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No matter how many alarm clocks go off in the morning: Patrick Fessler (27) from Aalen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, does not get out of bed. But not out of laziness – he can’t help it. The 27-year-old suffers from narcolepsy type I.
Sleeping sickness has a huge impact on his life. Since there is an organic disorder in the brain, those affected suffer from extreme fatigue, which does not pass even with enough sleep. While medication can relieve symptoms, there is no cure. The German sometimes only gets out of bed at noon. “When I wake up, I can’t open my eyes and I’m paralyzed. I used to have these attacks every day, now fortunately only rarely,” Fessler tells “Bild”.
“I had too many missed hours”
For Fessler, the illness means not only constant fatigue, but also a life at the subsistence level. Narcolepsy has left him without a job for 13 years and dependent on citizens’ income, i.e. financial support from the state. He wanted to get his high school diploma in Germany, but he couldn’t. He tried his hand at vocational training in the IT sector. But even there, the physical urge to sleep became his downfall. “I’ve had too many missed hours.”
In total, Fessler had to drop out of three courses and four courses at the employment agency. Now he wants to make a change and study data science at Aalen University of Applied Sciences – even without a high school diploma. Because he’s better now. He was able to do without medication for three months. Fessler explains to “Bild”: “I am in top shape and want to study. The only perspective for the fastest possible professional rehabilitation and social participation would be to get a degree”.
“I couldn’t even pay the rent with that”
But it’s not that easy. After all, Fessler does not have the Abitur – the university admission requirement. Going back to school and catching up on high school is not an option for Fessler. Because then he would lose the right to the civilian money. “If I were a student again, I would only receive child benefit. I couldn’t even pay the rent with that,” he says.
The anti-discrimination agency Baden-Württemberg had already applied for an exemption for Fessler in 2022. At the time, according to “Bild”, the authority wrote: “A degree in computer science could help Mr. Fessler find a job that would allow him to participate in working life with narcolepsy and thus lead a regular life.”
But so far, Fessler has fallen on deaf ears with authorities. Fessler started a petition to get the exemption and start working life. With success: on June 22, the state parliament will vote on it. (Mrs)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
