Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

I am writing you to appeal my grades in both History 121 and Philosophy 115. In early December I began feeling ill with symptoms of the common cold, soon after returning to school and residence living I began to develop strep throat and chest pains. At this time many people in my residence were sick so I did not foresee it being a long term issue.

However, around the third week of February I was still feeling intense symptoms and my school work was being significantly affected. Exhaustion and dehydration due to an inability to eat, drink, or sleep with any consistency left me unable to concentrate during class; this caused severe anxiety and the decision to contact my family doctor was made. I was given antibiotics to fight strep throat after testing for mononucleosis. My condition however, worsened throughout this period and the medicine did nothing to curb my symptoms. I remained exhausted and sluggish due to lack of sleep, and often missed meals for multiple days because the pain in my throat was so bad I could barely swallow water. I returned to my doctor multiple times, but after three different antibiotics my symptoms had not subsided. I remained at school through February missing several lectures and tutorials due to my worsening health.

On March 5th I had woken up in the middle of the night unable to breathe due to the high inflammation in my throat; my tonsils and glands in the back of my throat had swelled to the point of touching and I could not breath without manually opening a passage way with my hands. I called my mother immediately and returned home that morning and was immediately committed into the hospital from March 5th-8th requiring multiple IV¿¿s in order to restore my body from extreme dehydration. During this time my mother was in contact with the school to keep them up to date and have a record of medical issues on file. Though I had classes to attend and this was an important time for my education I could simply not put up with the pain I was experiencing any longer. When I returned to school on March 9th I was only feeling marginally better but determined to continue my studies as this was a crucial part of my first year with term projects and exams very close on the horizon. Unfortunately, once again I was committed to Lakeridge hospital in Port Perry, Ontario a week later and remained in hospital under Doctor¿¿s order with the possibility of emergency surgery. The Doctor was trying to get the infection under control in order to prevent complications during surgery. I returned to school on March 20th though my physical condition was stable enough to where I could breath and could function my mental condition was increasingly worsening from the compounding stress and wracking anxiety of being unable to complete my year.

The anxiety that I felt from not being able to attend lectures on crucial materials that I would be tested on in as little as one week upon my return frightened me and I felt powerless to change it. Returning back to school I had multiple overdue assignments stacked up from the worst part of my illness in February and my time in the hospital. I worked day and night to study and turn in assignments but the lack of sleeping, eating and enormous mental stress overcame me to a point I could not function.

As I write this appeal I have my tonsillectomy surgery booked for July 31st as it has taken until now to get the infection under control- this procedure will ensure the infection and inflammation do not return, meaning that these issues will not repeat. For these reasons I hope that you will consider my appeal and allow me the opportunity to correct the mistakes that took place this year; and know that my grades this year are not an accurate representation of my character or my ability. Thank you kindly for your consideration.