School is hard work. It's like taking a second job.

When you're feeling better, you'll go back. Don't drive yourself into a collapse now because you don't trust yourself to push forward later on. Clearly, you're strong and determined. You'll get there when your health improves.

Tritchie -- I'll say the same to you. If you're having trouble keeping up with normal conversation, you're not going to be able to keep up with the high-pressure, fast-paced intensity of law school right now. Get a deferrment, and go when you're healthier.

And if you're wondering how I know-- been there with the work/school thing, for something I desperately wanted. Lasted a surprisingly long time, but when I crashed, it was epic. I simply exhausted my bod, and it's taken a long time to recover. I kept telling myself, just one more day, just a little longer.

I am recovering now, and I've taken this time to find out more and better recovery methods. I thought I was taking good care of myself before, but really I was in a huge amount of denial.

Sometimes the power of positive thinking means that you have the strength to look at your situation honestly and respond to it realistically and effectively, even if what you have to do is the opposite of what you want to.

Good luck to both of you.

[This message has been edited by minoucat (edited 17 July 2004).]
 

Please don't push yourselves over the edge...

I am also working full-time+ and in grad school. Took an incomplete last semester, skipped summer classes - even took a month of short-term disability and just returned full-time after a month of less than full days.

Give your body a chance to heal. You have the rest of your life to go back to school - especially if you get the rest you need now so that you are better.

This has been the absolutely most difficult lesson for me to learn during this illness, but ironically been the best too.

I have always pushed through sickness, putting other's needs ahead of mine and did so for about 2 months after diagnosis (and had been sick for almost a year at that point).

The pushing - pushed me over the edge, and believe me I don't wish that on anyone.

My boyfriend was the one who finally put his foot down and got me to stop - with me still fighting to keep going.

The schools should work with you regarding deferment.

Just give your bodies a little more time to heal. Yes, I know I'm impatient too and the waiting drives me nuts - but our health comes first.

Please let us know what you decide - we're here for you!
smiles
 

I agree.
Fighting Lyme, especially a relapse, is a time for conserving energy and building strength, not exhausting yourself.

Until you lick the Lyme (and coinfections!) your future is uncertain - a degree will do you little good if you are bedridden.

Do it right now, and there will be time and energy later for what you want to do.

Dan
 

I went back to college and to be quite frank, it is the stupidest thing I have done yet. I felt like rugged dog crap the entire time I was going AND I only went on Saturdays

( Saturday fast track advanced standing students), but still, was there for 9 hours a day every saturday.

Even that? Whoosh came back in the symptoms regardless of how many abx I popped.

Unfortunately, ( very unfortunate) I have my registration papers laying on my table for the upcoming semester and the thing is : if I dont go to class, I dont get any money back on my loans which then equals the kids dont see crap for xmas.

So, come August- Im back to do this torture, again.

Please though, if you dont have to do this: DONT!
 

Don't know how old you are or even if that matters at this point. I do know when I was in my late 20's, I went back to college and got my degree. By that time, I was a single mother with a 5 year old.

I had to work and go to school full time. It like to kill me, AND, I did NOT have LYME at the time!!!

What I'm saying is what the others above have said in their posts, DO NOT OVERLOAD yourself at this time in your recovery and treatment. School will always be there.

I was 30 when I graduated and was't the only nor the oldest person in my graduating class of 1981. I don't regret working myself to the bone nor the sacrifice that my family (helping with 5 y/o) made.

I DO know that I could've never done what I did, sometimes working 44 hrs per week at three partime jobs and going to school for 15-18 hours per semester IF I HAD LYME...no way, no how.

Save yourself,

Rosemary
 

As for the chocolate and martini's . . . sounds great! . . . but aren't we supposed to stay away from sugar, caffeine, and alcohol?! lol

Thanks for all the good advice. I'll let you guys know what happens!
 

Trip
 

I came down with Lyme and Ehrlichiosis at the end of my sophmore year at University. Up to that point I held a 4.0 GPA.

I worked full-time as a legal assistant, took 12 credits per semester and continued through the summer to get my degree before my children graduated high school in 2002.

It was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do physically but there was no way I was going to quit.

I did a complete 360 on my career and had to leave the old career ASAP. Staying where I was would be worse than going to school with Lyme.

It was the best decision I ever made. My new career is much calmer and it has allowed me to take care of myself on a regular basis.

Yes, it was exhausting and I couldn't have done it without my husband and children. Instead of Mom as the caregiver, they became the caregivers.

My house was a mess, the kids cooked dinner every night, my husband drove me to and from work & school. My GPA dropped to a 3.2 but I still graduated with honors.

We even took a vacation to England with the pic line in my arm! It took a lot of phone calls and arrangements, but pre-9/11 I was able to take all medical equipment on board the plane with me.

I often wonder if I would have recovered quicker if I took the disability leave and stopped going to school. However, my life is so much better with my new career, the suffering was worth it.

My family is much closer and my kids know that no matter what happens, they will also be able to graduate college. The kids are also much better prepared to live on their own.

If you really want to continue school, try taking just one class you know you will enjoy. Then evaluate how you good or bad you feel with this class.

You can then base your decision with what your body is saying.

The pain and exhaustion were awful, but I did it and that is all that matters.

Coming from a family of high altitude mountain climbers and race car drivers, I had a lot of inspiration to beat the odds.

Good luck with whatever decision you make.