THX sugarhorse. I'm hanging in here - still exhaused and fragile. I contacted the Government Department that administers the student loans to find out whether, if I defer, can I then jump back in next year and continue the course with no additional payments (the course is $3000 AUD just for this year along part time) and I can do that so it was good to know.

I then emailed the director of my Uni course and asked can I defer if it gets down to it, and I also explained how their lack of provision of the pathways to do the subject has really impacted on my mental health and that it is only next week that this HUGE subject is now due, and that I may need to defer for the sake of my mental health, but that I don't want to - I have already completed the whole of the other subject and have passed. He emailed me back to say don't bail, don't defer, he'll get onto the guy that can provide me with the necessary pathways (I've been trying to get this for months). I was heartened to read his response but I'll believe it when I see it because all the various people at the Uni I've dealt with never follow-up. But it's empoweting to know about the issues surrounbding the student debt and the option to defer (I also have social security issues - the Government has given me a heap of money on the basis of me studying and if I defer I'll have to pay it all back. But I'll cross that bridge when it comes to it.)