I was just reading through some blogs and Pollyanna's post about RA and work made me realise something crazy.
There's been a lot of crazy stuff going on at my work, basically there's a restructure of the department and a lot of people aren't happy and are leaving, including all my old bosses.
This means that in a month's time no one in the company apart from my best friends will know I have RA. And no one on the management team will have seen me break down and cry about it.
This is very strange. It's like someone's wiping the slate and now it's my choice if I am to tell the new managers.
How odd. I'm gonna have to think about that one.
It amazes me how we have to pause to share something we have not done to our own bodies. It reminds me, your post and others, how little compassion exists in the world these days. I don't envy you in making this decision. On the one hand, maybe they'll surprise you and be compassionate and yeilding when days are tough. On the other, I shutter to think. Hugs. Taz
ReplyDeleteSquirrel, I am a 33 year old woman in America. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis 26 years ago. My JRA caused significant deformities in my hands and visibile stiffness in my movements even on my good days. I have been blessed mostly when dealing with workplace issues. Personally I have found that a brief explanation of how my JRA affects me and what possible limitations can occur in the workplace usually makes both myself and my supervisors feel better. On a daily basis it usually will not affect my job performance, but on a bad day I may be late, call off or move slowly. I always offer to give whatever notice I can to make it easy and find the majority of supervisors appreciate the notice and planning.
ReplyDeleteJust some thoughts from my experiences as you make your decisions. Everyone is different and job situations vary greatly. Good luck as you consider your options. Namaste.