The ME/CFS Society of NSW Inc.

At this point, given that they haven't been all that helpful in giving you 0 credits, I wouldn't really be worried about making things easy on the uni. I think this may be one of those times when it is perfectly OK for you to be selfish.

I'd try to PT route with the support of the disabilities officer if you think you can manage. If you are iffy about how you'll cope, can you get a deferral and try again when you feel your health is more stable? With the information being a bit dated (it is more current than mine, if that makes you feel any better) am I reading it correctly that it is possible the disabilities officer may be more helpful if it was more current? That is almost a dealbreaker right there, the stress/energy spent on getting a current definitive diagnosis on paper would outweigh any benefit from having it for this purpose. In general, a good idea, but for this I don't know if it'd be worthwhile.

I'll see if I can grab Dan in here, he'd know more than me. Or Amy, if she hasn't melted yet.

I think I'd defer if possible, and see how the current PT job pans out (it doesn't sound like one you want to lose! ). If, when the deferral runs out you feel like you could do the placement or you are more secure in your work, make the final decision then.
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Abbey

Hey everyone, I have noticed quite a few of you have issues with requiring regular and current medical documentation for either employment or study. I must say I think I am one of the few people with CFS who does have consistent and current documentation and I feel somewhat bad that I have kept this to myself for so long. I first developed CFS in 2001, three weeks before my HSC exams began. I had already heard about CFS and when I began experiencing the symptoms, I did some research and pretty much diagnosed myself. I did however, need the official diagnosis and was continually visiting the local medical centre every time a new symptom appeared. This medical centre had many doctors and of course, I got various diagnoses including it was stress from the HSC. Now I am a person who will accept when I am wrong but this felt much different and I knew I was right. Luckily, one day I saw a new doctor at the centre and he said straight away that he had a patient just like me who he had referred to a professor at Prince of Wales Hospital who studies CFS. I got a referral to see the professor and managed to get an appointment in March 2002 which was when I was officially diagnosed.

In this appointment he also completed the documentation for the disabilities service at university so I could get the arrangements I needed. Until this day, I still see the professor every 6-12 months so I have consistent and current documentation. The only thing is I require a referral each time from my GP as the referrals only last 12 months. Luckily, I found another local GP who runs his own practice who appreciates that I come in and ask for a referral to see the professor when I need to. If anyone wants any contact details, feel free to contact me via the forum or pm me.

Also, DJ, regarding your placement predicament, I suggest that if you have written evidence that your previous related work experience constituted credits which eased your placement arrangements, then use it. Show it to the people who can officially grant you the credits and get it marked officially. Go to your head of school – be prepared to go all the way to the top if need be. Or if you don’t have anything official, get the written evidence from the previous employers and have this cited by your subject/course coordinator then this should help. If you think it maybe too much hassle, think of what you will have to endure if you do not do anything.

I have been at uni for six years and I am about to start a 7th and any time I have had an issue with university administration, I don’t leave them alone until I get a arrangement that is suitable for me and nothing less. I was registered with the disabilities advisor as soon as I started university and made sure all the arrangements were in place. I didn’t have to do a placement for my course but the arrangements I made for me to complete the course were completely foreign to everyone involved so I just kept explaining it to anyone who needed to know. Now I have finished not only my bachelor’s degree but I also just finished my honours component. If nothing can be done, my advice would be to not ditch university as I found the mental stimulation helped me feel more normal, cleared the brain fog and gave me something else to focus on. Rather, you should aim to finish your course or possibly transfer to another course that you can finish so that you do not have an unfinished degree hanging over your head and keep up the part time job – you could reduce your study load if things get too hectic. Whilst you are still working and studying, you can seek permanent PT work in your desired field.