Week 13: Famous Last Words

Last year during the fall semester I had bone cancer and had to take narcotic pain medications everyday to deal with the pain caused by the disease. I had been a very successful student in the past, and I thought I would be able to deal with what was going on and finish my school for the semester without a problem. As the semester progressed, I started to become overwhelmed with having to deal with both school and my other issues. I can be a very stubborn person, and I decided not to withdraw from classes based on the fact that I had been a very capable student in the past. In retrospect, this was a poor decision. I want to attend medical school, so my grades are very important. Due to medical treatment regarding my condition, I was unable to take some of my finals. As a result, I had to take an incomplete in a few of my classes. Receiving an incomplete allows a student one year to finish the remaining work left in the class, which in my case was just taking the finals. I ended up missing the spring and summer semester due to ongoing treatment for the disease. This week I had a meeting with one of my professors to discuss the plan for taking the final and completing the class. It turns out that my professor had incorrectly calculated my grade when filling out the incomplete form, and my grade in the class was much higher than I thought it was. This has taken a huge weight off my shoulders, as I no longer have to make an A on the final to earn an A in the class. Even though I haven't attended this class in a year, I think I will be able to study for the final and make the grade I desire. I have been worrying about the outcome of this class since last year and I'm so relieved to be in a position where I can still realistically achieve my goals. I'll be studying pretty much all day everyday until finals to make sure I'm ready, but I no longer feel like the odds are stacked against me. 

Me for the rest of the semester. Source: Wikipedia