You Mean I Need to Get to Class?

I had a plan for this semester, I was going to do well in all my classes and actually manage to get to all of them. This year would not be a repeat of senior year where I missed more school than possibly all the other years of my life combined. Yet I am just making it under the limit for allowed absences in most of my classes and I have had to get extensions on assignments. Thankfully all my professors have been very understanding. I think maybe I should have gone to disabilities services to get accommodations, but as my rheumatologist wanted me to be I was determined to make it to class even while flaring. I did just that, I even went when I had a normal person cold!

So had did I get to this point, where I am hanging on by a thread? Chronic illness doesn't allow for one to plan ahead, even when determined. I generally have two rules when it comes to missing class, I have to be in the hospital or unable to walk, sometimes both. So between a few last minute doctor appointments and ER visit and an upcoming endoscope I am barely getting by.

College with a chronic illness is clearly different than without one. I see my friends go out and stay up into the wee hours of the night, and thats just not something I can do if I want to be able to function. SO while everyone else is drinking and going to frat party I generally stay in and catch up on work, and on rare occasions I might bake. I do go out to the city sometimes but most days I have to nap just to make it through all my classes since I am still running sans coffee. Thankfully my head is still above water even if it is just barely, but the end of the semester is in sight.

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Life with a Flare

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