee and didn't even try to obtain a waiver - I just went to my home country for 2 years.
Good luck!