Very concerned about daughter...

<p>Just saw that your D's roommate has been taking her snacks. The law student in me does root for throwing the book at her (either criminally for intent to cause serious bodily injury or stealing, or in tort), but that's a bit much. Alternatively, the next time something like that happens, your D could call the RA, explain that she can't get herself something to eat, and ask the RA to do it. I bet it won't go on for long before the RA tells the roomie to shape up - because the RA has a life. </p>

<p>Finally, that is really the trump card for roommate transfer: no college is going to put up with that happening. The call for a room switch should come from YOU, the outraged parent who doesn't want her D getting hurt in this situation.</p>

<p>(PS - Sounds like roomie is having some trouble adjusting herself. Methinks she isn't bringing home a 3.2 like your D. Well-adjusted people don't act like that!)</p>

<p>When we had problems with food disappearing from the pantry and fridge with 4 girls sharing an apartment, we taped a sign on the shelf saying "To the Mouse: Don't nibble other people's food". It ended right there.</p>

<p>Worried: Do they not have the RA system in place at UVa? When I was a student there, roommate issues went to the RA first. And yes, there were plenty. Oddly enough between people who went to high school together more so than people who were new to each other. It sounds like your D's roommate needs to be made aware that her sleeping/taking of snack habits and general disgregard for your D's feelings is making your D upset. A third party can help facilitate this exchange.</p>

<p>My son checked the box on his survey for someone that doesn't go to bed early, as he likes to stay up until about midnight or so. He got a nocturnal roommate who slept most of the day!</p>

<p>My daughter graduated from UVA last May. She was a nonpartier & had a fabulous experience. Everyone has an adjustment period, but your daughter's room mate situation MUST be fixed. You as the parent should call housing on Monday & request a change. Old Dorms has a party reputation, but depending on who is in your suite I'm sure Alderman can be that way as well. There are alot of single rooms in Gouch/Dillard, & housing can see if there are any available. Joining the Muslim Society is a great idea. I must say my daughter started to enjoy school much more during her second semester when she became involved in things. It sounds like yours needs to do that, & ditch the room mate. As for the grades, it is difficult to go from a 4.0 in high school to a 3.2. Your daughter has to realize that everyone at UVA is really really bright, so that when a prof grades an exam with the curve method it creates a competition so to speak. Mine went from one of the smartest at her school to average at UVA. It took her at least a semester to realize that a mix of A's & B's was fabulous. Your daughter should specifically take a couple of easier classes mixed with the harder ones to create a balance, at least until she adjusts to the work load. Things like Intro to Sociology balancing classes like Calculus for example.</p>

<p>Yalebound,</p>

<p>I believe that it was Momsdream, not Bluealien who said that she was hypoglycemic. A person can have hypoglycemia without being a diabetic. Of course, episodes of hypoglycemia can occur when diabetics who are on insulin or other diabetes medications have their blood sugar levels drop too low. My husband has been a type 2 diabetic for the past 6 years. He has only been taking oral medication for the past 3 years. Since being put on medication he has experienced several episodes of hypoglycemia. The irony in my family is that the first several times his blood sugar dropped, he didn't know what was happening. I recognized the symptoms and told him he needed to eat. The reason that I recognized the tell-tale signs so easily, is that I am hypoglycemic. My husband now understands what I have described to him regarding my blood sugar crashes. My hypoglycemia is certainly not caused by thinking too much about food and has nothing to do with the Atkins diet. It is a metabolic disorder and can be inherited. Both of my daughters have the condition also. It is managed with diet. The diet is the same as the diet that diabetics follow. </p>

