Ph.D. and chronical disease on PostgraduateForum.com

BilboBaggins 3744 posts
15 years ago

Quote From DrunkenMunchkin:

Bilbo - I'm provisionally applying for full-time, on the understanding that if my health issues don't improve (or, heaven forbid, get worse) I'll end up as part-time. Thankfully the staff I'm going to be working with are rather eager to have me, so it won't be too much of a problem. I'd really love to do it full-time though, because (despite learning languages and the violin when I can), I feel like my brain's got lazy while I've been ill :$

(Not to mention the fact that I love a challenge, me ;-) )

Be careful. People diagnosed with ME or PVFS tend to be high achievers and people who push hard at whatever they're doing. That doesn't help recovery. So you need to strike the right balance between your health and doing the MA. That might make going part-time more important.

D

DrunkenMunchkin 14 posts
15 years ago

Quote From BilboBaggins:

Be careful. People diagnosed with ME or PVFS tend to be high achievers and people who push hard at whatever they're doing. That doesn't help recovery. So you need to strike the right balance between your health and doing the MA. That might make going part-time more important.

Yeees, I'll admit there is an element of that. It was there at UG level (my dissertation research got obsessive to say the least), but was mostly kept in check by the mentor I had as part of my disability support. Providing I have that support during my MA (which the uni have said I will), it should be more managable this time round as my BA taught me some rather painful lessons on that score.

U

ultimax 51 posts
11 years ago

Hey!

I just stumbled upon this really old thread. I hope everyone has managed fine in the 4 or 5 years since the thread was started.

I've just started my PhD with a chronic condition. I battled cancer about 2 years ago and the treatment left me with something people refer to as "chemobrain." Long story short, my cognitive ability is mildly impaired - memory's poor, attention span poor, general fogginess of mind. You get the idea. I can still function, but it definitely makes a PhD that much harder.

I let my supervisor know in passing about it when I first met him but didn't want to make too much of it. But 4 months in I can see my condition being a problem. Especially with all the reading that has to be done! I have an appointment with the disabilities office tomorrow, and will be seeing my supervisor the day after (for my monthly supervision).

This is all new to me so I'm not really sure how to talk about this. Hopefully the disability advisor will offer some guidance tomorrow.

Hope all goes well! And best of luck to everyone!

Ph.D. and chronical disease

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