for those of you crohnies that have gotten your bachelors degrees and up, I need your help...

I just got into a university as a transfer student (Junior ranking) this past Fall quarter and was doing sooo well until the last 2 weeks of school and then I flared to the point where I had to go to the ER on the day of finals AND had to take incompletes in both classes. =/

I finished the finals for Fall Qtr 3 weeks ago but now am dreading Winter Qtr finals which will be in March. I don't want to flare again if I can help it so I'm trying to devise a proactive attack plan. Any suggestions?



p.s. I was diagnosed with crohns in 2007 so I was used to the all nighters and stress involved with school/work etc and was able to successfully do them. Now, not only am I freaking out because I am trying to get used to a new environment (school), I now have to learn new ways to do what i need to do in order to succeed. =(

Thanks for replying. I read a post from someone this week on grad students and I wonder if I will ever get there.

I'm on imuran too.

yeah my professors this quarter are much more understanding than last. When school started in Jan I was trying to finish the final projects AND do the new quarter's stuff so I took a couple of days from one class on each of the dates I turned my finals in so I wouldn't be so stressed. He was totally understanding and even told me to take care of myself. Last quarter I had a professor that made me feel like I was faking my crohn's symptoms to get out of the final. Never mind that I did the final test and it took me 34 hours to do. I too try not to abuse that privilege and I am SOO thankful that I signed up for the disability services for my school because that mean professor wouldn't write me back until I cc'ed the disability director on my email.

Good luck to you... Hang in there and if you need someone to complain about our lovely disease about, I'm here. =D

=) Please do. I know some of my friends feel the same about my complaining. I don't complain about my crohns that often, but when it rears it's ugly head, complaining for a short while makes me feel better. One can only hold so much in.

One thing that has really helped me is that they let me take my finals early.

Bill of Rights
III : at college
Register at your school’s Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) to discuss what accommodations you may
require from your teachers during the semester. The OSD may also have handy resources, such as support
group info and note-taking services.
Don’t miss class if you’re feeling well. Your teachers will recognize your effort and will be more
understanding when you really have to skip class. For example, if you a miss a test because of a
flare-up, your professor may let you take it at the campus-testing center when you feel better.
If you live in a dorm, talk to someone in the Housing Office about getting a single room or a room closest to
the bathrooms. A letter from your doctor will help them understand your situation.

@ funguy - yeah it would have been against the ADA but my professor was a jerk so that is why I had to get the director involved. He is the first professor i have ever encountered that was like that but I'm sure, i'll run into a few more--but this time I will be prepared. My vice is caffeine and chocolate. When I feel really good, I'll have 1/2 of an alcoholic drink but I don't normally drink alcohol. However, when the good ol crohns fatigue comes on or I start feeling stress, I think coffee/chocolate will perk me up and all it does is inflame everything. I get B shots 1x month and drink emergenc for energy but i still seek comfort in that darn coffee and chocolate because it used to perk me up prediagnosis. old habits die hard.

@mmmnavy, you said that they let you take your finals early? how did you work that? If i could spread them out it would really help. =D

@hldwodrgs Most of my professors at my old college were very accommodating with me which is why I went into shock with my mean professor. He made me feel like because I was not as savvy (I have a learning disability in addition to the crohns so i would ask for clarification on items to keep me on track) and on top of that had tummy issues that i was inferior and therefore not worthy of being in that class or college. (I have another word for him but mean will suffice here) My major is sociology and I hope to get a masters of social work because I feel i can turn my disabilities into positives with people and help them to overcome things because I have. He made me doubt myself and I think that is where most of my stress came from last qtr. My other professor was strict but was cool with my illness.

@Sue... ok i will think about graduation day. I am doing what you did and not taking a full load. I'm doing 2 classes and the disability office made it so it counts as full time so i still get financial aid. I just sometimes lose patience because i'm an older student (i'm 38) and I just want to get it done with cause i have places to go and things to do--and of course i need to start building up my retirement. Yet another lesson. I need to just pace myself.

thank you all for your advices and for your "hope".... ok, will try the advices you gave me this qtr. if you guys can do it, I can too. =D you have no idea how happy your responses made me.

Have a great week!

I made the mistake of not telling my professors and I failed nearly all of my classes....Do tell your professors. Best things you could do.

I also stopped stressing. It didn't help. Give yourself time. Like they said, don't miss class just because.

Also, keep in mind there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

By the way, now that I'm done with my undergrad, I'm dying to go back to grad school! I'm such a nerd

I'm a lecturer at a large university. I too suggest that you tell your professors at the beginning and register with the disabilities office. I am not supposed to make accommodations for students if they are not registered. I have several students each semester who are registered with disability services and I don't feel that they are somehow inferior so don't let that worry you. I had a student come to me once about her Crohn's disease and she was shocked when I told her I understood her problems because I have it too. Unfortunately, there are a lot of students who are not sick who fake illnesses when they fall behind. It is hard for us to tell who is telling the truth and most excuses come just before an exam and near the end of the semester. If I know in advance that a student has a problem, I am much more likely to believe it. I myself have good days and bad days and I try to just make it through the bad days. If I stayed home every time I felt sick, I would not be able to hold down a job. Just this week I was partially obstructed and in considerable pain but I pasted a smile on my face and convinced myself that I could make it through three hours of class. I actually felt a little better after interacting with students which served as a distraction and then went back to my office and sank into my chair. Of course, I have been hospitalized and I had to miss classes but luckily that has only happened three times in the last 10 years.

I ended up doing a BA in 4 years with UC (not crohn's but close enough lol). I did have to drop a class or one year and take summer classes, but then again durning the semester I wasn't JUST doing school, I was working and had leadership positions as well. And I was only diagnosed in my last year, but was sick since my second...two years of unmedicated UC. Just be sure to stay on top of everything when you're NOT flaring.