Hi all,
Ok, geesh where do I start? I have so much floating around in my head.
First, I want to expand my knowledge and go back to school again for the 4th time.
Background: I am 41. I was in college trying to finish my two year in 2012. I was noticing the hip stiffness that summer at school, the exhaustion (sleepy eyes in class) and with online class I dropped it because I couldn't remember anything that I had read, on my exam I got a D. I am typically a 4.0 student.
I quit because
1.. my daughter was having a baby (still living with me age)
2. I had my upper teeth removed
3. then I started getting dizzy and nausea.
4This was ALL before my diagnosis. I had no idea what was going on.
5 I got about 5 more food allergies while in school, one landed me in the hospital ER. It calmed some after I quit. I have a total of 14.
Second, I cannot physically go back to a school unless I can quit working and I cannot do that. With my severe food allergies and how much I HAVE to cook for myself its impossible to do that plus homework and be away from home without food. NO convenience food for me. I also have one child left at home and he is 12 and doesn't want me away every evening. I should mention we live about 45 minutes away from the nearest school.
I am worried with my prior online experience that I will not remember anything and completely not do well. Having Sjogrens too, I wonder if I can tolerate staring at a computer screen for hours on top of doing that at my job! I work in accounting. I have problems now!
Third, I WANT OUT OF ACCOUNTING! Because of my eyes and I am burnt out. I want to help people, right now I am helping a company.
Fourth, my first choice of a career change is Medical Assisting but I would have to go to a brick school to do this, then I would go on to be a dietician. Which would be fine if I could quit work.
My second choice is to finish my two year and go on to a four year in Child, Adolescent and family studies all on line. Through a Private non profit college. This would allow me to keep working, still eat and be home for my one child left at home who is 12. But again the on line issue.
My question is, Has any of you done school with this disease? Has Anybody done on line and graduated?
Did you get disability worked into this so you could have more time to finish tests? Do you think its worth the student loans and time? I worry about being disabled later on and don't want to tack on extra debt.
I realize you cannot tell me what to do and I don't want that, I just want to know from others who have this disease and maybe other diagnosis on top of it who have done college and have advice or their thoughts on going back. I want real life experiences from others who have done this.