Posted by Kristin on January 03, 2008 at 14:47:53:
In Reply to: Question posted by Leslie Young on January 01, 2008 at 12:41:31:
Hi,
I'm 27 w/ CF.
In K-12, I didn't have much accomodation. In K-5, my teachers knew I had CF so that they would understand my need to take pills before meals. In 3rd grade, when I started to really exhibit pulmonary symptoms, I had a bit of a problem with my 3rd grade teacher insisting I go home sick all the time when I was coughing. My mom was quite frustrated with that. In grade 6-12 my teachers didn't know about my CF. I was always a good student, and was not so sick as to need academic accomodation. I was frequently late to school... my mornings were and still are my worst time of day coughing after laying still all night... and my teachers were always a little irritated at that. I suppose I could have made a bigger deal of the CF and had it more officially excused, but I didn't like or want any special accomodations... I was very much trying to be a normal middle school / high school student.
In college as well, most of my teachers did not know about my CF. The only group on campus that was intimately aware of my condition was health services - as they occassionally helped me coordinate something with my doctors back at home. I think only told two teachers... one was my ballet elective teacher, b/c while on IVs, I couldn't do all the ballet moves! She had absolutely no problem, and was impressed I was still attending class. The other time I told a professor, I was in a bind... she was the type who let you know 20 times, there were to be NO MAKEUP exams for any reason. If you were not present to take the exam, you would fail the exam and that would get factored into your grade. It was my senior year, was sicker than I had ever been, just spent Columbus Day weekend unexpectedly in the hospital, and the test was the day after Columbus Day. I was on a demanding IV schedule and could not even keep my eyes open long enough to study. I went to her office hours and explained everything... ready to escalate this to someone higher in the university (I went to Boston College) if need be. She was SO NICE, and basically allowed me to take the exam in her office during her office hours whenever I decided I was ready.
So - all in all, I had a positive experience. Working full time is a little harder, though!! I find it harder b/c whether you are in or out, the work needs to get done... and that often meand you put the burden on other people. I struggle with that. At least in college, if you do a below average job on an assignment b/c you are ill, no one suffers but yourself.
Ok - I am rambling. If you need anything further, please feel free to contact me.
Good luck!!
Kristin