Now you might be thinking, well, what do I do if I am at a boarding school or college or even at a regular school and I am still recovering from my surgery? Well, this page has your answers!
If you are worried about returning to school after surgery, this page will make it easier for you!
Make sure that someone at your school knows what is going on, so you can always go back and talk to them and they can watch out for you.
What I did-
College:
Right now, I am studying at Georgetown. As I have become older, I have also become more open about my surgeries and more people are aware of what I have been through. Before I even came to Georgetown, I was working on setting up a system for when I get sick. I came to campus for a day before I started here and met with a doctor on campus as well as a coordinator from the Academic Resource Center. Then, when I arrived at campus, I met with my Dean and advisor and together we came up with a plan. On top of this, most of my friends are aware of my medical conditions and are always here to help me with anything I need. While I used to always kept my medical background a secret, I now am very open about it. It is a very important part of my life and I should not be afraid or ashamed to tell anyone. Now that my friends and teachers know, we can all work together to ensure that I have everything that I need.
Boarding School:
I was at a boarding school and I had a group of people here who knew what I was going through. The Health Center knew and so did my unit counselor -- this is really important because I could always go talk to him about my medical issues and I knew someone will always be there for me. But, even before boarding school, when I was in grade school I always had people to lean on for support. The school nurse knew exactly what was going on so I could go and talk to her if I needed anything at all. The lady who ran our dinning hall also knew and I could go to her if I needed any specific food to fit my diet. No matter what grade you are in and where you go to school you can always find someone that will support you.
Why this helps-
Having someone to help you at your school is always a good idea. I highly recommend it. If something is going on, this person can talk to your teachers and get the help you need. Make sure this person is close to you and you feel comfortable talking about anything with this person. The school will always help you with your medical needs so do not feel afraid to ask -- they will always be willing to help. For example, when I was in grade school I had access to a private bathroom in the nurse's office. Only I could use it and I could go in there whenever I needed it. If I was worried about being late to class because I had to deal with a medical issue, the nurses (in grade school) or my counselor (in high school) would simply write a note for me saying it was okay that I was late. If any friends would ask why I was late for class, I would just tell them I had a meeting.
What can the school do for you?-
The school will do anything you need to make you feel better and it is okay to ask for anything you need. One thing to ask for would be a private bathroom if that is something relevant to your medical situation. Most schools do have private bathrooms for you to use. This would help because, even if you do not think you need one, it would give you extra privacy and reassurance that everything can be okay and that you can live a normal school life. At Georgetown, I work with the Academic Resource Center to ensure that, in the classroom, I have everything that I need. Then, I also work with Medical Housing to get into an apartment that has certain conditions that help me, like my own kitchen or a cleaner environment.
If you are worried about returning to school after surgery, this page will make it easier for you!
Make sure that someone at your school knows what is going on, so you can always go back and talk to them and they can watch out for you.
What I did-
College:
Right now, I am studying at Georgetown. As I have become older, I have also become more open about my surgeries and more people are aware of what I have been through. Before I even came to Georgetown, I was working on setting up a system for when I get sick. I came to campus for a day before I started here and met with a doctor on campus as well as a coordinator from the Academic Resource Center. Then, when I arrived at campus, I met with my Dean and advisor and together we came up with a plan. On top of this, most of my friends are aware of my medical conditions and are always here to help me with anything I need. While I used to always kept my medical background a secret, I now am very open about it. It is a very important part of my life and I should not be afraid or ashamed to tell anyone. Now that my friends and teachers know, we can all work together to ensure that I have everything that I need.
Boarding School:
I was at a boarding school and I had a group of people here who knew what I was going through. The Health Center knew and so did my unit counselor -- this is really important because I could always go talk to him about my medical issues and I knew someone will always be there for me. But, even before boarding school, when I was in grade school I always had people to lean on for support. The school nurse knew exactly what was going on so I could go and talk to her if I needed anything at all. The lady who ran our dinning hall also knew and I could go to her if I needed any specific food to fit my diet. No matter what grade you are in and where you go to school you can always find someone that will support you.
Why this helps-
Having someone to help you at your school is always a good idea. I highly recommend it. If something is going on, this person can talk to your teachers and get the help you need. Make sure this person is close to you and you feel comfortable talking about anything with this person. The school will always help you with your medical needs so do not feel afraid to ask -- they will always be willing to help. For example, when I was in grade school I had access to a private bathroom in the nurse's office. Only I could use it and I could go in there whenever I needed it. If I was worried about being late to class because I had to deal with a medical issue, the nurses (in grade school) or my counselor (in high school) would simply write a note for me saying it was okay that I was late. If any friends would ask why I was late for class, I would just tell them I had a meeting.
What can the school do for you?-
The school will do anything you need to make you feel better and it is okay to ask for anything you need. One thing to ask for would be a private bathroom if that is something relevant to your medical situation. Most schools do have private bathrooms for you to use. This would help because, even if you do not think you need one, it would give you extra privacy and reassurance that everything can be okay and that you can live a normal school life. At Georgetown, I work with the Academic Resource Center to ensure that, in the classroom, I have everything that I need. Then, I also work with Medical Housing to get into an apartment that has certain conditions that help me, like my own kitchen or a cleaner environment.