posted
It is SOOOO hard to attend classes, study, and take exams while dealing with the pain, fatigue and other nasty symptoms we all have to deal with. I've already taken a semester off and done a medical underload but my parents want me to hurry up and finish school because it is costing them so much. At the same time, I know I would have a much higher potential if I could only get well first. And since I most likely contracted the disease 11 yrs ago at age 9, I can barely even remember what it feels like to not be sick...
I am in college, but I cannot drink coffee or alcohol, attend concerts/bball games or anything else loud, work out at the gym, go out dancing, or sleep less than 8 hours. It's so frustrating...I feel like I'm stuck in something with no way out.
Whew-- sure feels good to vent every now and then. Anybody else here currently in college or taking classes?
-------------------- Contracted Lyme 1999. Diagnosed January 2011.
"The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy." � Thich Nhat Hanh Posts: 64 | From North Carolina | Registered: Jan 2011
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
I am not currently in college or taking classes though I did finish my Ph.D. in Clinical Psych. just as I got really sick with Neuro. Lyme.
I could never imagine doing it with full blown lyme.
What would it cost them for you to take some time completely off?
Number one concern should be your health.
Trying to take classes being as sick as you describe would not allow you to fully expereince the college life - both academically and socially.
Are you truly absorbing the material? Are you engaged in the classes or just muddling through?
You want to really absorb the material and be a part of the collective academic experience.
Hope you find a way through....
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
I'm in grad school and it's pretty rough, & like you I grew up with it undiagnosed.
I made it through college with Lyme, but it wasn't a great experience. I had to miss out on a lot of fun activities and my grades weren't the best. I constantly wondered if I should take time off to recover, but I felt so pressured to finish on time. Not sure if it was worth it.
Hope you figure out the best solution for you. Good luck with your treatment!
-------------------- Currently infected with Lyme, Babesia, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Mycoplasma, & Q-fever.
10 months into treatment, currently on Bicillin, Rocephin, Doxy, Biaxin, and Mepron. Posts: 87 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2010
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posted
I was looking thru some of my old posts and saw this one. We were so excited to think our daughter was going into remission. That was back in march 2009.
I should have listened to all your posts. We weaned her off her meds and sent her off to college (6 hours from home). Well apparently she went wild and so did the Lyme. By the time of her last exam she looked like the walking dead.
Why do 18 year olds think they know everything? She didn't sleep, ate like crap, partied too much and stressed herself out. So it seems we are kinda back to square one. Back to the dr we went and back on all the meds and a few more than before.
Zithromax, mino, zoloft, tindamax pulse. Needless to say she had to take a leave of absence this semester and we are trying to get her back on the right track. She has been much better with taking her meds, but she is still trying to be like all her friends. She will go out and stay out hanging with her friends and then she is just out of commission for 3 days.
Why doesn't she get it? Why can't she take care of herself? I go out of my mind worrying and she just keeps pushing it to the limit. I don't know how to let go and let her fall on her face. It is making me crazy.
On a positive note we went to the llmd yesterday and she said she seems to be making slow improvement, but at least improvement.
I would say my daughter completely understands what you're feeling. It was a big decision that we all made for her to take this leave of absence. I think she made the right decision.
I think taking care of your health should come first, but I'm just a mom....what do I know, right. Posts: 107 | From New Jersey | Registered: Nov 2009
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I am so sorry to hear you are going through so much.
Is there a way to educate your parents further? Can they come on this site? Have they seen "Under Our Skin" or read "Cure Unknown?"
I hope your parents will eventually understand what is going on with you. Have you had a heart-to-heart with them?
Can you take a year off to focus on your health? It will cost your parents the same a year from now.
In the meantime have you spoken to the college's disability office? Do you have accommodations in place? (eg, extended time on tests, dorm as close to classrooms as possible) If not contact them/get the necessary forms and have your doc fill them out.
And make sure you speak to your professors about what is going on with you.
Drop classes that are too difficult/taxing but make sure you retain "full-time" status (usually 12 credits) so you can live on campus.
If you cannot attend classes at all, you can take an incomplete/withdraw.
It is the beginning of a new semester. Since you are feeling frustrated with no way out, perhaps it's best for you to withdraw and take a break until you are feeling better.
-------------------- You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'
---Eleanor Roosevelt Posts: 748 | From somewhere | Registered: May 2010
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My daughter who is in college and still struggling with health issues could also understand what exdancer is feeling.
Your daughter and your family made the right decision regarding a leave of absence.
Taking care of your health should absolutely come first. But I'm "just a mom" too. And what do we know?? PFFFT....MORE THAN PEOPLE CAN IMAGINE!
Good luck to you and your daughter.
-------------------- You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'
---Eleanor Roosevelt Posts: 748 | From somewhere | Registered: May 2010
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posted
The problem is that my grades are still okay and I don't think I'm sick enough to withdraw completely, like I did when I had gastritis and was in too much pain even to go to class. That's why I feel "stuck," as in not healthy enough to do my full potential or enjoy being in college, yet not sick enough to take the semester off and stay home with my parents. The ideal situation would be a medical underload (taking 3 classes instead of the normal 4-6) but then we would still have to pay the full tuition and fees. And by "we" I mean my parents, which makes me feel even more like a financial burden. I will talk to them though, and see how the first round of exams go.
Another problem is that I am not officially diagnosed yet (still waiting on blood results from my LLMD) so the disabilities office can't help me. I would like to have extended time on tests because my fingers and elbow hurt so bad writing and possibly a note-taker in my classes too.
tls, I agree that your daughter taking a leave of absence was probably the right thing to do. I hope she recovers soon and will be able to go back to school.
-------------------- Contracted Lyme 1999. Diagnosed January 2011.
"The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy." � Thich Nhat Hanh Posts: 64 | From North Carolina | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
Hey Dear! I am going to my university with this disease. I ended up medically withdrawing for a semester, and it was worth it to gather my thoughts and come up with a game plan.
What university are you going to?
I am at Brigham young university Idaho.
I understand how hard and overwhelming it can be. I am only 20, and sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to graduate with all this going on.
What are your symptoms?
One thing that has helped me is learning to be organized.
Another thing is learning to find joy in other things. I couldnt run or dance for a year. So, I picked up the violin ;-)
With lyme Coffee, Caffeine, and alchol are big no no's anyways. They will make you flare more, and wont help you get better at all.
Everyone needs to vent;-) Dont feel bad. If you ever need advice or anything, message me. Its always nice to meet someone who is going through the same exact thing!
---Stephanie ;-)
-------------------- Stephanie, University Student.
Ehrlichia [POSITIVE] IGG/IGM AB [H] 1.49 indexLyme AB interp. EIA [A] POSITIVE IGG P93 AB [PRESENT] IGG P41 AB [PRESENT] IGM P41 AB [PRESENT] IGM P23 AB [PRESENT] Lyme IGM WB interp. [A] [PRESENT] Posts: 145 | From Idaho | Registered: Feb 2010
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
I had to leave school and I never went back. I'm still too sick to attend. Doing it online seems like a waste of my time since I have difficulty with memory and I'd have a hard time learning by myself without the aid of classroom interaction.
Tried hard to stay, but when I began passing out in my dorn and failing to even show up to class because I couldn't remain conscious, that was a sign that I'd lost this battle at that time.
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
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