Petition Letter
To the attention of the Associate Dean (Studies),
I am appealing for a CRedit appeal for 3 courses:
CHEM 112 with the grade of C+
PHYS 117 with the grade of C
MATH 121 with the grade of D+
Under normal circumstances, math, physics, and chemistry are my weaker subjects. However, given normal circumstances, I would have been able to surmount my difficulties and achieve a high grade. Due to my extenuating circumstances, these conditions were not met, and while I passed everything, my grades reflected the abnormal situation I am currently living.
On July 1st, 2016, I went into anaphylactic shock on an airplane, stopped breathing, and very nearly died. My family practitioner urged me to see a psychiatric specialist after this trip once I was home. In October, I started regularly seeing a counsellor and was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
At this point, I had already been sleep deprived for several months. Plagued by nightmares and flashbacks every time I closed my eyes. This effected my overall well being, health, and life. I have difficulty concentrating. I have short-term memory loss. My appetite was inconsistent. Everyday classes could posses triggers that reminded me of my past trauma and would send me into flashbacks. Taking tests and talking to other people were especially anxiety provoking. I could go on about how this illness affected my academic life, but that is much too long a list. Therefore, I think it will suffice to say that every single aspect of my life has been affected in some way. Seeing as my life is school, my body and mind would give up on me in uncontrollable manners that affected my performances.
Despite this, I attended every single one of my classes and lectures, even if I knew there would be triggers. I tried to not isolate myself and created a safety net of friends and staff at Queen's.
I put in countless hours to try and combat my illness and succeed in school. Even though I did not do well in these three courses, I passed them and did very well in my other three classes given my situation.
I am continuing treatment with counselling and in the process of procuring a service dog for PTSD and my physical health problems. I am also in regular contact with my family health practitioner and will maintain that relationship while at Queen's. While PTSD is an illness that cannot be cured, it can be treated. In time, I intend on learning how to cope and live with PTSD. I am also switching programs to something that reflects my real interests where I know I will do much better. I am also in regular contact with academic advisors and the Awards Office.
It is true that a lot of the time, I can not work or concentrate as hard as I may try. The little sleep I do have is always inhabited by nightmares. I cry. I get stupidly nervous way too often. The littlest noises will frighten me. I turn around and forget things. I stare aimlessly into space or I draw everything that plagues me. I either can not eat or I eat way too much and every single day, I am reminded that my health had faded. I sometimes walk around like a zombie because I struggle to take care of myself. I give too much to others and I am trying to learn how to take for myself. I feel foggy and empty. I am tired of pretending that I am doing fine. I am tired of not finding things I've misplaced. I am tired of memory lapses. I am tired of not finding my old energy. Most of all, I am so tired of being tired. So, I am going to wait here with my situation vulnerable and open to you; I am going to make my own wings to fly and rise from my ashes. I will get better and I will succeed.
Fundamentally, I want you to know that I have a goal to get better because I refuse to allow a neurobiological disease to define who I am. As much as I struggle with the situation I have been placed in, I would like to imagine that I am a strong person that will learn how to bear the weight of my trauma. How many people can say that they have looked Death in its face and somehow lived to tell the tale. I am determined to get better.
Sincerely,
Phoenix Yu Wilkie
20010872
15pyw@queensu.ca
I am appealing for a CRedit appeal for 3 courses:
CHEM 112 with the grade of C+
PHYS 117 with the grade of C
MATH 121 with the grade of D+
Under normal circumstances, math, physics, and chemistry are my weaker subjects. However, given normal circumstances, I would have been able to surmount my difficulties and achieve a high grade. Due to my extenuating circumstances, these conditions were not met, and while I passed everything, my grades reflected the abnormal situation I am currently living.
On July 1st, 2016, I went into anaphylactic shock on an airplane, stopped breathing, and very nearly died. My family practitioner urged me to see a psychiatric specialist after this trip once I was home. In October, I started regularly seeing a counsellor and was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
At this point, I had already been sleep deprived for several months. Plagued by nightmares and flashbacks every time I closed my eyes. This effected my overall well being, health, and life. I have difficulty concentrating. I have short-term memory loss. My appetite was inconsistent. Everyday classes could posses triggers that reminded me of my past trauma and would send me into flashbacks. Taking tests and talking to other people were especially anxiety provoking. I could go on about how this illness affected my academic life, but that is much too long a list. Therefore, I think it will suffice to say that every single aspect of my life has been affected in some way. Seeing as my life is school, my body and mind would give up on me in uncontrollable manners that affected my performances.
Despite this, I attended every single one of my classes and lectures, even if I knew there would be triggers. I tried to not isolate myself and created a safety net of friends and staff at Queen's.
I put in countless hours to try and combat my illness and succeed in school. Even though I did not do well in these three courses, I passed them and did very well in my other three classes given my situation.
I am continuing treatment with counselling and in the process of procuring a service dog for PTSD and my physical health problems. I am also in regular contact with my family health practitioner and will maintain that relationship while at Queen's. While PTSD is an illness that cannot be cured, it can be treated. In time, I intend on learning how to cope and live with PTSD. I am also switching programs to something that reflects my real interests where I know I will do much better. I am also in regular contact with academic advisors and the Awards Office.
It is true that a lot of the time, I can not work or concentrate as hard as I may try. The little sleep I do have is always inhabited by nightmares. I cry. I get stupidly nervous way too often. The littlest noises will frighten me. I turn around and forget things. I stare aimlessly into space or I draw everything that plagues me. I either can not eat or I eat way too much and every single day, I am reminded that my health had faded. I sometimes walk around like a zombie because I struggle to take care of myself. I give too much to others and I am trying to learn how to take for myself. I feel foggy and empty. I am tired of pretending that I am doing fine. I am tired of not finding things I've misplaced. I am tired of memory lapses. I am tired of not finding my old energy. Most of all, I am so tired of being tired. So, I am going to wait here with my situation vulnerable and open to you; I am going to make my own wings to fly and rise from my ashes. I will get better and I will succeed.
Fundamentally, I want you to know that I have a goal to get better because I refuse to allow a neurobiological disease to define who I am. As much as I struggle with the situation I have been placed in, I would like to imagine that I am a strong person that will learn how to bear the weight of my trauma. How many people can say that they have looked Death in its face and somehow lived to tell the tale. I am determined to get better.
Sincerely,
Phoenix Yu Wilkie
20010872
15pyw@queensu.ca