Our MS group in Baton Rouge decided to get certified. Well I passed the test, got the piece of paper. YEAH!!!

The teacher said that I was not to perform CPR on anyone if someone else was there. I just can't breathe deep enough to help anyone.

Thank goodness I have never been around anyone that needed it.

Don't let one teacher bully you. At the school you go to, there should be an office that deals with student handicaps. I can't remember what the name of it is, but any school that receives federal funding has to have one of these offices/people. It might be a human resource person? You might go to the Dean and ask the secretary in his/her office, if not the Dean him/herself about where a student with a handicap goes to get assistance with classwork. He/she should know. There is no reason for you to have to suffer like this! It is really weird that an RN, of all people, does not understand your predicament. It sounds like maybe she is trying to make life difficult for you, but maybe not. Have you asked to have a conference with her? Maybe explain (if you haven't already) about how the MS affects you even though there aren't any visibile signs. It is entirely possible that she thinks that you are perfectly normal and should be able to perform the way other students do. You can help educate her by explaining how the MS affects you physically. I am hoping that she will be understanding.

Let me know what happens.

Eloise

I am so sorry to hear that you are having these troubles with a teacher especially one who is in the healthcare field. How did the appointment go with her supervisor the other day? Did anything become of it? You said that you failed the written test, was this related to cognitive difficulties? If so, how do you propose that you take a test and gain credit for the class? Even with a disability a person must meet the requirements of the class. What the ADA will do is provide information about access to buildings, bathrooms, etc. They will also, ask that tests be given differently for someone who is blind or maybe one to one question and answer test. How are you wanting to do this. I am a little confused on this point. I hear your anger, and I agree with you 100% about your teacher and her attitude towards you. There must be something that you can do. Going to college is a hugh committement on a person part, so as you said you are not there to play games. Good luck to you.

Well I figured, after much though about this MS issue and what had happened everytime I went to college this illness would rear its head, that maybe just a trade school would would be a better route for me to go to. Well I did call my Department of Rehabibilitation representative and she said that she wanted to come and observe what is going on.Well the doctor found out and of course relayed it to the nurse(?)and she has completely changed her tack of dealing with me and the other students. HMMMM I just don't trust what is going on... Yes I did take it to the direstor of the school and he talked to me as if I am just trying to get what I need and not doing what I should do to get the help that I should (?)that i have never showed up for the supposed tutoring after school when I had whenever I said that I was going to, which I had and she was nowhere to be found, that is a real pisser. I passed the physical portion of the test but the written portion I did not. I have a tendency to totally block people out after a certain point especially after the rudeness that she started dishing out to me I was not really listening to anything pertanant that she had to say. I know that this a serious scenario yet when an instructor intentionally singles me out irder to make a point(?) to the rest of the class and the rest of the class knows that I have MS and is aware of the fact that I may have cognitive issues but can learn if I get the proper one on one tutoring in order to learn any process ompletely. Well it seemed to her that I was not effective in trying to prove my point about my condition. it does seem to have gotten through after I called the state and they got her to at least give a handout for any further procedure. This is why it is called an Invisible Chronic Illness, yaaaargh! So anyways guys, it did seem to ge through once I called the state (who is footing the bill for this) she has become the biggest sweetheart for everyone for her sake, and is acting as if I told on her for being mean. Well in class sheis trying to make me look like the evil one because of some extremely passive-aggressive statements she has made to the class. I am a lot of things but do not get me wrong....I am not stupid.... if she needs me to be the educater in this situation I will be. This weekend I am going to the National MS Society to pick up some pamphlets on cognitive issues and I can at least have it in writing for her to see that it is not an excuse by any means. I absolutely would not use the fact that I have M.S. as amn excuze for not being able to do or attempt to do anything at all in life. I have the feeling that "this is life and not a dress rehearsal" and if that means that I am going to have to educate someone about my and millions of others with MS I will do it. I go to the capitol and talk to the legislature about it so i guess I can go to a teacher and talk some more about it. I will keep you posted...

good for you phirizgig

stand up for yourself,,, kick ass and dont take any prisoners..grin..
if this teacher does not get the idea that she is there to teach perhaps she should not be there... and i love the idea of picking up the reading material for her...grin...
way to go...

