Sir, – I strongly believe that a Leaving Cert deferral system similar to that now available for recently bereaved students (Carl O’Brien, Home News, May 31st) needs to be introduced for students who face medical emergencies at exam time.
On June 4th, I was sent to hospital with severe abdominal pain. The doctors concluded it was most likely acute appendicitis and surgery proceeded at 1am on Wednesday, June 5th, the morning of my first exam. I was due to start English, one of my best subjects, just eight-and-a-half hours later.
It shocks me now, that while I was in the hospital I was preoccupied with my forthcoming exams as opposed to my own health. I felt stressed that I was unable to study for the exams in hospital. I felt very unprepared despite having put in a huge amount of work over the past two years. I cried as the doctors examined me and cried as I was told my diagnosis. However, I didn’t cry as much as I did when I heard my Dad on the phone to the State Examinations Commission.
While in the Emergency Department, my Dad talked to them and explained that I was extremely ill, and that after general anaesthetic I would not be fit to sit the exam the following morning. Dad raised the new provision for bereaved students to sit examinations in July, and pleaded for a similar-type special provision to be put in place for me.
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Afterwards, Dad explained to me I only had two options: I could sit the exam in the morning or I could forfeit the exam altogether. English is an entry requirement for university, so forfeiting was not an option. I was devastated.
I was brought to my ward at 4am. I was awoken every hour so my blood pressure could be taken and to receive pain medication. Upon waking properly, I felt extremely groggy, nauseous and disorientated, but in addition I was in a lot of pain. Then I learned that my appendix had perforated approximately five days prior to the surgery. My appendix was gangrenous. I was lucky to be alive. I had to spend the next five days receiving intravenous antibiotics three times a day, as well as anti-clotting injections, pain injections, strong pain tablets and anti-nausea medication.
While I was sleeping after being brought to my ward, my mum was in contact with the State Examinations Commission to inquire about me beginning the exam a couple of hours later than it was scheduled to allow me to recover from the anaesthetic, however this was not an option. She was told I could either sit the exam at 9.30am with the rest of the country or forfeit the exam. The surgeon was against me sitting the exam, saying I was “mentally impaired” and that I was in no condition to sit an exam. However, I had to make the decision to proceed with the exam. I had to sit English in my hospital room, with an oxygen tube in my nose, on less than three hours sleep, having undergone general anaesthetic only hours previously.
Due to my blood infection, I had to receive intravenous antibiotics for five days in the hospital, so I had to sit English paper two and Maths paper one from the hospital as well.
An examiner was sent to the hospital and I sat the exams from my bed just as I would have done if I was in school. The exams were interrupted on numerous occasions so I could receive pain medication, nausea medication, injections and to have my drip changed. The time for these medical interventions was added on at the end of the exams, however I had to end the exams early due to intense nausea. I was unable to complete the examinations as I was extremely ill. There is no doubt I was medically unfit to sit an exam, not only because of how ill I was, but because of the amount of medication I was on.
I had to sit the remainder of my exams in my own special centre in my school, while still heavily medicated. I sat in my own room as I was medically unfit to sit with the students. I still suffered from intense nausea and pain. My Mum had to sit in a classroom beside my centre in case I took ill during the examination.
Both physically and mentally, I was significantly compromised. How were the exams an accurate representation of the vast amount of work that I had dedicated to the examinations? How could I realistically be compared to other, healthy albeit stressed, students? I was unwell for the duration of my Leaving Certificate, although discharged from hospital, I was still on a large amount of medication.
In the circumstances there is no way I could have performed even a fraction of my best.
The Leaving Certificate is probably the most important exam for the majority of young adults in Ireland. I had dedicated so much of my life to these exams. It has been my dream to study medicine since I was young. I had sat my HPAT exam in February and I require over 550 points in my Leaving Cert, in order to achieve a combined score of approximately 734 combined points for university admission. I do not think this will be possible given my circumstances. I do not think the examinations are any way reflective of my hard work and determination.
If I am unsuccessful with my results, not only will I have to repeat the Leaving, I will have to repeat the HPAT and learn new syllabus for both Music and English. It is so frustrating.
No one should be significantly disadvantaged because of a medical emergency, which seriously jeopardises your ability to achieve your personal best.
I know my condition was serious, and I acknowledge other young adults have to sit examinations in similar or even worse circumstances. I find it ludicrous that there are no provisions in place for such situations.
I hope no student will ever have to go through what I have gone through over the past few weeks. My Leaving Certificate is over, but I want to bring about change for others like me in the future. The examinations system is unjust and archaic. Students who have had to face a medical emergency should be allowed a deferral in the same way that recently bereaved students are. – Yours, etc,
AMY RICHARDS.
Piercestown, Wexford.