college, PLT, and crying

[kiki_miserychic]

The director of my college called to tell me that she doesn't want me to come this semester. I'm supposed to be doing student teaching this semester and she doesn't think I'll be able to finish it. Somehow she heard that I was back in the hospital and now she thinks I'll replapse again. The college also wants a letter from my doctor saying that I no longer have MRSA before they'll let me come to class at all. I'm not any more contagious than anyone else, but I technically do still have MRSA. So the doctor won't be able to write a letter saying that I no longer have MRSA. Not only does the director of the college think I'm incapable of completing the semester, but she thinks that I'm going to infect everyone.

She couldn't have picked a worse time to call. I had just gotten out of the hospital and I was to take the PRAXIS PLT the next morning. I cried for an hour because everything is so messed up and I was feeling sorry for myself. I stopped crying, but one of my friends called and I lasted all of two minutes before bursting into tears again. I haven't cried this much in years. I don't know what to do. The biggest issue is insurance. If I'm not enrolled in college, then I'm dropped from my dad's insurance. If I'm dropped from the insurance, there's no way that I'll be able to pay the HUGEMONGOUS doctor bills on my own.

I took the PRAXIS PLT this morning. I studied quite a bit despite being in the hospital and such, but there was barely anything on the test that I studied. I'm worried about how well I did, but I don't think I failed. I know what I'm doing and I think I did ok, but I guess it could go either way. My friend's mother was driving her because the weather was so terrible, so she offered to pick me up on the way. I'm still not allowed to drive, so it was nice to have a ride there. We got about 9 inches of snow!

This is the longest I've been awake without taking a nap. It's kind of sad. In a perfect world I could take a semester off, but if the insurance is going to drop me, then I need to go to college, but the director doesn't want me to and is making it really difficult.

Comments

[giandujakiss.livejournal.com]

Oh god. I am so sorry for all of this.

Obviously, if you can, you'll want your doc to explain to your director that you aren't contagious. If your director is still being difficult - even after you explain that you need to stay in college to maintain your insurance - then you need to check exactly the terms of your enrollment and find out whether they are legally able to ask you to leave based on an (irrational) fear of contagion. There may be legal limits on how they treat students - it's possible that unless they have a legit medical basis for doing so, they can't ask you to take time off. So you should look into that.

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

What a bitch!!!

I mean, I get her concern, but shouldn't it be up to you to decide if you can do it? Offering a semester to recuperate is one thing but barring you.

I agree with giandujakiss that it might be useful to have the doctor speak to your infectiousness, because that's clearly what she's worried about.

Is there a way to take a medical leave that'd allow you to remain enrolled???

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

I am so, so sorry to hear you're having such a hard time. One thought: I've taken a leave of absence for a semester for medical reasons, without dropping out or withdrawing from the school--still remaining technically enrolled. Would that be possible? You wouldn't have to reapply to go back, it's just a temporary leave of absence.

[sparky77.livejournal.com]

*hugs* That sucks!

Can you a letter explaining that while you still have MRSA, you're no long contagious.

And if you do want to take the semester off, you should be able to get a medical leave of absence while still being enrolled, so your insurance would be okay.

[milly.livejournal.com]

WTF? Seriously, enough. *kicks life in the balls for you*...*HARD*

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I agree with what others say. You need to check what your legal rights are and whether you can get a leave of absence while you are still enrolled. I mean, being given a semester off to recuperate might actually be a good idea, but not if it's going to fuck you over on the insurance front and certainly not if it's based on her fears rather than your needs.

::hugs::

[obsessive24.livejournal.com]

Oh honey, I'm so sorry to hear about all this. I don't really know the legal ins and outs about this but as others have said above it definitely sounds like you have options, and I'm sure it'll all work out. *hugs*

[danegen.livejournal.com]

If things can't be worked out another way, another option to stay enrolled in school might be working out an independent study or directed reading with your professors, if your university offers those. Or perhaps online courses? Although, I can't imagine the school actually barring you from attending in the first place. *boggles* And by all means, call everyone remotely connected to Student Affairs and scream at them. I mean, damn, that just sucks out loud.

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Looks like you got some good suggestions so I'll just say that I really hope it works out for you. And it's okay to cry *hugs*