Ms. Altavena, a junior majoring in journalism and urban studies at New York University, is an intern this semester on The New York Times Learning Network and The Choice.
Melinda WilsonThe author on a study-abroad program in Paris in October 2011, her health restored.My stomach ached. I had not had anything but Gatorade for days, but the pain persisted. I had dropped more than 15 pounds in the previous two weeks. I was in only my first class of the day, but I was already thinking about skipping the following two. I was also on an assignment for the school newspaper and was expected at my internship at 2 p.m.
I was 2,000 miles away from home, and in the middle of a Crohn’s disease flare-up.
Crohn’s disease was diagnosed when I was in high school, after a brief occurrence in my freshman year. My Crohn’s was, in fact, kept at bay until October 2010, when I was a sophomore at New York University. I had the same load that most college students have: 18 credits, an internship at The Village Voice, and an editor’s position at our school’s newspaper.
Having a chronic illness in college is tough. I didn’t factor it into my college decision — I traveled far from home, because I knew N.Y.U. would serve me best. If I got sick, I thought, I would find a doctor and get better. Easier said than done.
But for readers of The Choice soon to head off for college themselves, perhaps there are some lessons in my experience. To that end, I’ve put some advice in bullet points at the end of this post. But first, I want to tell you how my story turned out.
The doctor I found, after hours of Googling and calling, was in Chinatown. On a Saturday morning, I elbowed through crowds of tourists for a visit. The office reeked of rotting fish, day-old food, and sick people. But the doctor was helpful and started me on a mild medication.
I was still sick when Halloween came around. But I was still a college student and it was still Halloween. I dressed as a dinosaur, noticeably thinner, went to a party, pulled an all-nighter, and boarded a bus to Washington at 3 a.m. for the Rally to Restore Sanity, led by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I chugged Gatorade and tried to feel like a normal college student, not like a sick person.
Balancing my disease and being a college student is especially rough when the disease is in full swing. In November, my doctor requested that I take a CT scan. I had to drink an awful-tasting white liquid, which I barely gagged down, to illuminate my insides for the procedure. I also missed another whole day of classes arguing with my insurance company, which delayed the appointment six hours. The wait was particularly agonizing because I had to rush across town by 7 for a Bob Dylan concert.
Finally, as I was about to go through, the nurse told me that because I was so anemic, they could not find a vein. Then, the doctor could not. Hospital employees surrounded me, poking at my arms like a desperate addict. At the last moment they struck a vein on top of my hand. I took a cab to the concert hall and realized that I had not eaten all day. I was pale and wearing sweatpants, with a big white bandage adorning my hand. I did not look like a Bob Dylan fan — I looked like I had just escaped from the hospital. This actually worked in our favor because a kind security guard moved my friends and me to the V.I.P. section.
In December, my doctor finally decided to put me on prednisone. Prednisone, a magic fix for Crohn’s flare-ups, was my last resort. It make my cheeks puff up, causes my hair to fall out in clumps, and makes me ravenous. I was dying to go home at this point. I barely went out with my friends or even moved from my bed. When I finally got home, I slept and prepared for next semester.
Here’s my advice for students with medical needs:
Find a doctor
Find a physician who is a specialist before you leave for school, or during the first months. Make an appointment, even if you do not need one, right away. Don’t wait until you are sick. Bring them your medical records to copy and keep on file.
Get your medical records together
For my disease, that means the results of past colonoscopies and blood tests. Have them on your computer, or in a folder, printed out, ready to hand over to any doctor.
Tell your professor early
I have never encountered an instructor who was not understanding about my medical situation. I did not miss class excessively, but I did miss more than ordinarily acceptable, and I occasionally needed an extension on an essay. Stay on top of your work, but remember that health is your priority.
Stay in communication with your parents
Sure, you are an adult now, but you probably have no idea how complicated health insurance can be. Tell your parents exactly how sick you are. Yes, it can be annoying when they call constantly, but it’s because they care.
Know when it’s time to go home
I have never reached this point, but I have been close. Leaving in the middle of the semester isn’t ideal, but if you are close to hospitalization, or missing all of your classes, you need to focus on getting better. Being hospitalized far from home is not fun. It might take longer to finish your degree, but the time it takes doesn’t matter.
Have you, or has anyone you know, had an experience in college similar to that of the author? What advice would you add? Let us know in the comment box below.
