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Educational Impact of My Illnesses

To my teachers and others who are or will be helping me to keep going with my education as a high school student. I hope this will help to explain some of the problems I have.

Neurally Mediated Hypotension is a condition that makes my blood pressure drop significantly enough that when I stand or sit down too long (15 – 20 minutes), I will pass out. Postural Orthostatic Tachicardia Syndrome is a condition that makes my heart rate speed up very high, when I go from a sitting to standing position, or also when I sit or stand for long periods of time. Along with those two problems, I also have Crohns Disease, which affects my stomach and intestines by making them swollen and irritated. Plus, my digestive system has motility problems. This means that my stomach is not contracting enough to digest my food, and my intestines are contracting too much, which makes me experience a lot of pain and discomfort.

I experience many symptoms, and many more are experienced when I sit or stand for long periods of time, such as sitting in a desk at school. My symptoms include: nausea, headache, exhaustion, loss of concentration or “spacing out” at times, stomach aches, dizziness, lightheadedness, numbness in my legs and hands, chest pain, and shoulder pain. I am on multiple medications to help control the symptoms I experience. I also drink large quantities of fluid and take many salt tablets every day to keep my blood pressure up.

When I am sitting or standing, I frequently need to change my position. This includes: putting my legs up on a chair, walking around, sitting with my legs bent and pulled up to my chest, elevating my legs on my desk, and moving around in my seat. I often have to leave the classroom for brief periods when these accommodations don’t help my symptoms. Because of all these chronic illnesses that I have, I need special accommodations at home and at school. These include: an extra set of text books to be used at home (so if I miss a class I can still complete the homework), a shortened school day, a desk that is not attached to the chair (so I can easily change positions when I need to and curl my legs to my chest without any problems), use of a computer instead of writing all the notes down by hand, using different methods to make up work that I have missed, long assignments broken into shorter pieces, modified assignments, extended time on tests and homework and to have FCPS Homebound Instruction for my academic subjects until I am able to attend school parttime/fulltime. I will also need to have a water bottle with me at all times and be able to take medications during school.

Although I experience many unpleasant symptoms throughout my days, I have a strong desire to work as hard as I need to so that I can complete all my academic classes and graduate and go on to college. Education is very important to me, and I feel that it is unacceptable to let my chronic illness get in the way of my schoolwork. I will do anything that is needed and go above and beyond expectations, to be a successful high school student.

Please ask me any questions you may have about my situation. I am hopeful and excited about this school year and working with you.