<p>Hypoglycemia can be very uncomfortable, and particularly in people who take medication for diabetes, can be life threatening. I found out that my younger daughter, who is now 18, had inherited my problem when she was 15. She is a singer/dancer/actor. She does not like to eat much before she sings or dances. She says a full stomach gets in the way. One afternoon at her H.S., between the initial audition and the callback auditions for the lead in her school musical, she had her 1st full blown hypoglycemic episode. Her heart began racing, she broke out in a cold sweat, was trembling, felt nauseous, and could not stand up. The school called my husband and was ready to call 911. When husband told me what was going on, I immediately recognized the symptoms as hypoglycemia. He called the school and had them give her some orange juice while he got in the car to pick her up. She had never shown any symptoms before that day. My other daughter had had mild symptoms since the age of 3. The younger daughter had no more problems until the summer of 2003. She was about 45 minutes into a voice lesson when she suddenly stopped singing in the middle of a vocalise. She took two steps back and collapsed into a chair. She then started seizing. I was in the room with her and witnessed the episode. She had a full blown grand mal seizure that lasted about a minute and a half. It was diagnosed as a blood sugar crash. My daughter was taking no medication, had no eating disorder, was not dieting, and was a very healthy weight. Her blood sugar crashed because of her underlying hypoglycemia and the fact that she had been out late at party the previous night, slept late, and skipped breakfast. Singing is an aerobic activity. During her lesson she used her body's store of glucose and her blood sugar levels dropped so suddenly that a seizure resulted. She probably had very little body reserve to draw upon because she had just finished six weeks of intense dance rehearsals for a summer performing job at a major theme park. The intense daily workouts had caused her to lose some weight. Daughter now knows that she has to be very careful about her diet.</p>

<p>However, I have had some very uncomfortable episodes despite watching my diet as has my husband. My last major crash took place three weeks before my daughter's seizure. Stress, illness, and even medications that have nothing to do with regulating blood sugar can trigger blood sugar crashes. I had chronic tennis elbow several years ago. Doctors tried several different NSAID's. I noticed that when I was on the medications I experienced many blood sugar crashes. Before that time I could measure the time between serious incidences in terms of years. When I was taking the various NSAID's the episodes were happening every few weeks.</p>

<p>Concernedmom,</p>

<p>You have received much excellent advice. I don't think I can offer anything more. I hope that things will improve for your daughter during the spring semester. I know how hard it is to witness your child's pain.</p>

<p>Oops,</p>

<p>I intended the last part of my post to be addressed to WorriedUVAparent. I'm sorry I got the OP's name wrong.</p>

<p>Just to reiterate something I mentioned earlier.</p>

<p>Many of the colleges we visited had "healthy lifestyle" floors or dorms where students pledge not to drink/smoke/use drugs. I would get your daughter onto one of these floors- these kids are health conscious and sure to be helpful. For both religious and health reasons, she should not be drinking and doesn't need to be around kids who are at the moment...A letter from her religious leader or doctor should suffice...</p>

<p>Yalebound is TROLL-ING! You know nothing about diabetes. Stay out of these very deep waters! My child is diabetic too.</p>

<p>This student, IMO, should look into multicultural or substance-free program housing. New roomie for sure--pronto! Mom, step in with Housing on snack stealing, etc. Register with Disablities Office! Do not put her in a single. I would transfer if there is no improvement at this school. I'm praying for your daughter!</p>

<p>worriedUVa, are you still with us?? it gets quiet on these boards around 7 pm. where does everyone go?? I'm bored.</p>

<p>ezduzzit - the single rooms I mentioned are within suites, so you have 6 girls together sharing a living room but everyone has their own bedroom. IRC is multicultural housing.</p>

<p>Pam, thanks--that is great--what a nice situation for all. Good support for one like OP's D with issues that may <<only rarely="">> require an aware roomie. Thanks also for the clarification!</only></p>

<p>Glad others do not recommend a single for OP's daughter. Many diabetics have lows overnight; some are aware of their lows and others are not. It is important that someone else like a roomie know whether she is up and about or not. My mom is a
Type I diabetic and we are in constant touch with her especially at times of the day and night when we know she is most vulnerable to low blood sugars.</p>