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[ransom]

I'm a full professor teaching both undergraduate and graduate students in classes on campus and online.  I was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and begin chemotherapy next Friday (11/9).  I feel very positive about the prognosis and while this isn't the journey I would have chosen at this point in my life, I'll get through it.  Getting to this point, however, has meant two hospitalization and a number of nasty things done to my body, all of which have left me exhausted and behind in grading.  I shared with my students two weeks ago that I would be in the hospital for 4 days and then the diagnosis, but I don't want to overburden students with information that they don't know how to handle.  At the same time, despite how fast I pedal, I'm still behind in grading and probably won't fully catch up until the blessed end of this semster. 

My question to all of you is whether I need to give my students more updates.  They don't know that I start chemo next Friday.  Classes end on 12/7 so maybe I don't need to say anything more.  I just don't want them to feel abandoned or that I'm not interested in their success in my classes.  I'm working as much as is possible to get caught up, but I know I'm not giving the depth of feedback that I want to give. 

Your thoughts would be appreciated. 

[dept_geek]

Wow, ransom. Just wow. That's a lot on one plate.

MHO: I guess I would not tell them any more specifics about the diagnosis. I would just remind them you are fighting some health issues, and you are grading/working as fast as you can... but have opted to trade off fast paper returns with being strong enough to see their shiny faces each day.  Then, don't worry about being fast.

Can you, perhaps, find a bright grad student who can help with grading the undergrad papers? Or somehow take some burden (photocopies, updating web site, entering marks in books, ......) Even if they only do an hour or two's work each week, it is some time you can either catch up or rest.

Make sure your support team is in place, then do the best you can. But not more. Your health has got to come first.

[onion]

First of all, I want to extend my best wishes to you.

I think that students can be remarkably understanding and compassionate, and if they know you are undergoing chemo, they are likely to be sympathetic.  You might get that one nutjob student who complains, but I presume that your chair and dean are aware of your circumstances, and no one (at least I hope no one) will penalize you. 

I'm impressed that you're going to work the rest of the semester.  Someone very dear to me just went through chemo, and found it exhausting.  You may find that you won't be able to go to all of the remainder of your classes, or you might skip one, and that's okay. The students will get over it--they have to. End of story. Take good care of yourself and give yourself permission to let what sounds like your normally high standards slide a little bit.  These are extenuating circumstances.

Again, I wish you all the best.

[verbena]

Ransom, I'm very sorry to hear about the diagnosis but ery glad to read that things are under control & you'll pull through. Just to echo what dept_geek and onion have said: I don't think you need to tell your students any more than you already have. I'm sure you have their sympathy, and I'm sure you are doing more than enough for them under the circumstances.

Yes, make sure your chair/dean/person in charge know what's going on, and then make sure you take good care of YOU. All the best. 

[normative_]

Ransom, that's awful. Best of luck with the treatment.

You've done the right thing in letting them know you have cancer and will be starting chemo.

I also agree with DeptGeek that it would be best if you could also tell them that someone else will take over your marking. A graduate student could handle undergrads and a colleague the graduate students. Everyone will understand. You're sick and are entitled to time off and should take it. Imagine for a moment your first impression was not to grade, and people demanded that you take time out of your chemo schedule to finish your marking. No one would, because that would be an unreasonable demand. Don't be harder on yourself than the rest of us would. 

[dr_stones]

I'm not sure you should have told them that much . . . they really don't care.

All you'll do is creep them out, because they are sufficiently ignorant that they'll think it is contagious.

[normative_]

. . . they really don't care.

There is something to this. They will worry about how this affects their grades, even if they're sympathetic. The sooner you give them the certainty that the grading will be handled, and relieve yourself of the workload, the better.
 

[newbie]

I'm not sure you should have told them that much . . . they really don't care.

All you'll do is creep them out, because they are sufficiently ignorant that they'll think it is contagious.

Are you serious?? You think that many people think lymphoma is contagious?

Ransom, you are in our thoughts. I think you've told your students enough, although I think you could also tell them more if you wanted to. Teenagers and young adults sometimes don't get to hear much about such life experiences, and I think it could do them some good to see someone like you getting through this.

