Comments on: How loudly do you talk? http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/ Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:59:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Nancy Wechsler http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1020 Nancy Wechsler Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:12:31 +0000 http://keepworkinggirlfriend.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1020 While most people where I work know I have Crohn's disease (and I found another person there who also has Crohn's disease), I have other disabilities I have found it harder to talk about because they are rarer and even I am not comfortable completely with the diagnosis. But one thing I've really noticed lately is that my level of fatigue and feeling ill, is treated so totally differently than the fatigue and feeling ill of another co-worker who is much younger and who recently became pregnant. Her fatigue and times of feeling sick is so much more supported and accepted and accommodated than my own I find myself getting resentful. I don't want to get resentful, but this is also from a group of people who I thought understood my disabilities and yet I still feel they are critical if I come in late or don't put in lots of extra time, etc. I'm glad we have reached a time where people who are pregnant and having a hard time of it are supported. But I would like to feel that same support for myself and others who have different disabilities. I'm lucky in a sense that my supervisor, who is the Executive Director, is totally supportive of me and genuinely concerned. Have others ran into this situation, or these same reactions? While most people where I work know I have Crohn’s disease (and I found another person there who also has Crohn’s disease), I have other disabilities I have found it harder to talk about because they are rarer and even I am not comfortable completely with the diagnosis. But one thing I’ve really noticed lately is that my level of fatigue and feeling ill, is treated so totally differently than the fatigue and feeling ill of another co-worker who is much younger and who recently became pregnant. Her fatigue and times of feeling sick is so much more supported and accepted and accommodated than my own I find myself getting resentful. I don’t want to get resentful, but this is also from a group of people who I thought understood my disabilities and yet I still feel they are critical if I come in late or don’t put in lots of extra time, etc. I’m glad we have reached a time where people who are pregnant and having a hard time of it are supported. But I would like to feel that same support for myself and others who have different disabilities. I’m lucky in a sense that my supervisor, who is the Executive Director, is totally supportive of me and genuinely concerned. Have others ran into this situation, or these same reactions?

]]> By: Rosalind Joffe http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1018 Rosalind Joffe Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:40:18 +0000 http://keepworkinggirlfriend.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1018 You're both so right. We have to stop feeling that it's something to hide. For ourselves, if for no other reason! You’re both so right. We have to stop feeling that it’s something to hide. For ourselves, if for no other reason!

]]> By: kelene http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1017 kelene Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:11:59 +0000 http://keepworkinggirlfriend.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1017 I have noticed that people don't like to talk about it.. I didn't like to talk about it.. Why is that? Are we afaird of looking weak or something. Personally I was Afaird that people would think I couldn't do my job well if they knew I was ill. I have SJogren's Sjogren's and overlapping Myositis. No one knows what that is so I would say I have something like LUPUS but then I realized that it was important to education others and own my illness. This is a very important sujbect. I have noticed that people don’t like to talk about it.. I didn’t like to talk about it.. Why is that? