Help! Medical problem!

WilliamsA2017

2017 USNA Hopeful
5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
9
I'm not sure exactly whats happened but I think I may have ruptured my eardrum with iday only 2 days away. I'm not positive but it seems like it based off the research I have done. It isn't major as I can still hear but I feel the air coming from inside when I push out. What do I do? In actually freaking out right now.
 
Agree with the above and bring your medical records to I-Day.
 
I got it looked at by urgent care. They say it does look ruptured though not too badly as my hearing is fine and there was no discharge when it burst. What does this mean going into I Day? I can still run and everything as well as swim as long as I have an earplug. Will I likely be sent home or to NAPS or will I be allowed to go into plebe summer?
 
There's always the option of going to Iday like nothing has happened and then getting it looked at by brigade medical a couple days in. Say that it just started to bother you... you didnt think anything of it before you came. They won't send you home after you swear in....
I feel like many people would disagree with going this route, but you've worked hard to get your appointment.
 
Thanks for all the information. I will still be going to I day, though will still be filing for a waiver in the meantime. Does the exam come during I day or a few days after we swear in? I have little to no hearing difference between my good and bad one(fortunately, based off dr tests) and it doesn't hurt, just rings.
 
Say that it just started to bother you... you didnt think anything of it before you came.

They still teach the Honor concept, right? That would be lying.

The right thing to do is report it (I would call and have your medical paperwork of the incident handy). It is part of your Permit to Report instructions.

Health Status
If you have had any change in your health since your DoDMERB examination, you must notify us. Areas of particular concern are any and all surgeries, orthopedic injuries (broken bones or joint injuries), head injuries, hospitalizations, vision changes, loss of consciousness, and any condition which might preclude your full participation in our rigorous athletic program. Mail or fax documentation of any changes in your health status since your DoDMERB examination to:

U.S. Naval Academy
Office of Admissions
Attn: Medical Specialist
52 King George Street
Annapolis, MD 21402-1318
410-293-4381
Fax: 410-293-1819
 
There's always the option of going to Iday like nothing has happened and then getting it looked at by brigade medical a couple days in. Say that it just started to bother you... you didnt think anything of it before you came. They won't send you home after you swear in....
I feel like many people would disagree with going this route, but you've worked hard to get your appointment.

Great advice. Start off your USNA career by lying.:rolleyes:

I'm NOT a doctor but, if you're able to participate in PS, you'll be fine. If you can't, it will readily become apparent -- whether you disclose or not. And, when USNA finds out that you knew about this before you showed up and didn't report it . . . you may find yourself with a one-way ticket home (and no invitation to reapply).

Bring your medical records and disclose your condition. You will not be the first plebe to show up with some medical issue and the overwhelming majority are NOT sent home.
 
I contacted them already and the Academy is going to have a second look at me just to make sure I'm fine, though at worst I may be restricted to no swimming. I've already sent in my medical files and they should check out. Thanks for the replies and advice everyone
 
^^^^

Good move. Honesty is always the best policy. Glad it's worked out for you!!
 
MEDICAL

What type of past injuries have to be reported to the academies?
 
What type of past injuries have to be reported to the academies?

Depends on whether it's pre- or post DODMERB physical. If pre, the form will tell you what you need to provide. You can find the form on the DODMERB website. It's a pretty comprehensive list. Realize that, in most cases, "routine" injuries that fully heal won't be a problem.

After you've been medically qualified, refer to USNABGO08's post above. Basically, you're reporting any change to your medical status.
 
There's always the option of going to Iday like nothing has happened and then getting it looked at by brigade medical a couple days in. Say that it just started to bother you... you didnt think anything of it before you came. They won't send you home after you swear in....

...and this is coming from a current Mid?
 
My reasoning behind the statement went something like: "If your very appointment is at stake, a small twist of truth might be necessary". Is it recommended? Is it the "honorable" thing to do? Definitely not. I was simply putting that statement out as a less-desirable alternative. We all work hard to get that BFE and it would be a shame for the OP's world to come tumbling down a week before I-Day.

