Epilepsy and School

Re: Epilepsy and School

Submitted by CarlySoup on Fri, 2013-05-03 - 20:24

I am glad to say that after much consideration, I went above my adviser's head, since I was not particularly satisfied with his response. This resulted in me at least getting a chance to petition for a Withdrawal Excused. I e-mailed the assistant dean, the disability office, the interim dean, and my adviser with a very long letter detailing my condition. I hope that my request is granted. Here is what I wrote in my letter: Dear Dean "X", I am writing to you in hopes of gaining some guidance in regard to my current medical and educational predicament. I understand how hectic it must be for you at this time, given it is the end of the spring semester and graduation is approaching. I would like to preface the rest of my letter to you by stating that I feel the length is necessary, in order to explain the full breadth of my situation, and why your help and guidance is essential. I have had a very difficult time getting in touch with my academic adviser, Mr. "Y", partially due to the nature of my illness, but also due to the fact he is very overwhelmed as the only adviser for the Speech-Language and Hearing Science major. This has produced for me a significant quandary, in that he has informed me that it is too late to petition for a Withdrawal Excused based upon medical necessity, and that it will more than likely be denied. I understand that timing is essential in an academic context, but I feel that consideration for my situation is necessary. Please allow me to provide for you some background information. Until March 13, I did not know that I was experiencing seizures on a daily basis. I assumed I was not getting enough rest, working too hard, or not taking adequate care of myself. On March 5, I experienced my first significant seizure in the presence of another person. This event was followed by several seizures on March 6. These led me to seek emergency medical attention on March 7. I was admitted to the hospital and stayed on observation until March 9. I e-mailed my professors to explain to them my absence, as well as offered to provide them with copies of an excuse from the hospital, if they desired. When I returned from spring break, I provided copies of my excuse for Dr. "A", Dr. "B", and Dr. "C", as well as Professor "D". Dr. "A" did not request a copy. I was not able to see a neurologist until March 13. On March 13, the neurologist at the university physicians, Dr. "E", had me discontinue my anti-depressant medications, which I took for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), which was in remission at the time. He felt that the medications were increasing my seizure activity. He diagnosed me as having Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE). He informed me that if I experienced further or increased seizures, to seek emergency medical attention. He also prescribed medication to help control my seizures. When I returned to school from spring break on Monday, March 11, I e-mailed my professors in order to arrange meetings with them regarding my medical condition as well as my absences. Professors "A", "B", "C", and Krakow understood, however, Professor "D" did make it clear I would be receiving no clemency for my prior absences, or any following my hospital stay. Professor "C" also encouraged me to withdrawal from her course. I fully understand that it is the responsibility of the student to attend class, and request accommodations via the office of disabilities as necessary. However, not knowing the status of my medical condition until well past halfway through the semester, as well as the extended periods between me being able to receive medical attention, has made my ability to attend class as well as seek help for my condition via the university’s office of disabilities difficult. In fact, the day I did have an appointment with Ms. "F" at the disabilities office, I was in the hospital. I am sure you will want to know why I did not withdrawal from all of my classes on March 26. My reasoning was that I assumed the medication would control my seizures, and I would be able to continue my semester. I did not know how my epilepsy would progress and worsen. My seizure medication has done little to control my seizures. I have spoken with Dr. "E", my neurologist, and he has doubled the dosage of my medication. Furthermore, I have been instructed to seek emergency medical attention as needed. I am experiencing an average of at least one to three seizure episodes daily. When I am in a post-seizure recovery period, I am disoriented. My seizure medication has caused headaches and severe migraines, which have continued unrelentingly for three weeks. I am also frequently dizzy and nauseous. In addition, the discontinuation of my anti-depressant medication, as well as the nature of TLE, has initiated a deep depression. Within the past four weeks, I have had to miss a hugely inordinate amount of classes due to seizures, which have increased in both frequency and severity. This has made my life as a student extraordinarily difficult. I feel I am past the point of asking for clemency or understanding, as I feel my professors, and perhaps my advisor, Mr. Y, have likely lost patience with me at this point. I am unsure of what to do at this juncture. I have, despite my absences, produced satisfactory work in most of my classes, prior to the last four weeks. According to Mr. "Y", my adviser, I am past the point of being able to petition for a Withdrawal Excused for medical reasons, and that I would likely be denied, regardless. I will likely fail most, if not all of my classes this semester, due to my inability to attend class consistently, or at all, for the last four weeks. Thankfully, this will not affect my financial aid status for the Fall 2013 semester. It will, however, make obtaining financial aid for my senior year very difficult, and it will also impact my ability to attend graduate school, as my transcript will demonstrate unsatisfactory grades. I believe that at least allowing me to petition for a Withdrawal Excused is a reasonable modification. According to The Rights of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education handbook produced by the group Disability Rights California, and citing ADA Title III, “Specifically, colleges and universities are required to make reasonable modifications in their practices, policies and procedures… unless to do so would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations they offer, or would result in an undue financial or administrative burden on the institution.” I do not see any fundamental alteration in allowing me to petition for a Withdrawal Excused. I would like to mention that professors I have had in the past, such as Dr. Aronow, Dr. Keach, Dr. McHugh, Dr. Wray, Dr. Jones, Professor Heard, and others, can all speak about the level of commitment I have to my education, as well as the quality of academic work I produce. Furthermore, I understand that it is my job to be my own advocate. However, in regards to my medical conditions, I feel it is reasonable to request that I be allowed to petition for a Withdrawal Excused. If this request is not granted, then I understand, and will proceed with my next semester, as well as re-taking classes as needed. However, I do not see it as unreasonable to ask, and I appreciate your consideration. If, however, it is considered not reasonable to request a petition for a Withdrawal Excused, I would like to be able to petition my professors for "I", or "Incomplete" grades, so that I may complete the remaining coursework at a later date. Please advise me as to what the most reasonable accommodation would be, and how to proceed. Again, thank you for your time and consideration. I apologize for the length of this e-mail, as well as if it has come across in any way aside from sincere and very concerned.