Re: Any College Students??? Missing classes anyone?????
From: Keara (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Apr 9 12:54:29 2004
Gals,
Please don't lose hope. College is tough and some professors are down
right horrible but you can get through it. My freshman year of college,
three weeks into classes, I got diagnosed with two ovarian tumors. I
had to drop out and have emergency surgery. I tried to return in the
spring but the pain persisted and I was sick all the time. I took only
14 hours and spent the last two weeks in and out of the ER. I finished
my finals early and went home back to my OBGYN. Over the summer, I
decided to drop out of where I was and go somehwere closer to my
doctors. Right now I am about 1/2 hour away from home and I am so glad
I did that. Last Spring, my endo got sooooo bad that I was in pain
everyday, taking narcotics/end of life pain killers and having horrible
reactions to them. Less than a month before finals, after passing out
in the bathroom from pain, I convinced my RE to do another lap. He did
and I was out for 2 1/2 weeks. I wouldn't have been able to do that if
I was at the other school. Anyway, he wrote a note to all my professors
and that helped alot. I returned slowly back to my classes(I was only
taking 10 hours) and then had a post-op infection so spent hours driving
back and forth from Chicago where my RE is. I missed so many classes
and my insurance company hated me at this point. But, what saved my
butt is appealing to the insurance company. Both my parents, myself,
and my doctor wrote a letter to the insurance company explaining the
situation adn how much I wanted to be full-time but b/c of my health I
couldn't. I have had to do that twice and both times they continued my
coverage. Don't be afraid to fight back, appeal. Contact your
disability specialist or nurse on campus. Give them a letter from your
doctor educating them about your condition and explaining why you have
been missing classes. I am incredibly far behind and I have taken
summer courses and I only have three more semester and I'll graduate! If
everything continues to go well for the next three weeks, I will finish
my first full year of college. OF course, this summer I'll be taking
courses and working full-time but it's okay. I have had wonderful
professors that have understood. I had one that yelled at me for not
coming to him sooner and telling him what was going on. I had another
one(from Biology of Women) that wouldn't let me have surgery until I did
a presentation on endo....he told me that I wasn't going to miss
anything cause that is what we were covering while i was gone! He's
like, I think you understand that stuff better than any of us. Hang in
there and be strong. Don't hesistate to fight back and appeal. It
never hurts...if I didn't do that with my insurance, God only knows
where I would be today....dead? Take care~
At Thu, 25 Mar 2004, Sherly wrote:
>
>Hi everyone i 'm a junior in college and because I missed so many
>classes, I will perhaps graduate in 2006 or 2007 who knows. I was a
>premed student, dropped and doing nursing so I could spend less time in
>school. I have missed so many classes especially my bio and bio lab. I
>spoke to my prof but in my college your attendance is 10% of your grade.
>I had dr appointment during school time and several other pain killers
>which made me dizzy and tired. i kept pushing the date to have my
>surgery done. Finally I tried to get pregnant because I have loan and I
>was afraid to take medical leave. Anyway I am 11 weeks pregnant but I
>still have pain. I manage to go to school and ask the profs to return
>my work a little late. I'll say talk to your professors. I am sure
>they'll understand. Also ask for extension, work with other students or
>have other students call you if you can't make it to class. It is very
>hard but you can make it with prayers. Just don't give up and do what's
>best for you
>
>--
>Sherly
>
>At Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Melissa wrote:
>>
>>I tried to finnish school but after 2yrs it was too hard with endo and
>>wasn't worth the money. If I would have gotten my degree id be in no
>>condition to work in that proffession w/endo. Find a job that suits
>>your lifestyle for a while until you decide what to do.
>>
>>-Melissa
>>
>>At Tue, 23 Mar 2004, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>>
>>>At Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Softball wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Tiana, I know exactally what you are going through. I started with 17
>>>>hours this semester now at 14, but getting ready to drop my chemistry
>>>>class, which then I will be in the same boat as you and not ahve 12
>>>>hours unless i find another class. I'm tired and in pain all the time.
>>>>However, one thing I have for me is that I only go to class fro 8-9:30 2
>>>>days a week. All the rest I do online. However, I am finding it very
>>>>difficult to do my homework. I am used to A's and B's and I have a B-
>>>>and a C right now along with a D in chemistry. I thought about doing
>>>>the medical leave, but I know at least with my insurance that would kick
>>>>me off. I'm doing my best to tough it out and I figure with all that
>>>>i've been going through this semester a C would be acceptable. Or at
>>>>least I would have to accept it. Email me anytime at
>>>>softball34life@yahoo.com
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Softball
>>>>
>>>>At Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Tiana wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>HELP! I am a Junior in college and I am having the roughest time this
>>>>>semester. I have been experiencing so much pain and fatigue that I have
>>>>>missed a lot of classes this semester. I have talked to all of my
>>>>>professors about what I am going through and most of them are
>>>>>understanding. As far as grades are concerned I am doing well A's and
>>>>>B's but I know my attendance will bring down my overall scores.
