Brain damage before 1L Forum

[Unresponsive]

I am entering 1L at a t14. I had heat stroke at my summer job and I have some brain damage now. I have to reread things quite a lot now whereas before I could fly through them. Also my composition and spelling is worse than it was. These sentences took me about 5 minutes to write.
It seems like a really good idea not to go to law school anymore but I guess it is worth getting other opinions before I withdraw.

[BVest]

I would seek medical advice on the issue rather than advice from us random people.

I mean, you won't have anything for a grade until the end of the semester, but if your processing speed is completely out of whack it will be hard to catch up.

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[DJ JD]

Consult with a doctor.

Also, I'd mention endurance too. Law school required a lot of reading and a high level of focused attention for prolonged periods of time, so make sure that's okay as well.

I'd assume you'd be able to get a testing accommodation.

Sorry to hear that though.

[chuckbass]

No advice besides what's already been said, but just wanted to say that I'm so sorry to hear that OP and I wish you all the best!

[Mack.Hambleton]

Damn I didn't even know that was possible, I hope you can manage it.

First thing that comes to mind is testing accommodation as said above. If its just time you need then that should help significantly.

[anyriotgirl]

that really sucks, I'm sorry that happened to you. you might consider deferring for a year, if you think that time will help

[BigZuck]

Yeah, I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you, that's so scary.

I think talking to a doctor and looking into deferring for a year is the way to go. I really hope you make a full recovery.

[despina]

I'm sorry you're going through that.

I second the advice above to get medical advice, and the hope for a swift and full recovery.

I would say that if five sentences took you five minutes to write, and you're struggling with reading retention / comprehension, you're not ready for law school now.

[DrRighteous]

Agreeing with everyone who says to get medical advice and consider deferring a year. A good friend of mine suffered a head injury in a car crash in high school, fair amount of brain trauma. She definitely had a lot to recover. But she's a doctor - the for real medical kind unlike me - now. It just took a little time. Maybe law school can still be in the cards if you rehab, but definitely a doctor doctor will know better than any of us.

Edited because I repeated myself, corrected for clarity/intent.

[Lawdood]

Please ask a doctor.

[legit]

Please consult a doctor...afterwords look up Amy Cuddy!

I am cheering for your comeback.

[TheSpanishMain]

Sorry to hear about the injury. I'd recommend deferring for a year if nothing else and, in the meantime, consult a neurologist

[Unresponsive]

Thanks for the kind words and anecdotes everyone. So far I've been unable to get an informed prognosis and it's possible there just isn't one. Deferral sounds better than withdrawing.

[twenty]

Interestingly enough, if you do choose to go to law school in a year or two, you'll probably qualify for extra time on exams.

[CanadianWolf]

Sorry to read about your temporary disability. As others have suggested, consult a doctor & just defer law school for a year to see if your condition improves. If I may ask, was this due to over-exposure while working at a construction job ?

[Unresponsive]

I was working in a humid, unventilated part of a poorly designed commercial kitchen. It was a very hot day and the AC was malfunctioning. It was normal for work to be extremely hot so I didn't think anything of it until I stopped sweating and couldn't remember what I was supposed to be doing.

[TheSpanishMain]

So it sounds like the brain damage may be self diagnosed. You really need to consult with a neurologist. Just ask your family doctor for a referral.

[KMart]

No advice besides what's already been said, but just wanted to say that I'm so sorry to hear that OP and I wish you all the best!

[Young Marino]

Definitely look into seeing a neurologist but also, if this happened on the job, you may have a substantial claim against your former employer if this injury has negatively impacted future earnings which it looks like it has. Did this job involve working outdoors for long periods of time without regular access to fluids? Consult with a worker's comp attorney

[Young Marino]

I was working in a humid, unventilated part of a poorly designed commercial kitchen. It was a very hot day and the AC was malfunctioning. It was normal for work to be extremely hot so I didn't think anything of it until I stopped sweating and couldn't remember what I was supposed to be doing.

EDIT: just saw this. Look at my last post and definitely consult with a worker's comp attorney.

[personofinterest]

Similar to above posters. See a doctor, and the best bet is to defer for a year and then start next fall. I have a friend who had a series of concussions from playing college sports. She took some time off, and now is back on the path to med school. There are still some mental skills that have not returned, but she makes it work.