Report her to the head of the department. You as a disabled person have certain rights, that she may be over looking. I hope if nothing else, you pass the online test with flying colors. Good luck!

I did print out sme material from a websight that someone from this site gave me (i cannot remember who so please forgive me) but it has to do specificly with MS and Cognitive Difficulty and had some really good paralells with Alzhiemers disesase. I have printed out a few copies to give to her, the Doc, the head of the school and the owner of the school to drive my point all the way home...I will cme and post it here in a sec i gotta clean it up for you guys to view it and no there are no curse words in it.....:) i will be back to post again

OK here it is...



Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis



What is Cognitive Impairment?
Cognition is another word for thinking. It includes many different functions, including our abilities to pay attention, learn and remember information, solve problems, and use language to express our ideas. Almost everything we do involves some aspect of cognition, from walking our dog to solving a complex math problem. Impairment of cognitive functions can occur as a result of brain disease or damage. Conditions that frequently cause impairments of cognition include Alzheimer's disease, head trauma, and stroke. Most people think of multiple sclerosis (MS) as a physically disabling disease. In recent years, it has become apparent that this illness can also affect the way the mind works and, in particular, how the brain performs cognitive tasks.
1. How Common is Cognitive Impairment in MS?
Approximately one-half of persons with MS experience some degree of cognitive impairment. Of the MS patients with cognitive dysfunction, most (80 percent) exhibit relatively mild symptoms such as difficulties remembering lists of food items to buy in the supermarket or performing tasks in distracting environments. Most patients can learn ways to compensate for these nuisance symptoms (see below). The remaining 20 percent experience more serious cognitive problems that may interfere with their ability to work and engage in everyday activities such as cooking and driving.
Causes of Cognitive Impairment in MS
Many factors can cause cognitive impairment. Stress, anxiety, and depression can decrease our ability to remember, pay attention, and solve problems. Similar impairments can occur as a side effect of some types of medications. We are also quite aware that our ability to pay attention and retrieve information declines as we get older. But, in MS, the cause of cognitive dysfunction is directly related to changes that occur in the brain. MS produces changes, called lesions, in the white matter of the brain. These lesions affect the way electrical impulses are transmitted across nerve cells. The lesions can be visualized with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Almost all patients with MS have some brain lesions on MRI scans. Research has shown that the degree and type of cognitive impairment observed in MS patients is related to the amount and location of the lesions in the brain. Thus patients with a small number of lesions may not experience any cognitive dysfunction, whereas persons with a large number of lesions are at high risk for experiencing cognitive problems.
How Do Cognitive Impairments in MS Differ From Other Conditions Such as Alzheimer's Disease?
For most patients with MS-related cognitive impairment, the deficits are mild and do not necessarily progress for long periods of time, if at all. This contrasts with Alzheimer's disease, where afflicted individuals experience severe cognitive deficits that invariably get worse with time. MS and Alzheimer's patients also differ in the way memory and language functions are affected. In the area of memory, patients with Alzheimer's disease experience difficulties storing new information. As a result, they may not benefit from receiving reminders from others or from using notes to aid their recall. In contrast, persons with MS can store new memories and are capable of learning new information, but have problems spontaneously retrieving this information. MS patients are capable of benefiting from reminders and visual aids. Alzheimer's patients can experience severe problems in using language to communicate (called aphasia); it is very rare for an MS patient to have language or communication problems.
Diagnosing Cognitive Impairment
Cognitive impairments are typically diagnosed as part of a neuropsychological examination. Neuropsychology is a subspecialty field within clinical psychology that is devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive dysfunction. A clinical neuropsychologist will administer a battery of cognitive tests and compare the results to a normative sample of healthy individuals of the same age and educational level as the person being evaluated. This examination can be lengthy (three to five hours), but it can provide information and useful recommendations to the patient, family, and treating physician. Such an evaluation is often requested by the patient's physician, although occasionally a patient may contact a neuropsychologist directly.
Are Cognitive Impairments an Inevitable Part of MS?
Some MS patients experience cognitive dysfunction very early in their disease, whereas other persons may never experience such problems. Over a three year period, approximately 20 percent of persons with MS will experience the emergence of new cognitive symptoms or a worsening of their existing cognitive symptoms. The patients who experience a worsening of cognitive symptoms tend to be the patients who acquire new brain lesions. It should be noted that there is very little relationship between the degree of physical disability and the degree of cognitive impairment. As a result, a person with significant physical symptoms (problems with walking, coordination, visual or tactile sensory disturbance, bowel or bladder dysfunction) may experience no problems with cognition, but a person with little outward signs of physical disability may have significant cognitive problems. Likewise, an acute worsening or exacerbation of physical symptoms may not affect cognitive functions, and vice versa.
How to Cope With Cognitive Impairments
Most patients can compensate for their memory problems by relying more on visual cues such as post-it notes, calendars, date books, and day planners. An electronic organizer, such as a Palm Pilot, or a handheld tape recorder can be particularly helpful. Making lists will help to organize and prioritize information, errands, tasks and other details and will aid recall. It is important to check items off as you accomplish them. There's also nothing wrong with requesting relatives and loved ones to call you with reminders about upcoming events and appointments. Exercising the mindreading newspapers and books, playing cards, doing crossword puzzles, engaging in stimulating conversationcan also be helpful. For people with attention problems, directing concentration on a single task is preferable to doing too many things at once. When engaging in tasks requiring intense concentration, try to avoid noisy or distracting environments.
For MS individuals with more severe cognitive problems, cognitive retraining programs are available through most medical centers. Typically these programs are conducted by rehabilitation specialists from a variety of disciplines, including clinical neuropsychologists, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists.

