I’m a freshman in high school and recently found out I need a heart transplant. It can happen in high school but most likely in college. I’ve had open heart surgery when I was 4, and I know I have a heart problem. I’m not a top priority on the transplant list because my heart can still support me, it is just that if I keep my heart in me, it’ll damage my other organs causing organ failure. I don’t know anyone who has a heart transplant in college. Can you please tell your story? How did you pursue an education? How did you balance your finances of the heart transplant and an education? What did you do in high school?
I would suggest also googling “heart transplant stories college”.
I would imagine that it would be best to go to a college close to home so you are ready if a heart becomes available. Also to take a load that you can manage with your health. You can also get accomodations with the Disability Office if that is necessary. You may also need to take a medical leave of absence during college.
You may want to plan to take a semester or year as a medical leave of absence.
You are a 9th grader now. Are you on the transplant list? If so, you may not get a lot of choice about when this gets done. When an organ becomes available, you will need to have this done.
If this doesn’t happen until college, I would suggest your family get tuition insurance…so that IF you need to withdraw during a term, your family will be able to recoup some of the costs they paid.