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have literally cried since last night...
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| tammyk1 |
Posted on September 03 2008 05:12 PM
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Member
Location: ohio
Posts: 128
Joined: 2008-09-03
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Thank you for your forum 1st and foremost!!!
I am a non-traditional returning college student and have failed the same math class 5 times now, if I do not pass it this semester I will lose all financial aid and wont be able to return. I contacted a school administrator in regards to getting (again) private tutoring, in a joke to him I mentioned I had "math dyslexia" (not knowing that dyscalculia even existed). Dr. F then replied that there was indeed a form of math LD, and I should look it up and determine if I think I should get tested...
All I can say is that my mouth dropped when I read the initial symptoms, and then the tears started, and honestly havent really stopped, finally a name to my brain shutting down with math.
I am on the schools waiting list for testing, and maybe if this is my dilemma I can have the other "F's" expunged from my transcripts.
For years in High School I was told I am not applying myself, being called stupid, and the general low self esteem that comes from being an over achiever in every other subject and doing well, but having that one hurdle that is 10 ft high when you are only 5'7".
Does anyone know if traumatic head injuries at an early age exasperate the problem? I nearly died when I was 5 from a blow to the left side of my head...and often thought during my life that had something to do with my inequalities in math, but most administrators and my parents just thought I was making up excuses.
Thanks for listening.
Tammy  |
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| Lostinspatial |
Posted on September 03 2008 05:50 PM
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Member
Location: That would require me to know where I was
Posts: 429
Joined: 2008-06-08
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Welcome Tammy!  I see that you're contacting your school's Learning Disabilities office. If they are unable to help you, you can follow up with your state's (if you're in the US) Learning Disability Assoc. Glad you found the site & hope the LD office folks are able to help you! |
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| tammyk1 |
Posted on September 03 2008 06:03 PM
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Member
Location: ohio
Posts: 128
Joined: 2008-09-03
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I am in Ohio and tried contacting them today; pretty much hit a brick wall with them. Contacted a few psychologist offices that want more money than I can possibly afford to just walk in the door (no health ins).
A few other places I have contacted:
ADAM Board
County Health Dept
Board of Ed
Behavioral Health Dept
My schools special ed dept for teaching students
and many many more...likely fifty phone calls...
I am finding getting help is just as frustrating trying to do Algebra!!! |
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| evie dee |
Posted on September 03 2008 07:19 PM
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Member
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 570
Joined: 2007-12-01
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HI, Tammy. I"m Eva. Welcome to the forum!
Have you contacted Ohio's LD association? Every state has one-they can even help you get testing for a low cost. |
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| Laura |
Posted on September 03 2008 09:18 PM
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Member
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1229
Joined: 2006-11-16
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Hey TammyK1 and welcome to the forum
BEEN THERE DONE THAT, GOT THE T-SHIRT |
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| carolineinoz |
Posted on September 03 2008 09:26 PM
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Member
Location: Australia
Posts: 85
Joined: 2008-04-14
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Welcome to the forum Tammy.
You are definitely not alone!! |
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| Dulcy |
Posted on September 16 2008 03:16 AM
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Member
Location: American Southeast
Posts: 202
Joined: 2008-08-27
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Hi, Tammy, welcome!
Yeah, from what I understand, head trauma can trigger it. I found too much stuff to list, just go to Google and type in dyscalculia +head injury. Then brace yourself for the tsunami of hits.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver |
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| bumble |
Posted on September 16 2008 08:22 PM
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Member
Location: Chicago
Posts: 8
Joined: 2008-08-19
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Hi, Tammy,
I cried, too, both for me and because I wanted to be able to tell my dead parents that my problem has a name. They never gave up on me, and always believed in me. Good luck.
"Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire." ~ William B. Yeats |
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| Toe_Nail |
Posted on September 17 2008 12:35 AM
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Member
Location: No value
Posts: 915
Joined: 2006-08-13
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Hello Tammy, welcome
It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer -- Albert Einstein |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on September 17 2008 03:26 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6135
Joined: 2008-05-25
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9/16/08
Dear Tammyk!,
Yes, I had that moment of 'eyes open wide, mouth stops moving' when the idea of a math learning disability was transmitted through a telephone from one woman's mouth into my brain. Only once before, perhaps a year earlier, had anyone mentioned it to me. At that time, I was in a hurry to move through a crowd in a college hallway. One older student had evidently heard me telling my teacher my problem with math. The older student said, "You know, you may have a math disability, like I do." I believe I thanked her, but hurried away and it never again entered my conscious thought again until after that time on the telephone with a different lady. I think that the big difference in the two conversations was that in the second conversation the disability was linked, for the first time, to having the math credits waived.
I'm in the sad situation right now that the test says I'm not dyscalculic, and the 'report' that the psychologist wrote to accompany the test scores is extremely unflattering, too painful to even mention here. I am unshaken in my knowledge that I'm dyscalculic. Eventually, there will be some electronic probes placed on my little head and I'll be told to do some math problems, and it will be totally obvious that "what is not present cannot possible be counted". Until then, I don't have a degree. I've failed Elementary Algebra three times. My college's financial aid department took away my Pell Grant. I am only missing those three credits in College Algebra for my 2-year Paralegal degree. Without it, at my age, I can't get hired. I'm not a multi-tasker, and I'm not a fast-learner. I speak fluent Spanish and I like to help other people. Yes, they took away my Pell Grant, and I didn't have the money to pay for my two classes. Without taking those two classes, the student loan people wanted me to start paying them back their money. This is serious business. It's causing a major problem in my life.
I was able to get into a different college where I got a Pell Grant this semester. But at this college, I'll have to do another 29 credits to get my paralegal degree there.
Your idea of having those "F's" removed after you get your positive diagnosis was brilliant. I hadn't even thought of that. My 2 "E's" and an "F" didn't change my grade point average, as they were remedial courses, but the transcript would look a lot better without them. - justfoundout
Edited by justfoundout on September 17 2008 03:55 AM |
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| niqi |
Posted on September 17 2008 08:56 AM
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Member
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 10
Joined: 2008-09-12
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Welcome Tammy,
Such a shame you have to do all the work to find a test for you. I was lucky at that my work financed it for me as I told them I would have done it sooner if I had the money. |
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| tammyk1 |
Posted on September 18 2008 05:55 AM
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Member
Location: ohio
Posts: 128
Joined: 2008-09-03
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Justfoundout...holy f*#@!!! I can only say my heart goes out for you. But dont give up; it literally took me 2 whole days and about 1000 minutes over my cell plan to find someone to work with me. Not to mention someone who KNEW what Dys was and how to test.
If you are anywhere near the upper Ohio area I could privately give you my docs name. Or I could ask her of any colleagues she may know in your area.
I will add a prayer for you to my flag on my patio (Buddhist); may they reach you. |
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