....and my supervisor, knowing full well I have this deadline, has taken a 5 week holiday. My writing hasn't gone great - particularly because she never has time to look at anything I have done. How can I submit without her looking at the final thing?
I have tried to find someone else to look over my stuff, but the only two people who could are both my examiners.
I am so low, so low that all I want to do is sleep. I know I need one last push, one last big effort (I do still have a fair bit to do). But I just can't. I'm just feeling low and sorry for myself and wanted a selfish moan :(

Hi

From your posts it almost sounds as if you did not get the support you should have received. Usually your supervisor should insist on you having a mock viva and reading the whole thing before you submit.

Maybe you could ask for a 6 month extension of your writing up?

On the bright side, you've come so far, so all you got to do is "survive" the next few months and then the sun will be shining again. Imagine your viva being successful, how good will you feel when they shake your hands and say: "Congratulations, Dr IR261".

You are so close to that moment..

Otto's right. I just wanted to add:

5 WEEK holiday! Where is she going, the bloody moon?!

Thanks guys, your replies mean a lot. My 'deadline' was Jan 07 - my funding ran out Oct 06 - my supervisor has refused to support me financially so I now have very very little money left - (just about 1 months rent). I've tried to get more time but this was denied (based on the fact that the past 2 students in my lab have taken 5 years and the 2 before that failed - says a lot about my supervisor I think). Nonetheless, all this has done is put more pressure on me.
I'm trying SO hard to get my head down, find some motivation to push forward, but I feel pretty blind - I've never even seen another thesis as my supervisor doesn't have any of the completed works from other students!!!

...and yes, she may very well be on the moon.....apparently she is totally without email contact while she is away....actually, I can think of somewhere else she is, but that thought is a bit rude!!!

Sounds to me like you're not in a great position at present. I'd hate it if my supervisor took off at this stage of the PhD... it's when you feel most vulnerable, unsure of what's coming, etc. Do you have other options? In my Insitute, we have safeguards against being left completely in the lurch like this - supervisory panels, head of school, etc. Is there someone you can speak to (maybe even the internal examiner, if you have one)... just to look at your options in terms of having a mock viva set up, talking through what happens post-submission, etc. If all else fails, there's a good book out there called "The Doctoral Examination Process" by Penny Tinkler and Carolyn Jackson which is quite helpful in spelling out what to expect. Hope you manage to sort things out and good luck with your submission.

Everyone is on holiday at the moment! My place is like a ghost town! Otto is definitely right...you are so so close - just be an easter bunny for a day or two and enjoy the weather (try and pick yourself up) and then try and push on. You're nearly there!!

I would suggest the same. I am really sorry you are having problems with your supervisor, a 5 week holiday seems totally unbelievable at this point!

I think talking to your internal is a good idea. I had some conversations with mine about the viva and also other PhD stuff before and after I submitted. I would also try your director of studies if you get no joy elsewhere.

How about looking at other theses on the library? I don't know if all Unis have this option but ours keeps copies of all PhD student theses. I found this helpful when it came to formatting (e.g. order of things, tables of contents etc).

Good luck and do give yourself a few days break. I remember how tiring that last effort is.

Yes, like some of u said, I feel completely abandoned, as if my PhD doesn't matter.
Of course, everyone needs holiday...but 5 weeks? Now?? With no email contact???

Good thinking on the library idea Fluffy, I'll get on to that today

As for the whole departmental safe-guards/advisors...
Well, I've been trying those since I was about 12 months in when I realised I was getting zilch supervision...one thing I don't like about where I work is although I am registered to an Uni Department, I work in an affiliated Institute, where for some reason I seem to have far fewer people wanting to help me...
I've banged my head against a brick wall trying to get someone to listen to me - my advisor helpfully told me of my supervisor, 'oh well, everyone knows what she's like...surely you did before you joined?' NO!!! I applied cos I loved my science!