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Epilepsy and college..
Fri, 11/19/2004 - 10:47I'm going to college in a month. Although I am a commuter student, I'm scared of how I'm going to handle college. See, I was absent..a lot in high school when I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I had about 5 seizures over the course of my senior year and a lot of traumatic things happened to me which made me feel really down and hurt my grades a bit-for instance, not being able to drive.
I'm supposed to find out this week if i can finally drive again..oh how I love the New Jersey DMV...heh obviously sarcasm there. Anyway, I'm panicing about everything. I'm scared I'm gonna crack up when I get the work load which I know is going to be hell. I'm scared if I don't get my license back before september I wont be able to drive and my mom will have to drive me which will be really embarrassing and upset me a great deal. I've been waiting since September.
I've been in such a depression all summer..I haven't even left my room and I barely talk to my friends anymore or go out with them when they invite me places. The last thing I wanna do is go back to school..college no less where I won't know my way around, dont know about the teachers or how much work I'll have to deal with, and I don't know a soul there and see I'm a really shy person and every year since I was little I've cried on the first day of school. I know that's pathetic since I'm 18 now but it always happens.
I quit my job when I got epilepsy and lately I was trying to get another job but now my mom and dad dont want me to cuz we got my schedule for college and it's ridiculous..I wont have time for anything much less a job.
So basically I'm really losing it...I'm so scared and alone and upset and I just wanna run away and never come out of my room or something..I dont even wanna go to college..in fact my mom and I thought about not sending me for a year b/c of the epilepsy and the driving situation..God if any of you have been through this I beg you please respond!!!!!!!! I need support more than ever, God I just need something to hold on to..
Comments
RE: RE: Epilepsy and college..
Submitted by LeeMc on Fri, 2004-11-19 - 10:47
RE: Epilepsy and college..
Submitted by beautimouslove on Thu, 2004-11-18 - 19:08
galinda, i feel for u and i too am in the boat with u. my seizures started when i was taking 21sem hrs. wow. the stress of course did not help. this sem i am n nursing school and the stress level is higher than ever. i have been haivng seizure and am going to the dr fri. i was too scared to go.
but first things first, make special accomidations with ur school (in the dean's office), so if u miss an exam, they can work around that.
then, let ur teachers know, they do have hearts too.
then, record all ur lectures, if your like me sometimes memories and thought process is messed up. if u cannot be there have a friend in the class that will record for u (even if u have to buy a recoreder and give it to the friend). for those times.
always write/call ur teacher the day u are not there and explain the event of why. u will gain more understanding for ur teacher and gain ur teacher understanding. help make ur teacher a part of what is going on, such as let her know what is going on with u and the meds u are on and how to handle a seiz, if u have one in class.
i hope this helped u.
good luck and change ur major to nursing! it rocks
galinda, i feel for u and i too am in the boat with u. my seizures started when i was taking 21sem hrs. wow. the stress of course did not help. this sem i am n nursing school and the stress level is higher than ever. i have been haivng seizure and am going to the dr fri. i was too scared to go.
but first things first, make special accomidations with ur school (in the dean's office), so if u miss an exam, they can work around that.
then, let ur teachers know, they do have hearts too.
then, record all ur lectures, if your like me sometimes memories and thought process is messed up. if u cannot be there have a friend in the class that will record for u (even if u have to buy a recoreder and give it to the friend). for those times.
always write/call ur teacher the day u are not there and explain the event of why. u will gain more understanding for ur teacher and gain ur teacher understanding. help make ur teacher a part of what is going on, such as let her know what is going on with u and the meds u are on and how to handle a seiz, if u have one in class.
i hope this helped u.
good luck and change ur major to nursing! it rocks
RE: Epilepsy and college..
Submitted by ashkazz on Thu, 2004-11-18 - 15:19
your story mirrors mine, but i was diagnosed in my junior year. imagine "high" on your meds (not regulayted) and having to take tests all over the place! i'm talking SAT, Standardized testing, finals, AP tests, you name it, i had to take it in the same monthe i was being regulated. if i wasn't falling over from the meds, i was falling over from the seizures. my teachers could do nothing but cry. (it WAS a dramatic site, i must admit) i was also absent a lot in high school. I went home almost at least once a week ( i was a dedicated student and still am, so i would drag myself out of bed, dizziness and no coordination and all, and walk, half fall all the way to school, only to be sent home 20 minutes after i got there), and then i just stayed home once a week. I was an all A's student, but some how i kept alive with all B's and one A. The teacher who gaave me the A said that he was so rpud to give me the A because i had earned it, and that i did not take advantage of my illness.
over the summer, i also hardly left my room until the end of the summer.
everythingwil be okay. with epilepsy, you will have good a nd bad days. i also didn't want to go to college. but than i figured if i didn't, i would let the illness beat me instead of using it to do good. i will major in either bio or chem and minor in psych, and i will become a neurosurgeon or neurologist with a background in psychology. i will use this to benefit others who go throuygh the same things that i also go through. keep your head up, and start smiling, and don't stay in the dumps for too long, because then you might miss your blessing.
i KNOW what it feels like. I was diagnosed two years ago.
email back anytime, for ANYTHING
God Bless
ash
your story mirrors mine, but i was diagnosed in my junior year. imagine "high" on your meds (not regulayted) and having to take tests all over the place! i'm talking SAT, Standardized testing, finals, AP tests, you name it, i had to take it in the same monthe i was being regulated. if i wasn't falling over from the meds, i was falling over from the seizures. my teachers could do nothing but cry. (it WAS a dramatic site, i must admit) i was also absent a lot in high school. I went home almost at least once a week ( i was a dedicated student and still am, so i would drag myself out of bed, dizziness and no coordination and all, and walk, half fall all the way to school, only to be sent home 20 minutes after i got there), and then i just stayed home once a week. I was an all A's student, but some how i kept alive with all B's and one A. The teacher who gaave me the A said that he was so rpud to give me the A because i had earned it, and that i did not take advantage of my illness.
over the summer, i also hardly left my room until the end of the summer.
everythingwil be okay. with epilepsy, you will have good a nd bad days. i also didn't want to go to college. but than i figured if i didn't, i would let the illness beat me instead of using it to do good. i will major in either bio or chem and minor in psych, and i will become a neurosurgeon or neurologist with a background in psychology. i will use this to benefit others who go throuygh the same things that i also go through. keep your head up, and start smiling, and don't stay in the dumps for too long, because then you might miss your blessing.
i KNOW what it feels like. I was diagnosed two years ago.
email back anytime, for ANYTHING
God Bless
ash