>>>>>Depending on how my visit with the endo specialist goes I am considering
>>>>>taking a medical leave and taking Incompletes for this semester and
>>>>>making it up over the summer. Has anyone here done that before? How
>>>>>does it work? I am also in a bind with my insurance if I am not
>>>>>registered for atleast 12 credits (full-time status) I will not recieve
>>>>>medical insurance. Will the medical leave affect that? Is anyone
>>>>>familiar with this? Please help. I don't think I can make it through
>>>>>much more of the semester. The work is piling high and I just don't
>>>>>have the strength. Should I just suck it up? Anyone out there with some
>>>>>words of wisdom?
>>>>
>>>Hi, I sooo know where your're coming from! I'm a FIFTH year senior in
>>>college. I have had numerous problems with my health, and my school
>>>work. I had a 3.89 GPA, where as now I'm struggling with a 2.0 I have
>>>done medical leave, and summer classes, and can't seem to finish.
>>>Between getting into the classes I need, and surviving lecture, I wonder
>>>all the time if it will be worth it. I have to drive home (2.5
>>>hours!)every week for either a doc appointment or for my lupron shot. I
>>>strongly suggest you evaluate yourself to see if you can finish your
>>>semester's classes successfully. I toughed it out one year and ended
>>>lowering my GPA drastically. No school can erase the grades from
>>>classes you took, be it an A or a D. So, if you know you can finish the
>>>classes, and do well with them; do it. Otherwise, do the medical leave.
>>>If you do leave though, you will lose your insurance. If you're under
>>>23, you'll still be covered under your parents, if they have insurance.
>>>Or, you'll have to buy your own policy. After my medical leave last
>>>semester, I came back in the summer for classes which helped a lot. The
>>>classes were smaller, and the professor's had more time to deal with
>>>students one on one. I hope this helps a little. I know where you're
>>>coming from. I wish there was a way that students can take classes,
>>>even when they can't get there everyday.
>>>The system is such a catch 22. If you stay in school, you keep your
>>>insurance and your can get medical help. At the same time, you feel
>>>like crap, you have to make your schedule fit your dr.'s availability,
>>>and you have to deal with biopsies, hystersono's, etc. Not to mention
>>>class! Never mind the exams!
>>>If you leave, at least you can rest (finally), and have the time you
>>>need to go to the doc.'s. But, now you lose your insurance.
>>>So, you stay in school, and keep your insurance, and feel crappy all the
>>>time,. Or you go home, and be ABLE to go to the doc. but now can't
>>>afford to because of the insurance. When I learned all of this (about
>>>two years ago) I realized life isn't fair no matter how good of a person
>>>you are, and how hard you try. God, now I sound depressing.... It does
>>>get better. I'm back in school after two laps. One in Sep, and another
>>>in jan. I swear my dr.'s scheduled them on purpose to be at the
>>>begining of the semester. (OK maybe not, but I did keep on saying
>>>NOOOOO not during school!) Anyway, instead I am now part time, and
>>>bought the school ins. which is available for part time students too.
>>>This seems to be the best solution so far. In my opinion, I think that
>>>leaving isn't always the best solution. I missed school so much when I
>>>left! Yes! Okay, maybe not all the crap that comes with it, but you will
>>>miss the fact that you aren't learning anything new, and aren't
>>>accomplishing anything!
>>>Sorry this is so long. I just know all the frustration that comes along
>>>with the endo, and school. Good luck to you. Hopefully you'll start
>>>feeling better and will be able to finish. If you have any questions
>>>about the ins. or the school medical leave in more detail, I've been
>>>through it all. Feel free to ask any questions. Again good luck! Liza
>>>
>>>--
>>>Liza
>>>
>Hi everyone i 'm a junior in college and because I missed so many
>classes, I will perhaps graduate in 2006 or 2007 who knows. I was a
>premed student, dropped and doing nursing so I could spend less time in
>school. I have missed so many classes especially my bio and bio lab. I
>spoke to my prof but in my college your attendance is 10% of your grade.
>I had dr appointment during school time and several other pain killers
>which made me dizzy and tired. i kept pushing the date to have my
>surgery done. Finally I tried to get pregnant because I have loan and I
>was afraid to take medical leave. Anyway I am 11 weeks pregnant but I
>still have pain. I manage to go to school and ask the profs to return
>my work a little late. I'll say talk to your professors. I am sure
>they'll understand. Also ask for extension, work with other students or
>have other students call you if you can't make it to class. It is very
>hard but you can make it with prayers. Just don't give up and do what's
>best for you
>
--
Keara
**Co-Leader of the EndoCenter of Chicago, IL**
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