Are There Any Medications Designed to Treat Cognitive Impairments in MS?
Currently, there are no approved medications for treating the cognitive problems in MS, although one double-blind clinical investigation currently in progress is designed to assess the effects of Aricept in improving memory functions in MS. Aricept is currently approved by the FDA for treatment of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Results from the clinical trial involving Aricept in MS patients will be known within the next one to two years
Medications Designed to Prevent the Development of Cognitive Impairments in MS
An alternative approach is to prevent the development of cognitive problems in MS. As noted above, patients with many brain lesions are more likely to experience cognitive problems. Furthermore, MS patients who acquire new lesions tend to experience a worsening of their cognitive symptoms. It stands to reason that any drug that prevents or slows down the development of new lesions in the brain is likely to prevent or slow down the progression of cognitive dysfunction. There are three FDA-approved medicines for treating patients with MS: Avonex, Betaseron, and Copaxone. These agents work by altering the body's immune system to prevent or reduce MS exacerbations. In two double-blind studies, patients treated with Avonex and Betaseron experienced less cognitive impairment than patients receiving a placebo. The Avonex study, which involved a large patient sample, resulted in a significant 47-percent reduction in the number of patients showing deterioration of cognitive functions. In contrast, a similar study involving Copaxone showed no effect on cognitive functions.

Summary
.
One-half of MS patients experience some form of cognitive impairment, primarily in the areas of attention, memory, and problem solving. The primary cause of the cognitive impairment is the buildup of MS lesions in the brain. In most patients, the problems are minor and can be compensated for by making changes in the home and work environments. More severe cognitive problems can be treated with cognitive retraining programs. Cognitive dysfunction can occur early in the disease, but is not inevitable. The diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction is typically made by a clinical neuropsychologist. Proven treatments of cognitive dysfunction with medicines are not available, although drug testing is currently underway. Prevention of cognitive dysfunction can be achieved with disease-modifying treatments designed to alter the body's immune system to prevent the build-up of new MS lesions in the brain. If you have MS and think you may be experiencing problems with cognition, it is important to discuss this with your physician.

And just think back in the 1960's they (the docs) thought we were making up that part of the disease too!

i know about the 1960's i had a doctor in 1988 that said, "well you know Pam sometimes we all just make things up..." I have forgiven him for that but I also do know that it is evidence of not getting adequate information in med school about the condition plus they(the medical community) had the idea that it was related to some sort of "hysteria" But it is 2007 now and MS has been making itself more clear to the doctors as a result of research, I know that I will have to be my own advocate and calmly teach what they don't know so that they can at least be informed. But man it is a hard job! I just want to be seen as a source for information now about this condition.