Things Professors Have Said...

            We are both college students, and in college we have had both good and bad professors.  Some professors are amazing, while others make you want to hide in your room and never leave your bed.  Sadly, we have had a few of those in the later category.  We decided today to discuss some memorable quotes from professors in both of those categories.  We are not doing this to be cruel, and we are not including any names, or descriptions.  We are doing this to show how tough college can be for those with chronic illnesses.

THE WORST:

            These are some things that were said to us over the past few years.  While not all sound rude, or insensitive at first, the meaning behind them are not great.  

“It’s so nice that everybody here [in this class] is healthy”

The first thing you have to know about our class is that multiple people have accommodations and I (Nemo) bring a service dog to class.  We are not the only ones with accommodations, or medical problems in our class.  Secondly, you cannot go around making assumptions about anyone, or any group of people.  Some disabilities, or illnesses are invisible.  Not everyone who is dealing with something is registered with disability services.  

“Does anybody here have oxygen below 96,” “I do, it is always like that though” “Oh, well those people need extra help”

            This occured during a lab where we were learning how to take vital signs.  When sharing our results, this was said to the entire class.  

“Why don’t you stand up and tell everybody what it is like to be disabled”

            If we are being honest here, I’m not sure this is legal.  I mean, confidentiality is a thing, and it is pretty important.  Also, you can’t go around calling out people in class, especially about their medical history.  Also, not everyone is willing to share their life story, and especially not in front of the class.

“Here are your accommodations, but it is up to your teacher if they want to accept them”

            If it is up to the teacher to accept them than it really isn’t an accomodation, it is begging the teacher and hoping for some mercy and acceptance. While this model may work in a school that is disability friendly but our school is now. This makes it okay for many teachers to decide they do not want to be bothered by accomodations and that you will be fine without them. Similarly, to get accomodations from a lot of teachers you have to tell them all of your diagnosis and how it affects you to see if they deem you sick enough. This is again, not legal, teachers are not allowed to ask about what your disability is. While you don’t have to answer, if you don’t answer at this school you will get no accommodations.

“You can’t use your accommodations to skip class and not turn in assignments”

            Newsflash, my accommodations are not so I can sleep in, and not turn in papers.  It’s so I can be covered incase I am hospitalized all of a sudden, or incase a treatment runs over.  I do not want my grade to drop if I am too sick to come to class.  I am doing my best to attend class, I do not want to be penalized if I cannot.  Also, if I do happen to miss class, there is a very good reason.  I am mostly in the hospital, or should be in the hospital.

“I wish I could bring my pet to class”

            All I have to say to respond is really.  This isn’t just a pet.  This is a dog that allows me to be able to be a functioning human being.  He does skills that are needed, because I am not always able to do them on my own.  He isn’t just a cute, and furry friend that I get to take around to school.  He is someone that I need to survive.

“You are so good at advocating for your needs”

You have to be at this school or you get nothing.

“This is the first dog on campus, you are going to make it easier for students in the future”

That is great but who is going to make it easier for me.

“Sorry, all of our medical singles are on the second or third floor of a [very old] building with no elevator”

Not only is this completely inappropriate, but I am not super sure if it is legal.

“You are too sick to graduate, you should change your degree before you fail out, be smart”

            This was said by the head of the Occupational Therapy department, she was also my advisor so I had nowhere to turn to. I just had to sit and listen to her tell me that Im to sick for 20 minutes .This was not based on any logic as I am at the top of my class, this was pure bias and proof that the school does not like students with disabilities. It is very hard to not feel accepted when you are trying so hard.

THE BEST:

            These are some things that have been said that are simply amazing.  They are from professors who are truly on our side, and stick up for us.  Without them, we would not be here, and we would not have a chance of getting a degree.

“Oh, you have trouble lifting, that’s fine, let me think about how to modify your skill check and I’ll get back to you”

            This is HUGE.  Skill checks are pass/fail, and our professor could have easily said something along the lines of if you can’t lift, you won’t pass.  However, she went above and beyond to make sure that it was possible for everyone to pass.  As she simply put it, you know your own limits, and you will not get a job that you are unable to perform.

“Why don’t you just type your essay exam and email it to me, I trust you not to cheat”

            We have exams that are ten pages of writing, and I was asked if writing is hard for me because I always bring my computer to class, and I said it was so the teacher asked if it would be easier to just type the exam. This was not an official accommodation so this was going above and beyond.

“Just have Tremors Skype you into class”

This can apply to either of us, however, it was said to me (Nemo). I am sometimes in the hospital randomly or just feeling way too sick to go to class. This professor said that if I am unable to come to class Tremors can just pull me up on her computer and that way I can listen to the lecture from bed. This is again way above any accomodation.

“Just tell me what you need during the semester, and I will do my absolute best to accommodate and work with you”  

            This statement is important on several different levels. Firstly, the teacher is accepting that they don’t fully understand what I need because my disabilities are rare. That is completely fine, I don’t always know what I will need. Most importantly, the teacher said that they are on my side which here is very rare.

“What are your physical limitations, we can put you in a fieldwork site that will work with you, and we are always here for you as well, we will figure this out to make sure that you graduate”

            Fieldwork is required in order to graduate, and fieldwork accomodations do not exist. If I was at a site that was not accommodating (for example running up and down the stairs all day) I would physically not be able to stay. This would mean that I would automatically fail out of the program, and have to pick a new major. These professors understand that there are different work settings so as long as the fieldwork sites have accomodations, I will be fine once I graduate.

“You basically have a full time job, or live a double life taking care of your medical issues”

            Taking care of our health is a full time job, because it is so time consuming.  Between dealing with doctors, clinics, and insurance to name a few, we are drowning in emails.  We are trying to keep ourselves healthy, and alive while surviving an accelerated college program.  Also we do live a double life, because they have no idea we are bloggers.  They know that we are big on advocacy, but they have no idea we created this.  And on a side note, if this professor ever happens to find this, we both say hi, and think that you are amazing.

            College isn’t easy for anyone.  As always, chronic illnesses are things that never fail to make life (at least) 10x harder.  We are working incredibly hard to be able to graduate, and have a future.  All we want to be able to do is live our lives, and have a future.  Some professors make life more difficult, but some are invaluable.  

Just remember...

WE BELIEVE IN YOU!

-Nemo, Tremors and Secret Agent Puppy