The Student Room Group

illness/univeristy problem

I am a first year student at university, but i am not going to moan about the workload or anything, since most of us are in the same position. I have a slight issue and I don't really know what to do.

Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with having malaria. I have been very ill for about a month now. I am very pale, shaky, weak, tired and can't keep anything down. I cough up blood, collapse at times and am generally sickly!! The doctor wanted to admit me to hospital but I said no because I want to keep on top of my studies because they are important to me.

Last week however, I got a little worse. I now need at least 10 hours sleep at night and a 5 hour nap in the day! My doctor told me that my malaria has brought along it's friend dengue fever which in turn has decided to infect my liver and destroy the lining of my stomach. Delgihtful! Now the need for me to go into hospital is more urgent, but not yet life threatening!! I know I should go into hospital, but my course is so hard that I can't afford to miss lessons and the textbooks aren't too clear. My term finishes in 4 and a half weeks, so I was thinking of admitting myself to hospital after that. I really don't want to have to drop out and come back next year because it is terribly inconvenient, and I don't want to drop out all together because i need this degree to get a decent job.

I can get through a day with plenty of tablets for my malaria, anti biotics, painkillers and some other thing for my liver pretty much ok. Do you think that I am silly to hold out until easter to go to hospital? I have been told that I am not yet on the verge of death! lol. you have to look on the bright side of these things.... :redface:

so anyone got any ideas? sorry it's a little long

PS. please ignore the typos. My hands are so shaky it isn't easy to type!
Reply 1
Yes, you're being a bit silly. I know that it's hard to withdraw from your course (the thought of missing a year doesn't appeal to me either), but your health really must come first. If your condition progresses to a stage where it becomes life-threatening, you will regret having delayed treatment for the sake of your course.

Get well soon :smile:
I can understand your worry, and it's a tricky one that's for sure. I think I would be inclined to suggest that you do go into hospital though, as it sounds like you are pretty poorly, and the doc wouldn't suggest it if he/she didn't think it was necessary. At the end of the day, though it is highly inconvenient timing, I would say your health is more important. You don't want to run the risk of deteriorating even more and getting in a worse position where you may have to stay in hospital longer. I'm sure you will be able to catch up/get special consideration for mitigating circumstances, and I would imagine your uni would be very accommodating of your situation. I just think you need to put your health first in this instance. Good luck though and I hope you're feeling better soon. :hugs:
Reply 3
go to hospital and take the reading list?
The university will understand and will simply delay your course for a year, or something like that. You should go to the hospital and rest and recouperate. You might find that you don't miss too much and the Uni are happy for you to make up your credit points somehow.
Your health is more important! Uni can always be repeated. Go to the hospital.
Reply 5
Thanks for your help. I guess I am being a bit silly really.

Erghhh damn mosquitos! :P
your health is far more important than education. What use is books if you are seriosuly damaging yourself by not being admitted?
You're also proberely not taking much in at the moments.
Reply 7
The longer you leave treatment, the longer it will take for you to recover fully. It really is incredibly silly to deny yourself what you need in order to get better, regardless of what your university situation is. What use is studying now if you become so ill that you can't complete the course? Taking a bit of time out now is the best thing you can do - there isn't a university in the world that wouldn't make allowances for you.

Dropping out now for a little while may be a little 'inconvenient', but it's nowhere near as inconvenient as permanent liver damage ...
Get to the hospital now! Seriously, you should have gone in the first place! Your health is enormously more important than university work!!!!!!!
Reply 9
ok ok I'm going. Thanks for the help :smile:
Reply 10
Go and see your Senior Tutor, if you haven't already, and make sure s/he is fully aware of the situation. They'll be able to talk you through any options available, whether that's degrading and starting the yaer again in October, or just plodding along and catching up. I guess that depends on how long you're in hospital. I know what you mean about not wanting to leave the course for a few weeks, but it is do-able, even at Cambridge. I came home for a week earlier this term due to a number of reasons, but my Senior Tutor was very understanding and is now doing everything he can to make sure I feel able to stay. And, yes, catching up has been a bit tricky but I'm getting there. Let's face it, the longer you deny yourself treatment, the worse you're going to get, and you won't be able to carry on studying anyway, especially in an environment such as Cambridge. Get yourself to hospital, and I hope you feel better soon. xx
Reply 11
You won't be working to your best abilities while you are so ill so you are just wasting time. The sooner you get to hospital the sooner your recovery can start. Look after yourself.
I would do as Joanna has suggested and talk all of your options through with your tutors etc. One of my friends was in hospital for 2 weeks at the beginning of last term and he had supervisions in hospital and then he caught up the lecture notes and a few more supervisions before this full term started and now he is back on track. Yes, it's hard but it can be done and there are plenty of people around to help and as people have said, your health is the most important thing. Hope you start to feel better soon :smile:
Okay, haven't read the replies because I was in such a hurry to say DON'T BE A PILLOCK!

Seriously, I had malaria this summer (also typhoid) and it left me with CFS which has ended up with me resitting the year because I missed so much work (as I got VERY ILL from staying at uni too long because I didn't want to miss work, ring a bell?:p:). I had to drop out this year because I was too stupid to stop going in and get medical help when I needed it, so was sick for much longer than I would've been. Unis are very understanding and will let you take the resit exams/retake the year/whatever (without reinterviewing in most cases). Your health is the most important thing, uni can always wait another year.

Please, please give your body a rest and get the medical attention you need. I didn't and I've been left with more severe illness than I would've had and may not even make it back next year.
Reply 14
Hey, thanks for the help.

I think I will go to hospital and see how much work I can get done whilst there. If it proves impossible then i'll resit this year and come back. I don't want to be a pillock :frown:
Good luck with everything, hope you're soon feeling better, and try not to worry about uni, it'll be ok :hugs:
Your poor kid, what lousy luck. You definitely have to go into the hospital. Your uni will be understanding, no question about it. Your motivation is really admirable, you've hung on and tried to keep things going with your course while you must be feeling really rotten. One of my uncles got Dengue fever in S E Asia and said it made him cry (a 26 year old man at the time) because he felt so awful. Look on the bright side, even if you have to resit, you will get more out of the course and will be likely to do better when you feel ok. You've got guts and no mistake...have a good rest and good luck.
Reply 17
You know that magical, wonderous thing known as 'extenuating circumstances'? Well, this kind of situation is exactly what its purpose is for.

Go to hospital before you get any worse.

Your education is not worth your health, despite what you 'Oxbridge' lot may think.

I'll repeat that last statement, just to drive it home... your education is not worth detrimental health.

Let your university's school, department or module leaders know what's going on. They're not exactly going to kick you off your course so stop being paranoid.

You're clearly in no state to be doing anything else but concentrating on getting better and it's not exactly the common cold you've got now is it?

Get well soon :smile:
Reply 18
Nix!

Your education is not worth your health, despite what you 'Oxbridge' lot may think.


Thanks for that rather sweeping generalisation.
Reply 19
*Joanna*
Thanks for that rather sweeping generalisation.


You're welcome.