Handling Hospital Visits - Fear #5:

Falling Behind in School

At first, you may think, "Hurrah, no school!" Then reality sinks in, and you realize how much school work you'll have to make up after your hospital stay. If you have the energy, you can try to complete some assignments in the hospital, but don't put too much pressure on yourself (no one expects you to come back from a hospital stay with all of your school work finished). Your first goal should be to recover and to take the best care of yourself that you can.

If you're worried about falling behind, you can check:

*Hospital tutors. Some hospitals offer tutors for young people who have to stay in the hospital for a long time. These tutors can help you keep up with your classes while you're in the hospital.

*Homebound programs. If you need to spend time getting well at home after you leave the hospital; find out if your school has a homebound program so a teacher can work with you to help you catch up.

*Ask your teacher for help. If your school doesn't offer a homebound program, you may want to see if your teachers can help you get back on track with your homework, tests, and other assignments.

© From Young People and Chronic Illness: True Stories, Help, and Hope by Kelly Huegel.
©1998 Free Spirit Publishing, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.