question about missing a week of class for medical reasons Forum

[smartwater]

i have a weird situation and am looking for a bit of advice.

over xmas break, i was diagnosed with a moderate-to-serious autoimmune disease that requires a lot of active management (but i will be fine if i do, at least in the short-to-medium term). my doctors are recommending that i participate in a phase 3 clinical trial for people newly diagnosed with my disease. this trial will require that i receive IV infusions for 8 consecutive days, which would have me missing class for a week, give or take. i have no idea if it will do anything (in fact, there's a 1/3 chance i will receive a placebo) but there is a small chance it will largely reverse the progress of my disease and a moderate chance it will slow its progression. can i get by missing class for a week? i am confident the law school will clear it, but it's an elective procedure and so i have to do some risk-reward analysis.

1L at HYS, if it matters.

[Big Shrimpin]

During OCI, I missed TONS of class. I was fine for finals.

I hope everything goes well, good luck!

[vamedic03]

i have a weird situation and am looking for a bit of advice.

over xmas break, i was diagnosed with a moderate-to-serious autoimmune disease that requires a lot of active management (but i will be fine if i do, at least in the short-to-medium term). my doctors are recommending that i participate in a phase 3 clinical trial for people newly diagnosed with my disease. this trial will require that i receive IV infusions for 8 consecutive days, which would have me missing class for a week, give or take. i have no idea if it will do anything (in fact, there's a 1/3 chance i will receive a placebo) but there is a small chance it will largely reverse the progress of my disease and a moderate chance it will slow its progression. can i get by missing class for a week? i am confident the law school will clear it, but it's an elective procedure and so i have to do some risk-reward analysis.

1L at HYS, if it matters.

Flame?

Otherwise, remember that health is at the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

[mikeytwoshoes]

i have a weird situation and am looking for a bit of advice.

over xmas break, i was diagnosed with a moderate-to-serious autoimmune disease that requires a lot of active management (but i will be fine if i do, at least in the short-to-medium term). my doctors are recommending that i participate in a phase 3 clinical trial for people newly diagnosed with my disease. this trial will require that i receive IV infusions for 8 consecutive days, which would have me missing class for a week, give or take. i have no idea if it will do anything (in fact, there's a 1/3 chance i will receive a placebo) but there is a small chance it will largely reverse the progress of my disease and a moderate chance it will slow its progression. can i get by missing class for a week? i am confident the law school will clear it, but it's an elective procedure and so i have to do some risk-reward analysis.

1L at HYS, if it matters.

Flame?

Otherwise, remember that health is at the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

This is not how we behave in the Forum for Law School Students. Unless you know that this story is unrealistic, reply in a courteous fashion.

[Unitas]

i have a weird situation and am looking for a bit of advice.

over xmas break, i was diagnosed with a moderate-to-serious autoimmune disease that requires a lot of active management (but i will be fine if i do, at least in the short-to-medium term). my doctors are recommending that i participate in a phase 3 clinical trial for people newly diagnosed with my disease. this trial will require that i receive IV infusions for 8 consecutive days, which would have me missing class for a week, give or take. i have no idea if it will do anything (in fact, there's a 1/3 chance i will receive a placebo) but there is a small chance it will largely reverse the progress of my disease and a moderate chance it will slow its progression. can i get by missing class for a week? i am confident the law school will clear it, but it's an elective procedure and so i have to do some risk-reward analysis.

1L at HYS, if it matters.

Ask them to tape classes, if they say no ask someone higher up. Enjoy listening to the tapes.

BTW, hope you get better.

[vamedic03]

i have a weird situation and am looking for a bit of advice.

over xmas break, i was diagnosed with a moderate-to-serious autoimmune disease that requires a lot of active management (but i will be fine if i do, at least in the short-to-medium term). my doctors are recommending that i participate in a phase 3 clinical trial for people newly diagnosed with my disease. this trial will require that i receive IV infusions for 8 consecutive days, which would have me missing class for a week, give or take. i have no idea if it will do anything (in fact, there's a 1/3 chance i will receive a placebo) but there is a small chance it will largely reverse the progress of my disease and a moderate chance it will slow its progression. can i get by missing class for a week? i am confident the law school will clear it, but it's an elective procedure and so i have to do some risk-reward analysis.

1L at HYS, if it matters.

Flame?

