College Life with CF

[hockeygrl61]

Ok, so I'll be leaving for school in about two months. Is there
anyone here who went off to college and found good ways of staying
on top of their meds and treatments? I just got out of the hospital
and I really don't want to go back anytime soon. So if anyone has
any ideas, please let me know!

 

[CJ]

hi i am cj cf/24 i also went 2 college guess the main issue is
being organized so be disciplined and write schedule out but be
reasonable to your self and have free time for fun after all thats
what we are all here for i reckon?<br>
one other fing if you are embarrest doing treatments withothers
about find time/space when you can do them in private early or late
in day etc!<br>
dont stop your stuf but most of all enjoy your self what are you
going to study?<br>
good luck cj x<br>

 

[CJ]

hi hockeygrl61 did you get/read my msg i sent you look in your
private msg box.cj<br>

 

[hockeygrl61]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to school. Right now I'm trying to
develop a routine for myself so that when I go to school doing my
treatments will be easier. I plan on majoring in Athletic Training
and maybe eventually in Respiratory Therapy.

 

[Giggles]

Yes I did go to college a long time ago. But thought I would share some of the things I did and requested to keep myself healthy. First off, I did request a single room in the dorms since that is where you had to live as a freshman. Due to CF I was able to get a singel room and it was great. Total privacy to get my treatments done and no roomate to wake me up etc.

I also was able to get a handicap sticker for my car so I can park close to my classes instead of the student parking lot that was so far away it defeated the purpose of driving.

I did all my treatments before going out at night to party or whatever. And I did not schedule any classes before 10AM so I would have plenty of time to do treatments and get my sleep.

Walking all over campus on top of working out at the fitness center did wonders for my cardiovascular.

I am proud to say I made it through college in 4 years with one hospitalization. And you can do it too!!! Stay on top of your health so you can enjoy the wonderful college experience and education!!!


Good luck and have fun!!!!

Jennifer 34 years old with CF and CFRD

 

[EnergyGal]

I agree with Jennifer. Put your health first and find ways to make it easier. Eat, sleep and do your therapy before anything else. That will keep you on your toes. After your first week you will find ways to make it easier. I remember somtimes doing a double cpt therapy before I went out to the bars with my friends.

If I were to turn back time, I would spend time at a bookstore instead of the bars and I would workout in the clubs and go out and meet friends for dinner.
Times have changed

 

[meadow]

My son w/ cf age 19 was able to have a private room which was great, although his friend who commuted slept there 3 nights a week!

Contact the Disabilities office at your college and register with them. They help with request for private room, time out for illness etc.


Debbie

 

[TCNJcystic]

I am in college now. I had a single room freshmen year, not so much for my own health but because I didn't want to drag some stranger down with treatments and weird hours. In my second year I was able to get a suite with my friends so I still had my own room but was with my friends all the time.

If you're going to party, be smart about it. Usually the next day I cough up a lot of stuff, and I usually don't cough anything up at all. Do your treatments. I didn't do mine for like the first week or two of school my first year because I was afraid that someone would hear. Actually, I kept my vest under my desk and one day one of my friends stepped on the pedal and it started blowing up and he freaked out. Whoops.

One of the first things I did was find people at school who I could tell I had cf. I personally don't feel like I can be really close to anyone if they don't know, but that's just how I see it, and other people see it their own way. I also wanted some friends to know so that if I was doing something stupid are starting to get sick, they would keep on top of me.

Good luck. CF in college is easy to do!

 

[hockeygrl61]

Thanks for all your advice. I have already arranged to have a
single room and to be able to have my car on campus so that I can
come home for all my doctor appointments. I didn't think it would
be a good idea to switch doctors my first year of school. I wanted
to stick with someone who knows my baseline etc.

 

[IG]

Actually I have to disagree with others about the single room part.
I mean yeah it's a good idea in theory, not mess up somebody elses schedule, be able to have privacy, not having to be up at 7 a.m. when they have to get up for classes, etc.
But.. it's college.

