Recommender has gone on sick leave

[harpyemma]

One of my recommenders, MP, has gone on sick leave. She was out of touch with me over the last couple of weeks, but, not wanting to nag her, i assumed that she just isn't the type to keep people constantly updated. She's always been very happy to write my letters, so i thought it was all good. I emailed her last week just to remind her and to let her know that she should have received requests for letters from XYZ institutions, and i got an auto-reply saying she's on sick leave!

(NB: i'm currently doing my MA a few hundred miles away from where i did my BA, and where MP is based).

I redirected my email to the dept. secretary immediately, but she only got back to me today--saying that she forwarded my message and perhaps MP will pick up the message at home.

I've got three other referees for Chicago, so that's not too much of a problem (although MP supervised my undergraduate dissertation and i'd really like to have her letter in there, for obvious reasons), but for UPenn i've only got the other two. The other places i'm applying all have deadlines two weeks from now, so that's not as much of a worry. What i'm really worried about it UPenn. I've emailed the graduate coordinator as ask whether i can use somebody else, but as yet no word. I'm not sure what to do!

ARGHHHH!

[modernity]

One of my recommenders, MP, has gone on sick leave. She was out of touch with me over the last couple of weeks, but, not wanting to nag her, i assumed that she just isn't the type to keep people constantly updated. She's always been very happy to write my letters, so i thought it was all good. I emailed her last week just to remind her and to let her know that she should have received requests for letters from XYZ institutions, and i got an auto-reply saying she's on sick leave!

(NB: i'm currently doing my MA a few hundred miles away from where i did my BA, and where MP is based).

I redirected my email to the dept. secretary immediately, but she only got back to me today--saying that she forwarded my message and perhaps MP will pick up the message at home.

I've got three other referees for Chicago, so that's not too much of a problem (although MP supervised my undergraduate dissertation and i'd really like to have her letter in there, for obvious reasons), but for UPenn i've only got the other two. The other places i'm applying all have deadlines two weeks from now, so that's not as much of a worry. What i'm really worried about it UPenn. I've emailed the graduate coordinator as ask whether i can use somebody else, but as yet no word. I'm not sure what to do!

ARGHHHH!

I think you've done everything you can do. I think your best choice is going to be getting another recommender - hopefully UPenn grants you some time for that. Even if you recommender would still be willing, I don't know if it's in your best interest... she's human like the rest of us, and we all know we don't do our best work when we're ill (especially if it's ill enough to be on sick leave).