Just looking for a bit of support. Tomorrow I go back to college to continue my interrupted 2nd year of Counselling Course Level 4 after my bout of encephalitis. Oh dear so many mixed emotions. i know I return at a disadvantage namely my memory/recall or should I say lack of it. I will need to find a way of getting on with the course with my new limitations, but I have to be honest - I am both so much looking forward to it and yet at the same time I am bloody terrified. I have had about a year and a half break from study and I do not know whether I can do this. I am not being negative - in fact I am actually being realistic. But what I am unsure of is how I would cope if it was all too much for me and I had to give it up. I would be devastated! Just checked my file from when I was last studying and boy is there a lot of work. Have got a little bit of the shakes.......... Clare
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CH56Twin
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Clare you'll be fine, make sure they know about your limitations now. I would think you qualify for extra assistance. See your disability team at the college.
My son was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum late in the last year of his degree.
If we'd known before he would have automatically qualified for extra time for his assignments, extra time in his exams, and all sorts of other things. He nearly messed things up by walking out of an exam but because of his diagnosis he was not automatically failed and passed overall with a 2:1.
So be up front with them and take all the help they offer.
Keep trying and try not to be so hard on yourself. There may be times when it feels hard but try and get help ( where available) and all ways possible to aI'd your memory.
But remember if it doesn't work out that you at least tried your best.
Prior to my bi I had started training in counselling ( early stages ) and a a prison officer.
I knew instantly the prison service career was over due to fitness.
I tried every way possible to keep up with the counselling but fell to far behind to qualify.
But did I fail?.....In my mind no. I tried and tried but I had to admit to qualify was beyond me.
So I concentrated on what I could do. I have since done various voluntary work, in fact I still do. The pay ain't great but the self satisfaction is imense.
I like the way you wear your realistic cap! There are many times when I have sat down and thought about how to deal with something after coming to terms with the fact my approach needs to be different now. I find the best approach for me is to take things back to basics. I too suffer with incoming information and memory issues and I am also considering going back to school to upgrade my degree to a masters. When I have thought about this I looked at myself. What are my problems? I am worried I'm not going to be able to "learn" now, but I can learn, that's not the issue, is it my brain? Yes, i started reading about cognitive psychology, I'm learning, I read about responsiveness and awareness and all that good stuff, right I've learned that, it's the classroom and taking away what I need, record lectures? Cheat? No... memory techniques! Google derren brown, now I still can't remember the day of the week and suffer seizures... but I'm great at retaining and remembering things I need too.
I don't know if that little story/waffle helps but I try to show what I'm trying to say. The fact you're seeking help because you think you may need it means you're already half way there. Go do it. If it doesn't work out, you'll get to learn why rather than still wishing you'd done it. Fix problems when they come, because they will, but we've all been through worse already haven't we, let's use that spirit to achieve things 😊
Thank you all so very much for your support - very much appreciated. The day at college went well and yes I have realised that there are adjustments needed to be made - namely extreme tiredness and switching off in the late afternoon. But I am sure there will be ways of working around this, Onward and upward. Clare x
I just had to write when I saw your post. I am a fulltime student and besides memory issues, executive functioning problems, and serious timing issues, I find myself getting upset that I am not the student I used to be. In fact since school started this fall, I have failed all 4 tests. I study after school at least 6 hours a day. But I can't remember, I have actually written notes on readings 2=3 times because I had no recollection of ever reading it before.
I have told a few teachers but I don't really want it in my school records. One professor said when I graduate they should give me an honorary PhD for being the hardest working student ever, but he was a very understanding teacher. On top of all that, I have severe narcolepsy, It's treated but I still have break thru sleeping, several times a week. I fall asleep without notice. Sometimes it's just a few seconds, sometimes it's 3-4 minutes. It's hard to get good notes if you are asleep.
I wish you the very best with your studies and congratulations on going back to school. I love school and I love doing research. My bff says I just have to have more faith things will get better. The program you are in sounds interesting. I was planning on going to grad school next year... but time will tell.
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