Need expirience with lyme college-acomodations

The school story of my daughter.

She got sick during the 7th semester of high school. Was diagnose on her last semester. She was bed sick so, I still sometimes can't believe that she was able to graduate... Well big part was because she was in honors clases and the High school gave her minimum requirements to finish.
It was a nightmare not knowing, every day, is she was going to be able to get up or finish.

First semester college she ehad bad and good days. She finished ok but not all the teachers were cooperative and sometimes was terrible.

2nd and 3rd semester were fine.

End of 4th semester she got sick again (10 months ago) and couldn't finish 3 of the classes. Now she is taking the year off.

So, we are planning that she ll be able to go back to school in agugust 2015. She is aplying to a school in milwaukee and probably one in Boston... And is good, but I'm scared. We cannot go, not even one day wit the anguish of: " i have a test tomorrow and I feel horrible."

Anybody with experiences of Lyme-college? Is a letter from a doctor good enough to be giving acommodations? Are colleges understanding of lyme (she looks normal and she is fine today but you NEVER know how she' ll feel tomorrow or how many days and...ahe is not making it up)???? Should we tell the schools before aplying or after? Are some schools better tahn others in regards to this? Should we be specific about whatbwe want?

Anyway, sorry for the ammount of questions. I just dont want to repeat history...

Yes. I have been through this. I am on medical leave from an advanced degree. All universities / colleges legally have to provide students an "accessibility" office. It basically levels the playing field for anyone with a disability ( temporary or non temporary ). Lyme disease is included. I went over to my accessibility office and they gave me a sort of I.D. that told my teachers I am allowed extended absence due to health, extra time on projects, flexible testing times, and it can't affect my grade at all. Legally speaking your daughters teachers can't be giving her a "hard time" about health if you have a diagnosed disability illness. That is a huge no no. I am sure they get frustrated but it doesn't matter, the school could get sued for it BIG TIME. They have to accommodate her legally if she is registered at accessibility office. Doesn't matter what state you are in. It's federal law.

I will admit from my experience at college with Lyme I understand what your daughter is saying. You never know when you are gona get ill or how ill. It's unnerving. How do you go to school with that hanging over you? I gave it a try and did ok for semester and then I had to drop out in them middle of the next semester because I got too sick. What could I do? NOTHING. It's completely out of my hands. I am sick. It is hard for me because I not a person that misses anything for illness. The truth is you are at the mercy of Lyme. If she has to stop school sick OH WELL. You just pick it up and start again when you feel better. If it takes years and years at 1 class OH WELL. No employer cares anyway how long it took for you to get your degree especially if you were sick. They just want to know you have the knowledge / skills a degree provides.

If you talk to your accessibility office they can make sure that she is not penalized at all for a medical withdrawal. You can even get complete tuition money back once or twice from a medical withdrawal.

I guess the tough question is is she well enough to go to school? If you are consistently getting ill then even extensions and school help won't be worth much on projects. If you are not getting much out of classes because you are too sick then why go?

I had to make that hard choice and take time off. It was extremely disappointing but whenever I feel better I will get back at it for sure. Who knows when that will be! Illness is tough. I am trying to focus on the finish line of FINISHING the degree not the how, when, and how long it took me to finished the degree.

JM

Post Edited (Jackie Moon) : 2/13/2015 10:55:07 PM (GMT-7)

Wow! Thanks for the info. She did take a year off. Started this semester with a class on line and I hope she will be ready in september. I think this is one of the hardest things with Lyme: not knowing

I did it and it has been no easy task but I suppose it's relative since some majors are easier than others. I'm just about to graduate with my mechanical engineering degree. Sophomore and junior year were real bad and I wasn't sure I'd make it but with good time management and dss accommodations for exams (do to horrible comprehension, memory and headaches) it's been doable with 5 courses per semester. I'm in my final semester now and have no regrets. I feel like if I made it through this I can literally make it through anything. The only requirement is you stay positive and never forget that you're doing it so that when you get better you will be able to enjoy life more than anyone you know...

But, we have each other to help lift us up and support us during these hard times, LMC Mom!!
And knowing is more than half the battle - so you are well prepared and you are reading about the issues he could have later on - so do what you can to teach him about how to eat right and how to care for his body that will now be "touchier" and let him fly. He just might really surprise you!!!

I was certain, just certain that my kids had to have Lyme - I mean I had been infected for 13 years by the time I had my daughter, 15 years by the time I had my son - and I'm sooo glad that I only told them to go conquer the world!! They grew up eating right and taking care of their bodies (I had no choice), and they are still doing this so well!!

Both of my kids have survived their college years, and they are both in high stress jobs right now - and nothing!! No symptoms, no health issues that don't want to resolve, nothing!! I'm still in a state of shock in a way .....and still half panic when they do get sick!! LOL!

So trust that this will work out fine - you surely don't need to drive yourself mad worrying about a future that may never happen!

I think sometimes it is good to complain. Get it out and cry. This thing with lyme is horrible.
I do try in the other hand to keep on thinking, like somebody else said, that we dont know the future and that if we are in fhis forum, at least we are in the right track... Maybe not all my kids, even if they are positive, will get as sick as my second one.
But, i do want to complain many times.

Nice!

I would encourage you to get in touch with Accessibility Office @ your daughter's college. They really are a good resource. I thought they were mostly gona be legal nonsense but they aren't. They have lots more info that I even mentioned. Plus they gave me a case worker that checked in with me every once in while and I could email questions if I had issues.

All the best

JMoon