Going to University

[jaxdaxter]

Hello,

I did a "Introduce Me" a while ago but haven't been  around since. Unfortunately the preparations for my procedures are taking longer than expected. So long in fact that my university (Exeter University, UK) may not allow me to come back as it has been so long since I had to stop my studies.

I am therefore thinking of returning to university this January to finish the final two terms of my final year, so it's going to be very hard.

Has anyone else ever been to university whilst on dialysis? I want to know if it's possible. Fortunately my parents are fairly well off so they've been talking about getting meals delivered and hiring a cleaner to make it as easy as possible for me to focus on my studies.

Thanks for any help.

[Athena]

If you can do it, I'd just do it without worrying whether anyone else has done it. Getting meals delivered and having your cleaning done is a load off your plate! You are lucky to have that support. I wish you a lot of luck!

[Michael Murphy]

It appears to me dialysis patients can do any thing they have a mind to.  One guy ever went down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. He took a next stage did his dialysis in the evening campsite.  People have worked full time, and done other amazing things.  Will the University be flexible in your schedule?  Just remember to take care of yourself and I believe it's possible.  I worked full time for the first two years of dialysis.  I'm 64 so I decided to retire if I was younger I would still be working.  Good Luck.  I hope you go for it. Remember as Yoda said there is no try only do or do not.

[jaxdaxter]

Thanks for the kind responses guys, the 2 main things I'm worried about are that I'll be very tired due to the dialysis and this will adversely affect my work to the point where I may fail. Also I haven't been to university for 1 year and around 6 months so I'm afraid some of my knowledge will have gone away.

[noahvale]

^

[Michael Murphy]

If I was you I would call your University and talk to them about completing your last year.  They may be able to schedule your classes to make it easier while you undergo treatments.  In the U.S. It's possible to take a reduced load ( 3 or 4 terms instead of 2).  Most educational institutes actually want you to do well and graduate.  These are the people you need to talk to.  In the last 3 years on dialysis I have seen and met people who have done remarkable things.  If you don't try you will always regret the lost opportunity.  I'm sure there is extra help available to make this possible. Good Luck.

[kristina]

Hello,
Whilst studying at University I experienced how important it was to communicate with Professors,
Lecturers and everyone else involved about my fragile health and resulting absences ...
Mind you, I would have loved to avoid this, because I felt that by informing Professors and Lecturers about my fragile health
was "rubbing it in" a lot and that was a bit hard for me to take and face sometimes...
But without informing Professors and Lecturers  about my fragile health, it would have been even harder to finish my studies,
because at one time I was less than 30% present (due to being hospitalized etc.)
and I would not have been permitted for the exam,
had it not been for the fact that the Professors were informed (with medical letters as evidence etc.)
about the reasons for my absences
and so they gave me a special permission to take part at the exam which I was luckily prepared enough to pass with honours...
It was vital that I always presented letters from hospital/doctors to varify the reasons for my absences at certain times ...
... I was not on dialysis then, but I was struggling a lot with a very fragile health due to my suffering from SLE/MCTD
plus a very fragile kidney function because my kidneys were struggling to pick up again
after they first failed when I was a teenager...
I wish you good luck at University and all the best wishes from Kristina.

[JW77]

Its one of the best things I did, and maybe one of the toughest.

I decided on a college(HND course, attached to UCLAN) about 400 miles away from home, my brother lived about 50 miles from the campus so at least some family link.

There's more support now I think than when I was studying.  Classmates took notes for me if I wasn't able to attend lectures (I got to most),  and I did a evening shift at the nearby unit, getting a taxi back to campus after dialysis. A few times I just missed lectures because I was in bed from exhaustion.

I did make use of the extended study period.  One of my biggest problems was dealing with a different unit, different protocols and lack of communication.

I had an issue getting my EPO prescribed, so I spent a large amount of time anaemic (bad when studying) and being so far away from home  I DID sometimes feel isolation and depression.

I'd say talk to your consultant about keeping your Hb at the higher end of the safe /normal limit (around 11/12) , make use of college support and extended study deadline periods IF you feel you need them.

I managed to get through and pass the exams and get my diploma..  Its a bit fuzzy, I'm not sure if I had a transplant somewhere during the course, but I got very ill after it and so didn't go on to study at degree level.

Good luck. Your health comes first but don't let it stop you if you want to go for it, got for it..