I wasn’t sure where to post this. I am currently doing my HNC in Social Care, due to end in June this year. I was diagnosed on 29th March and surgery will be around end of the month, I don’t have a definite date yet. I just wondered if anyone else carried on studying through treatment? I work too but I’m off sick at the moment. I know I could do assessments at home and email them to college but until I was diagnosed my placement was in a children’s residential unit and I’m not sure I’m up to that, although I loved it pre dx. I am loathe to give it up as I’m so near the end. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
I don’t know about studying, but there are plenty of us who have worked through treatment, taking time off as and when necessary. Are you due to have chemo? If so that may be a problem with working in a children’s residential unit, due to the dangers of catching comething when your blood count is low. It also depends how physical the tasks are - a desk job is much easier to cope with - and whether it is part time or full time.
Hi Doodles,
Before diagnosis I was doing a PhD part time on top of my work (I know, mad, mad, mad) and took the decision to submit for an MPhil rather than intercollate (take a year out). I’m really glad I did because after my chemo my brain was pretty mushy (my congregation would tell you I lie, I managed to produce a sermon every week, but I know how it felt) and I found my concentration not up to par. For all that, I wrote up my thesis between the end of surgery and the start of rads and was thrilled to pass with only three tiny alterations to make - my graduation was last December and was a very happy day.
I would advise you to make sure you tell the college now and get a doctor’s note so they can give you extenuating circumstances - extra time, allowances for brain-fog etc. They won’t do that restrospectively and it’d be a real shame to lose marks over, say, typos you would otherwise have spotted. My own opinion, for what it is worth, is that having something to focus on helped me stay positive and think about something other than cancer.
Speak to your tutor(s) as soon as possible, lay it on a bit thick, and stress your desire to complete this time around and see what they have to say.
Good luck - and here’s to your qualification celebration in the summer!
I completely agree with RevCat’s opinion about having something else to focus on.
hi doodles
i do agree with revcat & roadrunner that studying, having a goal etc can be good … but bear in mind everone’s different
i had a degree, a doctorate & an msc when i got diagnosed & was 1/2 way thru another course
i didn’t need chemo to get brain fug - i haven’t had chemo or rads, but have found that seromas, lymphoedema, loads of infections & various other ‘minor’ complications left me with all the classic symptoms of concentration & memory difficulties, a complete loss of my word-finding ability, no chance of juggling ideas to analyse (let alone synthesise) them …
& 21 months on i’ve been ill-health retired & am currently doing 2 hours’ a month of work (but could probably manage 8!)
i don’t want to be all doom & gloom, but postponing something while you deal with something else doesn’t make you a failure!
as revcat says, talk to the college, maybe see if you can do the written components to pass this placement without going back in - as a ‘reasonable adjustment’ to the disabling effects of bc, under the equality act (pm me if you want more info)
you sound really glowing when you type about your course, so it’d be a shame not to finish but it may well be that you finish it a bit differently to your colleagues … & maybe a bit later than them
or not! see how you feel, listen to your body & brain but don’t fib if they need a break
loads of relly good luck - come here to get yourself cheered on if that’d help
Thanks everyone for commenting. I am going to wait till my next appointment at breast clinic on Monday, when hopefully I will have a better idea what is happening re dates, treatment etc then phone to speak to the course
leader. I was talking to the manager at my placement, who had cervical cancer a few years ago, and her advice was to let it go and concentrate on getting better. I appreciate everyone is different. Thank you for saying Norberte that it doesn’t make me a failure if I don’t complete it, it does feel a bit like that and I hate giving up on things.
Thanks again for all your advice xx
Hi Doodles,
i work in student support - and spend a lot of time with people who have become ill etc since starting their course. Get a letter from doctor/BCN/consultant -whichever is easier - and take it to your college. This should get you extra time - at our place it gives you till the middle of July to submit work and still graduate with your mates. My hubby is a mature student and they have even given him extenuating circumstances- because he had to look after me during treatment.
Alternatively you can take so many semesters off - it varies according to course and instiutions - at Wolves you can take 2 semesters off without it affecting your qualification. If you need any help doing this, get in touch.
take care
kaj
xxx