Otherwise, remember that health is at the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

This is not how we behave in the Forum for Law School Students. Unless you know that this story is unrealistic, reply in a courteous fashion.

Really? This story is unrealistic. Someone is sick and is debating whether or not to receive treatment under a phase III trial. It is unrealistic that someone would base their decisions regarding their health on whether or not missing a weak of class could be detrimental to law school.

My post simply called attention to the fact that I feel this is unrealistic. If OP is real, then two things:

(1) Of course health should come first; and,

(2) I'm worried about your priorities if you would place your health at serious risk to avoid missing a weak of class.

[smartwater]

vamedic--

i should be more concrete. i have type 1 diabetes, not cancer or AIDS or kidney disease. it is not immediately life-threatening and poses only mild risks of complication if managed effectively. i have money, great insurance, and a strong support network, and my immediate management has been excellent. the drug i am considering taking is a management tool, and would improve my health, but i would probably be OK without it too. i wouldn't ask this question if i was dying, nor would i ask it if i was getting a boob job or a facelift. i am also concerned that shitty grades-->no job-->shitty health insurance.

sorry i was vague.

[worldtraveler]

I missed a week for malaria. Yes, seriously, I got malaria in law school. It wasn't a problem. Your professors should be accommodating. If they're not, talk to the administration. I don't think it had an impact on my grades. In fact, I did much better that semester than at other times. Just do what you have to do for your health.

[Unitas]

i have a weird situation and am looking for a bit of advice.

over xmas break, i was diagnosed with a moderate-to-serious autoimmune disease that requires a lot of active management (but i will be fine if i do, at least in the short-to-medium term). my doctors are recommending that i participate in a phase 3 clinical trial for people newly diagnosed with my disease. this trial will require that i receive IV infusions for 8 consecutive days, which would have me missing class for a week, give or take. i have no idea if it will do anything (in fact, there's a 1/3 chance i will receive a placebo) but there is a small chance it will largely reverse the progress of my disease and a moderate chance it will slow its progression. can i get by missing class for a week? i am confident the law school will clear it, but it's an elective procedure and so i have to do some risk-reward analysis.

1L at HYS, if it matters.

Ask them to tape classes, if they say no ask someone higher up. Enjoy listening to the tapes.

BTW, hope you get better.

This is TCR.

Side note, are you doing stem cell testing with it?

[84weeks]

Go to your dean of students (or the equivalent) and inform him/her of your diagnosis. Ask them to tape the class for you. He/she may have additional ways to help out. Also, it will be good to have a support person/advocate inside the school with knowledge of your condition in case of a flare.

I have a similar auto-immune condition and flared the third week of last semester. I was admitted to the hospital and out of class for two and a half weeks. My school's dean of students was very understanding and he did a lot to accommodate my needs.

Also, since it was early on, it wasn't hard to catch up. I felt secure with the material.

I say try the trial and good luck.

[vamedic03]

vamedic--

i should be more concrete. i have type 1 diabetes, not cancer or AIDS or kidney disease. it is not immediately life-threatening and poses only mild risks of complication if managed effectively. i have money, great insurance, and a strong support network, and my immediate management has been excellent. the drug i am considering taking is a management tool, and would improve my health, but i would probably be OK without it too. i wouldn't ask this question if i was dying, nor would i ask it if i was getting a boob job or a facelift. i am also concerned that shitty grades-->no job-->shitty health insurance.

sorry i was vague.

(1) Type 1 Diabetes is a pain in the butt to live with. It will take time to adjust to living with diabetes, but, you'll get used to it. Remember that the better you manage it, the fewer complications you will have. You'll have to make some lifestyle changes, but in the long run it will be worth it.

(2) I would talk with your physicians about scheduling when you'll begin the experimental treatment. If they can work with you, try to schedule it over spring break or schedule it at the beginning of the semester. If there will be inpatient time, try to schedule that over a weekend if they can accommodate it.

(3) Missing a week of school really isn't that big of a deal - many 2L's will miss 1-2 weeks for OCI. (Yes, spring 1L is more stressful than Fall 2L, but the same idea applies.)

(4) Talk to the dean of students so that they are aware, but, otherwise just tell your professors about your situation and they will all be understanding.

Best of luck to you - do your best to follow your plan of care and you'll probably have successful management. (also, it's confusing when you refer to a vague auto-immune disease - I was thinking along the lines of either: (a) flame or (b) lupus, sarcoidosis, scleroderma, etc.)