Lying here in tears. Think I might have to give up the OU. :(

[fuzzpig]

I shouldn't even be awake yet so am very tired basically it looks like I have CFS/ME and I don't think I can carry on. In terms of what I've completed I have half an open degree.

Thing is I can't just stop and continue later. Due to things being so difficult over the last few years I have dropped out of courses twice before and this is officially my last chance. If I stop this one I am not allowed to study with the OU again. Ever.

Before I got really sick I was doing well on this course. My tutor even said she has never given above 90% on a TMA for this course, I have had 3 essays above this. I'm supposedly an intelligent person, in fact it's the one bloody thing I like about myself when I hate everything else, and now I'm losing it. At my worst I can't even string a sentence together. My brain is foggy and even holding my phone to post this is hurting so a textbook is out of the question.

I don't even know what I am going to do with a degree any more, I am always changing my mind anyway, and now that I'm sick, possibly for a really long time, I haven't got a clue what my future holds. I am so scared and sad. I feel like I've thrown my last chance away.

have you talked to the tutors and the OU about your condition and what it means for you?
surely there has to be adjustments that can be made now that you have been diagnosed with ME?
before you give up you must talk to the tutors and tell them how your condition is affecting you - i feel certain that there must be something they can do to cater to you condition without you simply dropping out....

DS has a disability. He is doing a degree - he was assessed as a disabled student and has all sorts of gadgets plus support from study coaches, etc etc....he has a laptop, and programmes on it that do some of the work for him.

have you looked into all your options?

I have told my tutor what is happening. We haven't got beyond extensions yet (current tma was due a month ago). I have a tutorial today - which is why it's been on my mind, normally I just kind of ignore it - so I will ask.

It is not officially diagnosed yet, the nature of CFS means it takes a long time as other stuff has to be ruled out (autoimmune disorders etc). I have been referred to a specialist clinic in London but no idea how long that will take.

She has already told me that there are resources available for students with disabilities as I almost certainly have Aspergers which I found out about this year (it has been one hell of a year :( ) but my assessment for that isn't until next week. I'm not sure if she will have spoken to the relevant people by the time I see her today. This has all happened so quickly.

I feel so down about all this and I don't know if I can get over the feeling of "what's the point". I know it's lame. :(

Forgot to add my degree has been fully funded, I would only have to pay for one course at the end as the funding will have expired by then.

Bit of background here as to home situation etc as too tired to type it all out

If you have records from doctors about your condition then although you may need to go to some kind of central assessment, you should be okay. I suggest you contact this phone number in the first instance! You could also try contacting OUSA and their local student support service.

Finally any credit you have for completed modules is fully transferable and can be used at other institutions than the OU. Some of whom might be far more helpful.

I think that as you've got planned assessments etc you'll be ok with getting extensions. Call the OU people, not the tutor.
I prcrastinated through few modules and found them incredibly helpful.

Oh, and I'm sorry about your health problems. Hopefully with OU's help you'll be able to finish your degree, even if at slower pace.

Thank you, my tutorial is 10 til 1 but I'm going to get an earlier bus so hopefully I can talk to my tutor beforehand rather than after. If it wasn't for the fact I needed to find all this out I would not be going. So much pain today. I have been back at work for 4 days on phased return, I have done less than 15hrs work FGS, and I can hardly move.

Thanks for all the advice I know I seem like I'm ignoring it I am just really overwhelmed right now.

fuzz, sorry to hear you are feeling so unwell and overwhelmed.
have you talked to your tutor about the option of deferred study for this module (ED209) which is what i did. it might then not count as dropping out - rather as deferring

you basically start up next year where you leave off this year but is has to be done before you submit your last TMA and your marks for your previous assignments are carried over to next year.

I was wondering about that ginger. It would be good to not lose the work although I have had several second thoughts about the whole course/degree anyway (I really regret switching to an open degree now). I'll need to find out about funding though as it will possibly mean I have to pay for last two courses rather than one.

Tutorial has just been cancelled as tutor is ill. Off to get back into my jammies.

talk to student support - they were really helpful. the only real impact is the cost - and it is as if you are paying for the same course twice (although you do get a discount on the next presentation)

hope you feel better soon