[pj_06]

Ransom, I am so sorry to hear about your health.  You have all of my wishes for a speedy and safe recovery.

Students will be understanding and compassionate, they really will be.  I had a health/surgery issue over the summer and into this semseter (no where near your level, of course), and students were fine with it.  I told them it was hard for me to grade on the pain meds and they waited patiently.  One or two students approached me privately and asked me to advise them of their progress so they could decide whether or not to drop the course - so those I graded a bit out of turn.  No one complained.

Also, if there are ways to make your grading easier (I did a lot of check/plus/minus for a while), you should go for it.  You'll catch up quickly, no one will really complain, and students will get feedback.  It will be one less thing for you to worry about and in the long run, it will be a very small compromise.

Good luck!  I hope that you are on the road to recovery soon!

[infopri]

Welcome to the fora, ransom.  I'm so sorry that you have cancer and must undergo chemo.  I agree with everything that's already been said (except dr_stones's expectation that your students will be creeped out or afraid of catching it).  I think it's good that you told your students about the cancer, and you might even tell them you're going through chemo (although not which specific days, etc.), just so that they understand why grading is going more slowly.  But I wouldn't give them any more info than that, if it were me.

I also second the energy-saving strategies others have recommended.  The best alternative is to get someone to help with the grading, if you can.  I also agree that check/plus/minus and similar simplified grading schemes, while perhaps not ideal pedagogically, might be a real boon for you this semester.  Also, are there any assignments you can either eliminate, or have the students do just for the experience (i.e., ungraded)? 

Do what you have to to keep your strength up.  The students come and go, but this is your health.  If you have to cancel or reschedule a class, just do it; your top priority has to be getting healthy again.  You have my best wishes for a quick and full recovery.

[prytania3]

Ransom, I'm sorry to hear about the lymphoma. I've had two friends with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and both of them have done very well for a long time now.

I would just assure the students that the grading will be taken care of, they have nothing to worry about academically, and leave it at that.

[dr_coffee]

I think it depends on your students.  My grad students would want to know and would care.

You also have to think about the fact that they will likely find out anyway.  I myself like to be the one delivering information, and not have people at work or students gossip.

I am sending you healing vibes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[magistra]

I think it's ok to update/remind them.  If you keep it brief and are matter-of-fact about it, it's not a problem, and I think they'd be glad to know.  And it'll even be a model for them -- you're undergoing X, and yet you're showing up every day and not whining, skipping work, etc.

On the other hand...yes to the time-savers above.  And if you have to skip an assignment, or doing little extras you're used to like  handouts, then don't worry about it.  Lots that we do students won't miss.  You do what you have to to get through the semester.

Best of luck to you.  I hope you're feeling better soon!

[figee]

Hi Ransom,

Just chiming in to wish you all the best.  Also, is there any way you can cut down on your grading?   For example, how much feedback do you need to give on each paper?  Can you explain to the students that only 10 (or five or three or whatever depending on the size of your class and the number of assessments) will be getting detailed feedback each time, but that they will be a different group every time so that by the end of semester everyone will have gotten feedback?  Or only give feedback on one thing each paper and tell the students that this is what you're doing?  It's all about looking after yourself at times like this.  And judging from your post, this seems to involve both not overtaxing yourself while also looking after your students.

[ransom]

Thanks to everyone for your kind and helpful responses.  I have cut way back on the feedback for my online students, which lightens the load quite a bit.  We don't really have the luxury of graduate assistants, so that's not an option.  And I am making excellent progress in getting caught up with all of my classes.  For now, I'll do the best I can with grading but am willing to cut corners wherever they present themselves.

The students, particularly the graduate students, have been pretty amazing in emailing me with their good wishes and support.  So I guess I don't agree that students just don't care -- and the vast majority of these online students have never even met me in person!  But I will follow the advice that most of you have given.  They know enough now and probably don't need further updates unless they specifically ask.

Several of you pointed out the necessity of keeping my chair and dean informed.  Does it count that my dean attended the appointment with the surgeon when I got the diagnosis?  You can't ask for much better support than that.

As is so often the case, the forum provides a place to get advice from a variety of perspectives.  It's been helpful to read your responses and think about how best to proceed.  Cancer sucks, but there are worse things!