How am I meant to do it

[JennyGiggle]

I am a university student in my penultimate yr of study. To be able to fund my way through uni I have two jobs. I am exhausted at the best of times. I was cut some slack at uni and work for a few months now, as I got used to my "new" life. But I have too much going on! I have mon-thurs work 12 hr nightshift and I tutor on a Tues night, and now I need to go to these looooong appointments. It just works, I can fit everything in but its making me feel sooo tired and ill and my academic studies are starting to fail - I don't know what to do. If I admit that I am struggling chances are my parents will pull my out of uni, but it is mu only solid goal now to finish my degree. If I don't I am worried that I am going to run myself completely down and end up in hospital again. Is it just a compromise that I am going to have make? Is that what my life is now, giving up everything I like and love? Has anyone experienced something similar.

Jen

[Malibu]

Wow, you go girl!  YOu have a heavy load but it will not last forever.  I am unfamiliar with the terms you are using so I don't know exactly how long it will last but it cannot last forever.  My  :  do it.  Get the degree you are going for because I really think you will be angry and resentful later if you don't do it.  I think it will give fuel to hate your disease even more in the future. (I am going out on a limb here and guessing that you have kidney disease)  I know it's tough...try to catch up sleep on the weekend. 

If your grades are suffering perhaps your parents or another family member can kick in a few bucks so you don't have to do both jobs.  Tell your parents that your grades are suffering because of the 2 jobs, then that will give you a little more time for rest and for study. 

Stick with it if you can make it work out.

[RichardMEL]

Hi Jen,

You're working two jobs to support doing uni plus dealing with kidney disease? That's a lot for anyone to handle. I agree it would be a worry that you're going to totally run yourself down - and that won't help you with anything. You mention your parents pulling you out of uni.. could it be possible for your family to support you while you finish your uni studies so you didn't have to work TWO jobs? Maybe if you just worked one you could fit it all in?

If you burn yourself out dealing with all this stuff the consequences in all areas of your life could be bad - stress and BP won't do anything good for your kidneys, and tiredness and lack of time won't help you study well.

I realise this might become an issue of independence and pride, but it might be worth it to try and get into a situation where you're supported so you can complete your degree - I agree that would be the priority to complete(you are so close!) and it's something you are enjoying.

I hope you can work something out!!! 

[Hanify]

Has anyone talked to you about PD?  I can't recall if you mentioned if it wasn't an option (it often isn't for some people) but it strikes me as a much better option as you can do it at night.  Also what about home nocturnal haemo? It's better than in centre and again you can use the hours you are sleeping.  Probably better even than PD cos it is less hours per night.  The 9 hour PD cycle probably won't work with 2 jobs and uni.
Wow, you sound amazing!!!

[JennyGiggle]

yeh, i talked to the docs about PD, I think it might be on the books to try it out. Home-Hemo wouldn't really work because my building can't accomodate all the changes needed. I've not had nocturnal home-hemo discussed with me, im in the UK so i don't know if thats an option here but its not been mentioned. Yeh, something has to change, I seem to have a different mind set each day about my situation. I am at uni just now and really tired and the idea of giving up a job in exchange for feeling a little more normal would be quite welcome. I have read some other work vs. dialysis stories since yesterday and its given me hope. I think iv realised now how much i took things for granted before.

[Zog]

When I met my wife she was in college and on dialysis.  She never finished college but she spent 6 years trying.  I think she may have been successful had she not gotten a transplant that completely wrecked her semester.  When you get that call to get a transplant everything gets put on hold for a few weeks.  The outside world doesn't understand sometimes.  She worked full time for about a year after she lost that transplant and had our daughter.  It is very tough and sometimes people have no idea what you are going through.  Make sure you get your full treatment and keep your hemoglobin levels up.  This will keep you functioning.

Jenn always said dialysis gave her a lot of time to study and write papers.

I think you said something about you can't modify your house for home hemo?  We use the NxStage machine for home hemo.  It doesn't require any modification except some tiny plastic tubes to a sink.  We have traveled with it with no problems.  Worse case scenario we have had to pee out the window.  They are supposed to be expanding into the UK.  I am not sure if they are in your area yet.  They issued a press release a year ago.  http://www.nxstage.com/our_company/partners/kimal.cfm

PD is a good option for new dialysis patients.  My wife did that in high school.

[Rerun]

Best of luck.  Make sure when you do get a chance to rest you get your sleep.  If you have trouble sleeping ask for something to help. 

I hope you finish your degree. 

[JennyGiggle]

Thanks for the link Zog. I've just done some reading and it sounds much more convenient. I'll have to ask about the possibility of getting one. I've always wanted to go to uni and get a degree, I think just the idea of not finishing my course after sooo much hard work is panicking me. It's good to know I have the support of so others on here. Thanks everyone

Jenny

[Zog]

Good luck figuring out what is best for you. 

A few words of warning about home hemo with NxStage though.  You will feel better, seldomly have to go to clinic, be able to travel, etc. BUT you will spend more time everyday directly dealing with dialysis.  That 2 hour daily treatment time they advertise is really 2 1/2 hours for most people and 3-4 hours for big people.  The machine takes about 25-30 minutes to set up not including the time it takes you to get comfortable and be willing to self cannulate.  The machine performs checks during treatment which can gobble up 3 to 5 minutes twice an hour.  We probably spend between 20 and 24 hours a week priming machines, doing treatment, making dialysate, sending in paperwork, etc. 

Your mom may have a hard time being your dialysis partner.  You can do it alone, but you will probably want someone around to wait on you and help you pull your needles out.  You will have to find a spot to stick the machine and several boxes of supplies, which can be a problem in a small flat.

In center you might spend and hour traveling to and from clinic and 4 hours on the machine 3 times a week for 15 hours/week.  However you feel like crap after those treatments.  With short daily you don't feel as bad and you can skip or reschedule a treatment here and there. 

[JennyGiggle]

yeh its a lot to consider.  You are right about needing someone to help. I'm still quite scared of all things sharp, including needles! Its sounds like a lot of work but ultimatly more freedom. Storage space is a problem, but we have been talking about moving closer to the unit anyway. We don't have a car at the moment so its a 2 hr journey each way (we stay in a very rural area of scotland). Its a pain travelling so much, I don't mind the journey there but coming back is just a pain cause all is get home to bed! I think I am defo gonna talk this through though and see if it is an option or if it might be an option in the future.