Unfortunately, the easing is not quite working out as planned.

Mono isn't over until it's over.

Here's your job right now: take care of yourself, rest, reprioritize. You are seriously sick.

That's unfortunate and frustrating but that's the situation.

graduating on time is more the issue.

Sweet Bug, I say this with all good intentions: Graduating is so not the issue right now. Taking care of yourself and getting well is.

I understand how frustrating this must be for you to hear, because your mind and your body are not in agreement, and your mind is so ready to get your schoolwork done.

And re-reading that post, it sounds really black and white thinking. I am trying very hard to not be that way. I just really don't know what my other options are at this point.

And, well, being sick, I can't quite think completely clearly on everything. Which, I know, more reason and evidence to keep the schedule down. I just honestly don't know what to tell people anymore. I always have something, you know? For some reason, I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that this is "more valid" or whatever.

I opted to stay home today. Too much snow. Plus, a Firefly marathon is on Scifi so I'm watching Out of Gas while the kids color on the floor.

I'm also getting a lot of pressure from my parents on this one.

(a) That's a beautiful dress

(b) Mono is why my mom graduated a semester later than she had planned. It's not an unusual effect, unfortunately.

(c) I have the Cowboy Junkies "Anniversary Song" as my ringtone for my DH, everyone else is just ring, no tone.

I always have something, you know? For some reason, I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that this is "more valid" or whatever.

If you end up hospitalized, will that emphasize the validity?

Again, I'm SO not trying to be harsh here, but even if you just had only *one* of the mono/pneumonia/RSV trifecta, that qualifies as Really Fucking Sick. Any one of those 3, on its own, is enough to put someone in the hospital. And pneumonia and RSV will fuck with the lungs of a non-asthmatic; someone *with* asthma is even more susceptible to lung issues.

You don't have a cold, sweetie. And I know it feels like you *always* have something, but that's actually not true. Prior to getting sick, you've had a LONG stretch of *not* being sick, being healthy and very active and zipping around and even jet-setting (ha!) down to the islands for vacation.

I know it seems to you like you're always sick, but that's not true any more. It might have been, once, but you need to re-work your self-definition. Yes, you're sick right now. And yes, you certainly won the sick whammy lottery this time. But being sick now doesn't mean you're *always* sick.

You've made huge strides in just the time I've known you, vw. HUGE. The thing to remember here is that everyone gets sick. And you're part of everyone. Being sick like this just means you're one of the Normal Folk, not a perpetually sick sickie.

Accept it. You're a normal, functional, healthy person who happened to get really damn sick. This is when you get to pimp for sympathy, chocolate, and DVDs!

Man, the Teppy-wisdom continues to hover somewhere near Scrappy level.

I know school shouldn't be a concern, but it is and for more reasons than I described.

I was supposed to graduate this Spring. I'm not. There's a really good chance that because of that MassRehab won't cover next year's tuition. I haven't even told them I'm not graduating, because I'm scared of the answer. I haven't come this far to not finish, dammit. I could, potentially, get enough loans to cover next year, but then I'm pretty much maxed out on the private loans front. So, if I don't graduate next Spring, I'm not going to.

I have to agree, the Tep wisdom is large. Listen to her, vw. I don't understand why your parents would be pressuring you given the severity of your illness.

Ask yourself honestly, would graduating a semester later really be that bad? If it will perseve your health, physical or otherwise, then I think it's a no-brainer.

ETA: x-post. Money is a concern, I get that. How bad are your loans right now? Usually you can always get federal loans, right?