It's good to think about others when you do this, but quite honestly for my first year I really felt I was missing out on 'college' because I opted to go for my own room (and share a townhouse with 3 other girls). I would go to classes, and a few school functions, but my housemates were never there so it got to be a downer most of the time, pretty much like going for a single room.
Plus its the whole college thing, if you're at college and you don't know anybody you pretty much get stuck by yourself really fast (the social circle moves like lightning) unless you join some clubs/groups/organizations.
As TNJC mentioned he didn't want to throw off anothers schedule I do have to mention since rooming with 2 other girls, a college student's routine is pretty erratic depending on homework and social agenda. But I also think this is part of the college experience and I definitely felt lacking for my first year. But that's just me, but it is something to seriously consider. I know first and foremost during your first year at college health will be a big concern, but if you think you're going to be happiest (and looking forward to) rooming with other people, go for it. You really do have to consider what you want and are expecting to deal with in your first year of college. If you don't like the first term/semester you can always contact your office/department of disabilities (which I highly recommend meeting with before school even starts) about your problem, and your desire for a single room.
(I just realized I'm going to be a Junior in college next september.. yikes -_-)

 

[hockeygrl61]

Thanks for the input, but trust me having a single room is what I
want. I asked for it, not only because of having to do my
treatments and stuff , but because I've been to camp at OSU before
and stayed in dorm rooms with 2-3 other girls and I couldn't stand
in then. The dorms we were in were way too small for three people.
I didn't even stay in a dorm during orientation. I don't even like
it when my mom comes in my room and moves things around so I don't
see how I could get through four years of college having to share
my space with a complete stranger. As far as meeting people I'm
already on the hockey team and I do plan to join at least one other
student organization.

 

[IG]

Well it sounds like you know what you want and what you like... usually most freshman I've encountered are more than intimidated by college life (especially while being bombarded by information that you'll never need to know, and probably won't ever use again) and don't really know how to make friends so the dorm is a good (but harrowing) experience for them.

 

[NoExcuses]

I'm an only child and living a room the size of a shoe-box with other people was actually a great thing.

Ya, I had my loud vest and my air purifier, but no one cared. I always kept my door open when I did my Vest and everyone on my floor tried it on. It was fun.

Discipline is the name of the game at college though. It's hard cuz there's so much to do. But it's easy to get run-down and being in close quarters with people can expose you to more junk. I did my 4.5 years just fine because I did my meds, ate well (eating poorly in college can also lead to a supressed immune syste) and saw my doc every 3 months like the CFF recommends. Don't get me know - I had fun. Tons of it, actually. i was in a sorority in one of the craziest Greek systems on the planet.

But just be smart. Don't isolate yourself. And try new things. Like living with other people.

 

[Giggles]

The main reason I liked my own room in college was becaue then I could control when I went to bed, could get some sleep and most importantly I did not have to be around a sick roomate is she caught a cold or something. I did not feel isolated at all!!! I had all my friends I met in the dorm, classes and especially when I joined a sorority. The private room gave me my team to get the right sleep, do treatments and not be by people who had colds/flu etc.


Have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Jennifer 34 years old with Cf and CFrd

 

[Giggles]

Sorry about the mispellings above! My bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in a rush!


Jennifer 34 years old with CF and CFRD

 

[djotroy17]

I am 18 and am a freshman in college, I have a mild case and do forget meds now and then, but 80% of the time I remember, just do em while ur on ur computer or watchin TV.

 

[djotroy17]

I am 18 and am a freshman in college, I have a mild case and do forget meds now and then, but 80% of the time I remember, just do em while ur on ur computer or watchin TV.

 

[djotroy17]

I am 18 and am a freshman in college, I have a mild case and do forget meds now and then, but 80% of the time I remember, just do em while ur on ur computer or watchin TV.

 

[karenanne99]

Hey
I just started university this fall. I find that now that I am on my own it is much easier and I take a lot better care of myself. I'll admit for the first month or so I was pretty crazy and partied alil more than I should have but now I am settled in and doing all my meds again. I was living in an apt with two other girls for the first month and it was awesome, now I am living with just one of those girls in an apt but it is great. I understand how you want to live alone for sure and I really wish I would have chosen to live on residence instead of offcampus...maybe next year. Even though you are in a single room, by being oncampus you will still have an opportunity to meet tonns of ppl!! Good luck, party and take care!!

 

[karenanne99]

Hey
I just started university this fall. I find that now that I am on my own it is much easier and I take a lot better care of myself. I'll admit for the first month or so I was pretty crazy and partied alil more than I should have but now I am settled in and doing all my meds again. I was living in an apt with two other girls for the first month and it was awesome, now I am living with just one of those girls in an apt but it is great. I understand how you want to live alone for sure and I really wish I would have chosen to live on residence instead of offcampus...maybe next year. Even though you are in a single room, by being oncampus you will still have an opportunity to meet tonns of ppl!! Good luck, party and take care!!