<p>I'm considering a medical leave from my school for a health reason that was supposed to have gone away by now but unfortunately didn't. I can't decide whether to go through with it or not and I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do for the year off. </p>
<p>-First off, I can't take classes somewhere else or work because my school does not allow it during leave and if they happen to find out I'll be expelled.
-Second, since I'm a senior when I return to school, my friends will be gone. I don't know that I can go two years without friends (one year at home and one year back at school).
-Third, there's no guarantee my school will let me come back. They can reject a return from medical leave.
-Fourth my doctors REALLY want me to take a leave.
-And lastly, my parents are adamantly against me taking a leave of absence and have said that if I do, I will not be allowed home because they don't believe there's anything actually wrong with me. </p>
<p>Your doctors say you really should take a leave but your parents will refuse to let you home if you do? That sounds like the roughest part of the situation. If your doctors are recommending it, it’s probably in your best interest. Could you possibly get your doctors and parents to talk to each other?</p>
<p>Is there someone at your school you could talk to about this? Perhaps, a counselor or someone at your school’s disabilities office? They may be able to give you better advice or perhaps mediate the conversation with your parents about this, since they’ll know more of the details of the situation and they can talk to you in person. Perhaps, your coach could talk to your parents and discuss your situation?</p>
<p>If you’re well enough to take classes or work during your medical leave (I understand that you’re school doesn’t allow this, but you bringing it up suggests that it would be an option otherwise), why exactly do your doctors want you to take a medical leave for a year? Perhaps, you could drop down to part-time, giving you more time to recover and still staying enrolled for your parents’ sake (and so that you keep your spot at the school).</p>
<p>I have a friend that was in a very similar situation to yours (had an illness that caused them to withdraw for the semester, but her parents didn’t believe there was anything wrong with her), and it’s a tough road to go down. I recognize that a medical leave might be best for your health, but if you have no where else to go during your leave, it doesn’t sound like a very viable option. Maybe you could work with the disabilities office to accommodations for a temporary illness, or dropping down the part-time or something similar would viable options.</p>
<p>I’m not supposed to take classes or work during medical leave and I’m actually not supposed to do it now as I’m making my symptoms worse (my parents are aware) which is why drs want med leave. </p>
<p>I’m not sure my school allows part time but I’ll look into asking them to make an exception because that seems like one of the only options left. they have given me temporary disability accommodations so far and it’s not making much difference. my gpa is dropping and I’m worried about how this whole thing will affect grad school as well</p>
<p>It saddens me greatly that your parents don’t believe what you are going through with your concussion. There is so much discussion about concussions lately that I would expect people would be more aware; additionally, it is so unlikely that a senior athlete would be making up symptoms (I’m sure you do want to stay and graduate with your classmates). My son had to defer starting this year due to concussion symptoms. He is still having significant problems 5 months out. I am sure some people don’t understand how much he is going through now but as his parent I know there is no way he could have started college this year.</p>
<p>Please take care of yourself and try to find someone to help educated your parents! In talking about this I have found many stories out there - I know others deferring starting college and others having to take time off senior year too. Could you try just taking the rest of this semester off and returning for second semester? My son chose not to do that as it was his first year and he’d miss all the orientation/getting to know people of the beginning of college - but as a senior a single semester off might work (if you are better in time for second semester). Most people get better in a few weeks - but some take months.</p>
<p>Follow up here… I the head hit was just a few weeks ago you might want to get what accommodations you can and wait a few weeks to decide as you might be better soon (but only if you get the accommodations and mentally and physically rest). Also, I’m shocked your school won’t guarantee you can come back after a medical leave - is that typical? Doesn’t seem right to me, I have also heard of cases where despite the rules kids graduated without fulfilling all esquire nets - perhaps you might be able to take the rest of the semester off and come back second semester and still graduate.</p>
<p>At my school, we are not allowed to take just one semester off. I can only leave for a year or not at all.</p>
<p>If the school rejects our readmission we have to wait another year before coming back and which point they will decide if we can come back at all. It’s decided based on whether they feel you are healthy enough to return. </p>
<p>The problem with this semester is it currently is midterms and they cannot be postponed. For many of my classes the bulk of my grades come from midterms. Taking midterms like this isn’t doing my gpa any favors. My gpa dropped drastically just from these past few weeks and according to my professors/advisers there isn’t much chance it will go back up even if I get better in a few weeks to ace finals. This means I could get put on academic probation (they will not make any exceptions for me) and barred from many things and that this will affect my grad school applications. </p>
<p>Additionally I was told that the more work I push myself through now there is a higher probability that I will be stuck with some concussion symptoms for the long term or permanently.</p>
<p>If you are having symptoms you really shouldn’t be doing schoolwork. It seems like your school isn’t very flexible which makes this harder. I haven’t personally dealt with concussion in college just a high school environment but I have talked to friends whose kids had exams postponed etc. usually the Deans office helps get things done. You might think about that time off, but it sounds like you need to work on your parents. perhaps they need to hear directly from the doctors?</p>
<p>Also, don’t worry to much about the friends. Time off and resting your head is lonely but when you do get back to school you will make new friends and I’m sure you are friends with some kids the class below you. Also know in my experience you can change your class allegiance for alumni reunion events - to be part of your original class even if you graduate late (at my college this was true not sure about all or if that matters to you)’.</p>
<p>Good Luck. Rest that head. Some people have had good luck with 4 days in a dark room doing nothing (no phone, computer, TV, reading, just dark and rest).</p>