Employment & college-how to support your Child

[alysmom]

My daughter (diagnosed @ 6 months) is now 19. She is learning what life is like after high school. She has had several jobs in the past couple years. Each time she gets hired, she tells them she has CF and that she is hopitalized frequently. They always tell her that they will work with her and not to worry about her job. Three months later, she tells them she has to go in to the hospital for approximately 10-12 days. They tell her, her job is secure. She keeps in touch with them during her hospitalization. She gets out, and they tell her they replaced her. This has happend 4-5 times now.

My question is how do you keep supporting her dreams of getting a good job. She is getting so very disappointed and just wants to get ssi.

She is also enrolled in college. She begins the semester with a new attitude. Each semester, she has been hopitalized and has to drop classes. She does not want to take online classes and is beginning to give up on furthering her education.

It is breaking my heart to see her giving up. She tries so hard and each time she is disappointed.

 

[Printer]

She may not want to take online classes but she is 19 and she should know, we need to do what works. It took me 12 years to get a BS. Online classes were not available then.

Bill

 

[giantsfan91]

I definitely understand what your daughter is going through as I'm a student in college now and have had my share of set backs in college. I would suggest that you opt for home IV therapy when your daughter needs it this way she can still attend school with a PICC. I've had to do this 3 times last semester because I wasn't getting any better. I take 12 credits because that's the max I can handle when my health takes an unexpected turn. Also, I am registered with the office of disabilities at my university that informs my teachers that I'm entitled to make up any work that I missed and that my absences can't be counted against me when it comes time to be graded. As for jobs, I think office jobs maybe a secretary or something small to start out could easily be done with a PICC line. If the company sees how hard of a worker she is, she may get promotions despite some set backs. Good luck and I hope everything works out.

 

[Aboveallislove]

Dear Mom,
How hard for your daughter. It must seem like every time she puts an effort forward CF gets in the way. I think the best long-term way for her to be able to provide for herself (which will benefit her health-wise) is to obtain a college degree in an area that provides the types of jobs which will give her the flexibility, etc. Re the issue of college classes and needing to drop out the semester, as giant said above, the disabilities office should help. If she has already started this semester, I strongly encourage you to mention the disabilities office and instead of dropping after getting half-way through the semester to get an I if need be and then finish the work. By law, the school must make reasonable accommodations and most disabilities offices will force professors to do whatever the student (reasonably) wants--which includes making up the course work later. I taught undergrads for more than ten years and our university allowed an I to be made up within a full year. And personally if it was a legitimate issue, I would do anything to help the student focus on their health now and worry about finishing the work later and then making it work so they could. If you think she would be interested, I'm happy to "chat" with your daughter about career options and also options to make it through the semester without dropping (and how to approach the college and the professors.) Have her PM me. (Also re jobs--once she makes it past a year then FMLA (if more than 50 employees) requires them to hold the position.)