Something similar happened to me last year... I pulled my IT band pretty bad a couple weeks before I-day. I couldn't run and could hardly walk. I was deathly afraid my appointment would be revoked so I went to I-day injured anyway. The first day at PEP I nearly collapsed in the middle of interval running. After that, I received a chit, citing overexertion during PEP. Was it fully a lie? No. And I ended up getting off chit for the last half of PS and it didn't bother me again.

I give my personal anecdote so the admins and others on the forum understand where I was coming from. I apologize to those I may have offended. I'm glad that the OP was able to figure it out by notifying the academy. In hindsight, that might have been a better thing for me to do.
 
Last edited:
Really Want to Say This?

My reasoning behind the statement went something like: "If your very appointment is at stake, a small twist of truth might be necessary". Is it recommended? Is it the "honorable" thing to do? Definitely not. I was simply putting that statement out as a less-desirable alternative. We all work hard to get that BFE and it would be a shame for the OP's world to come tumbling down a week before I-Day.

Something similar happened to me last year... I pulled my IT band pretty bad a couple weeks before I-day. I couldn't run and could hardly walk. I was deathly afraid my appointment would be revoked so I went to I-day injured anyway. The first day at PEP I nearly collapsed in the middle of interval running. After that, I received a chit, citing overexertion during PEP. Was it fully a lie? No. And I ended up getting off chit for the last half of PS and it didn't bother me again.

I give my personal anecdote so the admins and others on the forum understand where I was coming from. I apologize to those I may have offended. I'm glad that the OP was able to figure it out by notifying the academy. In hindsight, that might have been a better thing for me to do.

While you were resting your IT band with a chit of questionable premises, many of your classmates were giving their best efforts to complete PS. You can try to justify your "white lie" but I hope your realize you could have handled the situation very differently. Go over to the USMA forum and see what an appointee did because of a knee injury. We can all learn from his actions.
 
My reasoning behind the statement went something like: "If your very appointment is at stake, a small twist of truth might be necessary". Is it recommended? Is it the "honorable" thing to do? Definitely not. I was simply putting that statement out as a less-desirable alternative. We all work hard to get that BFE and it would be a shame for the OP's world to come tumbling down a week before I-Day.

Something similar happened to me last year... I pulled my IT band pretty bad a couple weeks before I-day. I couldn't run and could hardly walk. I was deathly afraid my appointment would be revoked so I went to I-day injured anyway. The first day at PEP I nearly collapsed in the middle of interval running. After that, I received a chit, citing overexertion during PEP. Was it fully a lie? No. And I ended up getting off chit for the last half of PS and it didn't bother me again.

I give my personal anecdote so the admins and others on the forum understand where I was coming from. I apologize to those I may have offended. I'm glad that the OP was able to figure it out by notifying the academy. In hindsight, that might have been a better thing for me to do.


So you showed up not ready to train and then chit surfed through half of plebe summer?

Classy. :rolleyes:
 
My injury was a result of over-training on my part. Completely my fault, I'll admit. But what else could I have done? There was no alternative but to show up for I-Day. My story is not unique and tons of people are put on chit during PS. Besides, the only thing I didn't do for two weeks was run. Did everything else. I knew the extent of my injury and it wasn't anywhere close to the appointee from USMA. Heck, I didn't even go see a doctor -- it was BMU that determined what the injury actually was. But, by USNA2016Dad's standards, I and ~50% of the Plebe regiment, at some point or another, wasn't really trying. :thumbdown:

I'm not posting on this forum to be criticized for or defend my actions a year ago. I have my parents and my company officer for that. Rather, I am simply aiming to help candidates gain admission or to answer questions because that's what the SAF community did for me back in HS. By general consensus, it would seem that people on the forums found my original advice to be "bad". It's a first. For that, I apologize!! One person calls me out and five others jump on the bandwagon. Such is the internet, I suppose. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
I'm not sure exactly whats happened but I think I may have ruptured my eardrum with iday only 2 days away. I'm not positive but it seems like it based off the research I have done. It isn't major as I can still hear but I feel the air coming from inside when I push out. What do I do? In actually freaking out right now.

Attend I-Day and allow the medical examiners to do their job. Don't do it for them. There's no clear guidance as to whether this is disqualifying or not.

If they don't ask - then I don't see that you need to tell; especially, since you've already had it examined by a doctor and it has been determined not to be serious. Don't create a medical problem where none may exist.
 
Back
Top