I was employed as a student cardiac physiologist. In addition to working full time I was studying for a full time degree whilst being paid, great! I had worked very hard to be offered this post. 3 years in I had an unplanned pregnancy. I was advised to take a short maternity leave and come back and complete everything ASAP (I had a year of study left).
I had to return to degree work almost immediately after my son was born (I missed a lecture 5 days after the birth, that was it!). This was followed by a return to full time when my baby was 4 months old. I didn’t know at the time but my son additionally had autism, so was very demanding. I was exhausted and could barely cope. I would be told off at work for not doing enough reading at home but then I was constantly pulled out of work training sessions due to their staffing crisis meaning I had a huge amount of catch up to do at home. Additionally I would be repeatedly told off at uni for not meeting deadlines, not being able to make meetings and was told I was a poor communicator. I was under such a huge amount of stress I developed rheumatoid arthritis which was agony until I was started on the right meds. I couldn’t even dress myself some days.
I struggled up to my final essay before I finally failed. At that point I had just gotten my sons preliminary diagnosis and had no strength left to fight over losing my university place and entire career. I felt there was so much pressure on me in the workplace and no give whatsoever that I had a baby at home and finals/essays that they wanted me to do. I spent 5 years of my life working so hard towards my career to lose it all.