Getting my AA Degree

My School Experience
with Meniere's

I started college August 1993 at Pikes Peak Community College. I received my Associates degree in Psychology May 11, 1996. While I attended the community college my Meniere's was not very bad. I would have a "drop attack" most days, but they were only lasting a few minutes, the I would rest and feel fine. I learned to wake up an hour early to compensate for these attacks, for I had most of them within the first ½ hour of waking. I missed some classes due to the Meniere's, but not many. I held a GPA of 3.98 and that is what I graduated with.

August of 1996 I started attending The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to get my BA degree in psychology with a minor in Sociology. That is when things started going very bad Meniere's wise for me! I tried explaining to my professors that I had an inner ear disorder and that when I miss school it is due to being too dizzy and off balance to attend. Of course, they looked at me as if to say "yea, right!" The first semester I took a math class in the evening, which I failed due to a lack of someone driving me to class. I was riding the bus because of my increasing fear of driving, and the busses did not run that late. I had a hard time finding someone to take me to my night class. At this time I started having problems with concentration and short term memory. When I would study, I would read things over and over and still not understand or remember. My GPA dropped to a 1.8. After my first semester I was ready to quit, but my family and friends talked me into staying and expressed how proud they were of me, so, I stayed. Spring semester was hard, I missed more classes than I attended due to the Meniere's. I had a hard time getting any fellow class mates to let me copy their notes (I feel they thought I was just a lazy student, and didn't want to help me). I also got points taken off my grade in one class because I refused to give a class presentation. At the community college I had 2 drop attacks while giving presentations and my anxiety level just thinking about standing in front of the class and going into a spin was tremendous!! I did get my GPA up to a 2.0 that first year. The summer of my second year at UCCS I took time off and had the Endolymphatic Sac Decompression surgery done. This is when things started really going bad for me! Due to losing most of the hearing in my left ear from the surgery, I was missing a lot of what the professors were saying. I hear them fine if I sit in the front row and watch their faces, but the minute I look down to write notes, I loose what they said. I did not realize how much I was not hearing until I got back my first exam and it was an "F". I looked it over a was shocked that I had not heard 50% of what was on the test! I was lucky that the professor was a very sweet man, I went to him and explained what had happened and he dropped that first test from my final grade. I was missing more and more classes now. This is when I finally admitted I needed help and went to Student Support and registered with the disability department. No longer would I have to try to explain what I had and why I was missing classes. My counselor took care of all that for me. The professors could no longer take points off my final grade due to attendance problems, I was given time and a half to do my tests, extended time on papers due, preferential seating (front row with my bad ear to the wall) and I got special carbon notebook paper so that I could have note takers. My note taker would take notes on the carbon paper, and give me the bottom half. I would then go home and add to my notes what I had missed in class. I think the hardest part about having note takers is admitting I need help and asking someone to take the notes. I also got real good at faking it during group discussions, because of all the background noise I could only hear the person sitting at my right. The Meniere's started getting very bad at this point. I went from a full time student (4 classes) to having to drop to 3, then 2 classes and then in Spring semester of 1998 I had to withdrawal completely. I have been out of school now since the first of April 1998. In the mean time, I have received a hearing aid, have gone through the Gentimicin injections to stop the vertigo attacks and let my body catch up with my brain :-) I am going back to school this summer part time, starting June 15th and I do not know if I will be able to handle it. But, I WILL finish! I have only 9 classes left to get my BA degree, so I WILL NOT quit now! I am hoping to get back up to full time status the Fall of 98, but, I will have to see if that is feasible.

My goal in all this? To get my Masters in counseling and help people with chronic illness (like myself). I do not know if I will even be able to work once I finish school, but, I am doing this for ME! So that I can say, "look what I did in spite of have Meniere's very severely!"

I have a wonderful support group that pushes me and helps me! My counselor, Joanne, at school deals with my professors so I no longer have to, my financial aid advisor Sandy, who has petitioned her superiors to appeal my case that has allowed me to get the grants I need to finish, my GP, Dr. Bodrero who believes in me, my ear Dr. who uses me as an example to his other patients, and who gets REALLY upset with me when I talk about quitting! My parents, who are so very proud of me! And most of all, to all my friends on the Meniere's Coping list who have talked to me, pushed me, let me cry to them, and who TRULY understand what it is I am going through! And my kids, who are my inspiration to make them proud of me and to show them that no matter what life throws their way, they CAN do it!

As of June 16, I started back in classes for summer semester. So far things are going good. I can HEAR my instructors again due to my hearing aid!  I no longer have to lip read and concentrate so hard just to hear. So, I do not need note takers while I am in class. I have set up note takers just in case I miss classes.

July 1, 98  I am starting to miss classes again due to drop attacks and nausea.  I had to leave school last Thursday due to having mini-spins and I wanted to be home "just in case" a big one hit.  I am VERY lucky to have understanding instructors!  I am registered for full time next semester (Fall) but have a feeling I will need to drop a couple classes and go back to part time. Only time will tell.

July 8  I have had a few vertigo attacks during class this semester. I take deep breaths, focus on something and ride them out. So far this has worked. I have also had a VERY hard time concentrating during classes. BUT.......I am determined to stick with it and have decided that Meniere's will NOT take this dream away from me! This is too important to me to give up! So, if I have to drop down to part time again, so be it! It will just take me a year longer to achieve my goal!  I WILL GET MY DEGREE SO I CAN SAY "SEE WHAT I DID, DESPITE HAVING MENIERE'S?"  It has been a hard road and I have wanted to give up a lot of times, but I NEVER will.

I would like to dedicate this angel to 3 very special people, who, without their understanding and support, I do not know how I could have made it this far!!  JoAnn, my disability counselor, Sandy, my financial aid counselor and Kelli, a very special Psychology Professor.  You 3 have made me have faith in people again, and I can NEVER express how very grateful I am for you helping me achieve my dream!!

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