College Life
So, you've made the big move to college. If you're like most students, you’re probably a little anxious. Don’t worry — it’s normal, but life on your own can be a lot easier if you make good decisions. Here are some tips to help you live with hemophilia at school:
- Comfortable shoes. It’s probably not surprising to you that flip flops aren’t ideal shoes for walking around a college campus. You need to avoid injuries. Expect to be doing more walking than you’re used to and trade up to some comfortable footwear that cushion and support your feet.1
- Get enough sleep. Your parents aren’t around to nag you about your sleep habits, so monitor this yourself. Research shows that sleep is important to your overall health and to your ability to learn. It’s also important for managing stress. Stay healthy and avoid pulling all-nighters. You’ll be doing the right thing for your healthcare as well as your GPA.
- Good nutrition and safe exercise. You have a high school diploma now, so there’s no need to tell you why these are important. Now that you’re on your own, though, don’t fall into the stereotypical freshman role of adding 15 pounds.2 Make healthy choices for meals and snacks and remember to work in enough exercise. By staying healthy, your body will be better equipped to manage a bleed or other injury.
- Money management. How well you manage your finances at school is good training for your independence later. Because hemophilia care comes with high costs, you should learn how to manage your finances and your insurance claims. Take an active role in your financial situation. Build a budget and follow it. If your parents arranged for you to have money at school, don’t leave it to them to track your expenses.
- The Health Services Department. You probably toured this facility a while back and set the groundwork. (See College Tips 101.) Now, you’ll need to work with the staff to manage your factor shipments, infusions and storage of supplies. They can even work with the mailroom to be sure arriving boxes get refrigerated promptly, if needed. Don’t forget to program the health services phone number into your cell phone and post it prominently in your room.
- Your new HTC. If you’re transferring to an HTC near school, be sure to have your home HTC transfer your medical records ahead of time. If you’re under 18, your parents will need to sign a release form for the records. Your home HTC can also help you with issues such as standing orders for the local emergency room, factor shipments, etc. Contact the new HTC and introduce yourself.
- Sharing your hemophilia. It’s a personal decision to share information about your bleeding disorder with someone. Choose carefully, but do plan on sharing the news with someone. You’ll need trusted people around you to assist during times of need such as a bleed, injury or a trip to the ER. A school advisor might be a good person to share this info with. Asking for help does not make you less self-sufficient. It makes you more mature and responsible about your health.
- Storage and security of factor and supplies. If you self-infuse, you might need a refrigerator in a secure place in or near your dorm room. You’ll also need a plan for keeping on schedule with your treatment, such as a reminder system that helps keep you on track.3
- Stress management. Stress can lead to, or even worsen, bleeds however, college is known to be very stressful4. Nearly all students report some level of stress during the first few months of life on campus and this could cause them to be less conscientious about their healthcare needs.5 6 Exercise and diet will help you manage stress. Relaxation techniques can also help. Be conscious of your stress level and take appropriate steps to manage it. Here is another way to look at pain and stress without taking medicine.
- Missing class. You might get a bleed that causes you to miss a class. Be assertive about working with your professors in these instances. Once you’ve explained the absence, he or she will often be willing to help by extending the work deadline or catching you up on what was missed. Expect to have a full share of unplanned absences, so resist the urge to "skip".
- Lighten up. What you carry around campus at one time - backpack, books, laptop, etc - should be no more than 20% of your total body weight. If it’s a backpack, distribute the weight evenly by wearing both shoulder straps and the waist strap, if it has one. For other types of bags, carry them close to your body to help manage the weight of the load.7
- First aid. Here’s a quiz: Where’s your first aid kit? You should have a well-supplied kit on hand in your room with bandages, gauze, tape, etc.
Enjoy yourself, have fun with friends, occasionally stay up late. Just remember to put your health first and you’ll stand a good chance of sailing through the college years.
References
1 Health Tips: Lighter Back-to-School Load , www.upi.com, Alex Cukan, United Press International, 7/20/07.
2 Health Tips: Lighter Back-to-School Load , www.upi.com, Alex Cukan, United Press International, 7/20/07.
3 College and Hemophilia , www.hfmd.org, Jeff Bostwick, Veinline, Spring 2007.
4 Transitions: Part Two , www.newenglandhemophilia.org, Mike Fitzpatrick, NEHA News, Winter 2002/03.
5 Getting Around Campus , www.gonorth.org, A Student’s Guide to College.
6 A College Guide to Chronic Disease , www.webmd.com, WebMD.
7 Health Tips: Lighter Back-to-School Load , www.upi.com, Alex Cukan, United Press International, 7/20/07.
