[ryan08/06/88]

Grrrrrr is all I can say!!

I'm at school and I have 2 maths exams this morning...

I'm in the first one and I can't think striaght...I'm sweating and have a headache...I don't even finish the test in time...

The second one comes along and it gets worse...questions I can normally do I can't and then halfway through the test I think I bet my caths blocked...so I check my leg bag and there's buggar all in it when I always pee loads int he mornings...So I do my best to think on the test...don't manage to finish that one either...

As soon as I'm done I go to the toilet and cant get the blockage to budge so have to go home...try flushing it out and that doesn't work...so I have to change the damn thing...then my sphincter was contractign so much I couldn't get the f*@king thing in...finally got it in just now...

And what I must have felt must've been dysreflexia...I was boiling hot and sweating and felt a bit disorientated and had a headache...

Annoyed because I've done crap on the tests plus the fact I've missed another lesson having to sort the bloody thing out...

So frustrated right now! Mostly because I've been working hard in maths and could've got A's on the test where as now I'll have got a C most likely...it's not the real thing but I'm still pissed off!

This is why I want to do sics so I don't have to worry about blockages...I just go whenever...

Rant over!!

Ryan.

[rkzenrage]

Explain to your teacher that you got sick during the test and ask if you can take it again. You never know.
You should have told them then. You did not have to tell them specifics.

[Joed]

I agree that you should talk to them and see if they would allow you to re-take the tests. What happened was completely out of your control and surely they would understand how it would make it difficult for you to concentrate on the job at hand. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

[kewlcatkez]

Hi Ryan,

I agree with the other posters..I recall when I was doing my A'levels a good few years ago now, I was involved in a violent incident right before. I sat the exam, but really was too shook up to apply myself or even be able to write. They contacted the LEA and I had the choice of resitting it a month or so after, or having a drs note accompany my first attempt ( saying that I was too shook up to work to the level I would normally).

Also, if using the indwelling catheter is becoming a problem..and you stated that you wanted to do intermittent caths..well, have you seen your/a urologist? That would be the first step. They can advise how to go about changing from one methos to another, as indwelling caths can cause some shrinking of the bladder. This may mean that it doesn't hold as much pee as before. They may need to advise you on how to deal with this/increase capacity where possible.

All the best,

K

[ryan08/06/88]

Thanks for the replies,

I didn't want to make it sound like I was making excuses that's the only thing, but I'm thinking I'll ask if I can take the test home and do the questions I didn't do at home just to see if I can do them, and explain what happened in the test, that way I'm not making excuses whilst making them aware of the problem...

As for the change to sics. I've discussed it with my consultant and I had vud's doen not too long ago...

HE adives me to start sics and take oxybutinin and if there is any leakage then he will arrange my bladder to be injected with botox or something....

But I hate the indwelling...the only reason I have it is because when I wasin hospital I was out at the pub every night and then whne I left hospital I was drinking with my mates permanently(being17/18) and now I want to get on with my life properly and the indwelling is causing alsorts of problems...image for a start...then there's sex...blockages, resulting in Ad or leaking....it's jsut driving me nuts...plus it's pretty grim anyways!

Thanks, Ryan.

[Lucydog]

I would definatly ask to take the test again. I know what you mean about excuses though I always feel like that but hey its not an excuse its just the truth.

The other thing ive found is that sometimes its better to be a bit 'in your face' with the reason. becasue ABs have no idea about the whole bladder/bowel issue. They just think we cant walk! I think you should be really honest with your tutor and just say what you said to us. I think you will be surprised at the reaction you get. Its always been positive for me even if people are a bit shocked. Most want to understand but you have to spell it out sometimes thats all.

hope it works out
L

[ryan08/06/88]

Thanks for the reply,

I might explain it but it's a bit embarassing haha but then maybe I just need to get over it

The same thing happened in one fo my A-level English exams last year.

My catheter blocked and I ended up not only feeling ill with the headaches and sweats but also leaked in the exam too...luckily it wasn't noticabkle was I was wearing dark jeans...

I didn't really think about how much it effected me, just rushed home to sort things out...but I had found that particular module easy before in mock tests and ofund ti much harder...but I jsut thought it was just the question that came up...

But with maths it's alot more objective i.e. you either know or you don't know the answer...and I know I could've doen that test as the last one we did I finished early...on this one I missed out 2 8 mark questions when the whole test was out of 43. It made me realise jsut how much the headache etc. effected my performance...

On the english exam I scraped a B ont hat particular paper...even though I had got A's on the mocks of it consistently (it was war literature and poetry) but I got an A overall so not too bothered, but jsut made me think!

[Lucydog]

I used to be really embarrassed but now I just tell it like it is, most people just go 'oh ok'. Believe me you will feel better telling them and if they know the problem they can be a bit more accomadating. I mean if you had dyslexia you'd get more time right? So dont feel bad for being honest. it shouldnt be a problem.

[Yong]

Man I can TOTALLY understand you. I was taking my pharmacy college admission test couple saturdays ago and I was having the biggest fit of AD. I usually get dysreflexic when I have to go do an IC but since it was a 5 hour long test, I couldn't just up and leave. Still waiting for the results...if i do bad...I'll blame it on the AD. Haha