Big Issue: I'm 18 and bed bound with long Covid. This is what it's like to be held hostage by your own body

SNT Gatchaman

SNT Gatchaman

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Staff member
https://www.bigissue.com/opinion/long-covid-bed-bound-health-emily-may-stephenson/

Covid left Emily-May unable to work. She has turned to photography and sharing her story with others

I was an active and healthy child. Aged six, I watched Matilda the Musical in London and walked out of the theatre announcing to my parents that I wanted to play Matilda. After years of working incredibly hard, I landed the role aged nine.
Click to expand...

In August 2021, I contracted Covid along with many of my peers. As friends recovered and returned to performing, my health plummeted. I couldn’t walk up the stairs in my home, could barely leave the house and couldn’t go back to any previous hobbies I’d loved so dearly. I was soon diagnosed with long Covid, ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and PoTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.) My career was over before I’d even reached adulthood. 
Click to expand...
 

The most vulnerable in our society have already been subjected to so much and still choose to press forward. That is a type of courage that should be praised and not preyed upon. To anyone who decides to keep going despite the hurdles, I stand with you. We must continue to stand together. 
Click to expand...
 
Yann04 said:
this is one of my fears as I became bedridden at 19 if let's say in a decade or something I'm magically cured. Since I have no degree except high school and no work experience. I'm scared that I won't have finances to continue my education so I'll be basically forced to get a "dead end job".
Click to expand...
But you would still be relatively young, and from what you write on here you seem emphatic, analytical and intelligent. Maybe there would be work/study opportunities? I think this would make you a great asset.
 
The college where I used to teach mainly taught 16 to 18 year olds, but we also ran courses called access to work, and access to higher education. They were very popular with adults of a wide age range who had all sorts of reasons for not finishing school. Many went on to successful university education and no doubt professional careers.

These days there is also much more availability of online learning and training that can be done full time or part time while earning. You might have to start in a relatively unskilled job, but if you're well and determined, you can change that.
 
Trish said:
The college where I used to teach mainly taught 16 to 18 year olds, but we also ran courses called access to work, and access to higher education. They were very popular with adults of a wide age range who had all sorts of reasons for not finishing school. Many went on to successful university education and no doubt professional careers.

These days there is also much more availability of online learning and training that can be done full time or part time while earning. You might have to start in a relatively unskilled job, but if you're well and determined, you can change that.
Click to expand...
Good point! Some of the high prestige universities in the US has a lot of public courses as well. So you can learn without getting the accreditation.

Currently, it’s possible to get programming jobs without education and just based in a portfolio. That might change, but I would be surprised if there are no jobs with the same mechanisms at any given time.
 
(I wish switzerland were as pragmatic as other western countries on this. But really Education is seen as either something full time or not at all).

It’s actually terrible for people with disabilities, One university I was considering going to told me if I wanted to study part time I’d have to enroll as normal students do but not go to half my classes and fail them. And then redo the same year the next year and do the other half of classes. (Which is basically unachievable given you are only allowed to redo one year of your bachelors, so after year 1 you’d need to go full time anyways).

It’s also a different education culture. ~20% of people get uni degrees here. I believe in most western countries its nearly half.
 
Last edited:
Yann04 said:
this is one of my fears as I became bedridden at 19 if let's say in a decade or something I'm magically cured. Since I have no degree except high school and no work experience. I'm scared that I won't have finances to continue my education so I'll be basically forced to get a "dead end job".
Click to expand...
Obviously it might not be feasible or available for everyone, but there are plenty of universities that offer “late-learning” programs specifically to accommodate individuals who are past typical college age and want to earn a degree. My college had one that offered pretty substantial scholarship. I think you would be a great candidate for one of those considering the writing skill and critical thinking ability you’ve already shown on this forum, as well as the possibility of a great story on your application essay.

[Edit: did not see Trish’s earlier post about the same thing, it seems to be common in a couple countries then]
 
That's really sad. It must cut our so many good students.

I wonder whether you would be able to take an overseas degree from home.

I don't know what your interests are, but there are jobs that are highly skilled such a web design that don't necessarily require degrees. There is so much more up to date online learning available online. And some jobs to training in house, so you can work your way up to more skilled and better paid work. I hope you do recover and find your niche.
 
What a weird system!
Yann04 said:
It’s also a different education culture. ~20% of people get uni degrees here. I believe in most western countries its nearly half.
Click to expand...
35 % in Noway has some kind of uni (or equivalent) education.

Maybe a remote work from home job is possible? You might not even have to live in the same country as the job.
 
I actually ended up doing my first year of uni abroad in vienna, because they offered a lighter courseload and I was already feeling too ill for the 50 hrs per week expected at the unis near where i live (I had got Long COVID but didn’t know what it was). Plus they offered a subject I wanted to get a degree in that isn’t offered in any swiss unis.
(After my first year I became bedridden so I never went back).

Hopefull the credits are trasnferrable somehow…

Anyways. Thanks everyone for the input.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom