The Medical Dorm

Dear Everybody who trained my service dog,                 Over the past four years you have put tireless hours in to raising a puppy that will become my service dog in just a few short weeks.  As if that is not enough,  you give the dogs away for free. Being a college student raised by a single mom I could never afford a dog, but that does not mean that I don’t desperately need the help.             Your organization truly helps people that are often times ignored by society.  I don’t have much so all I can do is say thank you over and over again but that will never be enough to actually convey what I am feeling. Everybody that had a role in training any dog in this program is my hero. Not even six months ago they were are all strangers to me. Little did I know that they existed and wanted more than anything to change somebody’s life. From the bottom of my heart I can say that you have done that. This dog is going to be my whole world.            Ehlers Danlos, Syndrome Po

College Survival Tip #2 There are things that professors do not always understand. I may look perfectly healthy, but I am not.  They cannot understand the countless appointments, days where you cannot get out of bed, the days the medications just do not work, etc.  The list is simply endless.  Because of that we have decided to write an open letter to all professors so they can better understand what we go through on a day to day basis. Dear Professor, I am one of your many students.  However, I am different than my peers.  I have a chronic illness and / or disability.  That means that I have limits, and I know them.  It means that I cannot always work at the pace that my peers do.  I go to more doctor appointments than you can imagine, I practically live in the hospital, and can singularly keep a pharmacy in business.  Please understand that I want more than anything to attend, and show up to your class.  However, that may not always happen.  This can be for a number of rea

It is always hard to disclose your medical condition / disability.  You never want to be seen as less than, or unable to do what is asked of you.  You do not want to disappoint or let down those who count on you. There comes that time every semester where you have to talk to professors. This can be very scary.   While it may seem unnecessary at times, you never know what is going to happen in the future.  Is something going to go wrong in class?  Are you going to end up in the hospital?  The possibilities for this are sadly endless. Before talking to your professors make sure to talk to disability services. Often times they are going to be your biggest advocates. They are also somebody you can turn to in a time of crisis or if professors are less than understanding. Helping students get accommodations is what they do, there is not much you can say to surprise them.   Know that professors legally cannot ask you about you specific disability, however you are welcome to disclose a