Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: May 19, 2015
Associate Dean (Studies)
Queen's University

To Whom It May Concern:

I am appealing for credit standing in BIOL 334 due to extenuating circumstances.

I have a chronic kidney disease that requires strict management of my diet, salt and water intake, physical activity, sleep, stress levels and blood pressure. The goal is to prolong my kidney function for as long as possible before a transplant is needed. When I was diagnosed two years ago, my father was in renal failure and needed a transplant. Seeing the end stages of the disease in such a terrible way in my dad has made it very difficult for me to come to terms with my health. As a result I have developed an extreme anxiety about my kidney disease. My fears have caused me to be meticulous in regards to my health, however when something is not right my high anxiety levels exacerbate the problem.

I am excited to be graduating this year, however the changes that come with it have increasingly caused me stress. I have felt pressure to find a job, to move to another country on a budget, to move back to a city that I no longer considered home and most importantly to finish up all of my credits. At a doctor's appointment in November I learned that I was pre-hypertensive because of my disease and increased stress levels. High blood pressure can reduce the kidney's ability to work properly so it became a priority to monitor my blood pressure. I recommitted to my preventative lifestyle and I began logging my blood pressure weekly. As winter semester began the stress from school and my anxiety about my health caused my blood pressure to increase to the point that I was hypertensive. My health is my number one priority so once my blood pressure was high, my courses took a back seat because I could no longer handle the stress. This mostly affected my studying habits since I could not focus on the material.

I have created a plan to manage my anxiety and blood pressure in the future so they do not affect my daily life. I have an appointment with my nephrologist to discuss options for blood pressure medications and other lifestyle changes I can make to ensure optimal health with my kidney disease. I am also working on forming new habits to manage my stress and anxiety through yoga and meditation. I prefer a holistic approach however I recognize the benefits of medicine so I am considering medication for my anxiety as well. While I am still working on my issues, I am confident these changes will positively affect my goals.

I am not appealing for credit standing in my other courses because I was able to finish the courses with acceptable grades with less studying. GEOL 104, PHYS P20 and LAW 201 are first/second year elective courses and BIOL 442 was based on group projects. The format and expectations of these courses allowed me to put in less time. The content in BIOL 334 was very difficult and the expectations were higher as it is an upper year core course. BIOL 334 was based on three exams, including the final exam. Thus, lots of time and effort for studying was required to do well in the course. I hope you strongly consider my appeal for credit standing.

I am including the following documentation with my appeal:
-My personal blood pressure log to provide a timeline
-Medical records documenting prehypertension (diastolic pressure of 80-89) and hypertension (diastolic pressure of 90 or above) during the winter semester
-Documentation of my future appointment with my nephrologist

Please let me know if additional documentation is needed to make a decision.

Sincerely,
Mikaela Branigan
10006199