Studying with Long-term Illness

I've been asked lately how I manage to cope with the demands of uni while living with chronic health conditions.  It made me pause and reflect as after 20 plus years living with autoimmune diseases I don't give much thought to it, I just do it. The 'how' I do it is what needs to be pondered.  Firstly, my conditions mean that I get very tired and I can be in terrible pain (although this has reduced significantly since being placed on Low-dose naltrexone).  Studying means sitting for long periods and this is an issue for me regarding both pain and fatigue.  I am on lots of medication to help me in lots of different ways and without these uni would definitely not be possible.

My bag of morning medications.  A total of 8 tablets and 1 troche.

My bag of evening medications, including the magical low-dose naltrexone which has been life changing.

While the medication is essential I see how I live my life as being my first line of management and maintenance of the best health possible, which in turn allows me to study.  I make sure that I get enough sleep. I eat healthily, clean, nutritious food made at home.  I live a quiet life as my energy needs to go into uni and looking after myself.   This doesn't mean that I am isolated and do nothing. I have wonderful friendships and I do go out and do things but I consider if any outings will impact my ability to have the energy to care for myself or if it will negatively impact my body and thus my studies.  Not ideal but it is what it is.  My routines are coming back after being blown to pieces with the rest of me when J left and they are very helpful in helping me to look after my home and keep on top of things like the washing, housework, cooking, groceries and garden.  I use a modified version of the Flylady system.  These routines were a lifesaver and life-changing when I found Flylady maybe 12 years or so ago.  Caring for the house when you are not well is so much easier if you have daily routines and zones. 

When studying, I use the Pomodoro system which is where you study for 25 minutes then have a break for 5 minutes. There are timers on youtube that I use and in my 5 minutes I get up and stretch my body, go outside and do whatever my body needs to be able to sit back at the books for another 25 minutes.  I also make sure that I have a comfortable office chair and sometimes move to the couch to do readings as it supports my body better.  In my longer breaks I use the massage equipment that I purchased on sale because it was not affordable for me to continue with regular physio or therapeutic massage to manage my pain and maintain my mobility. They both have a 15 minute setting so I sit down and get massaged regularly.

The foot massager was excruciating for the first two weeks, but after that it became tolerable and now my feet no longer feel as though they are full of glass when I walk and if I use it regularly I can get out of bed in the morning and have normal mobility in my feet.  Fabulous! Gotta be happy with that.  By making sure that I use these regularly and doing yoga daily, I haven't had to pay for massages or physio.  After spending $2000 in one year on a frozen shoulder that greatly inhibited my ability to dress myself, wash my hair, to make the bed etc I think these have been a brilliant investment.

At uni I have a learning access plan via Student Support and my doctor.  It means that I have automatic extensions (which I very rarely apply for), sit my exams in a small room with a comfortable chair and have my own comfy chair in my classrooms.  Little things that make a difference.

I'll write another post on Low-dose naltrexone and the wonderful Dr Holloway but right now I have to log on to my afternoon class via Zoom.  

Stay well and safe everyone.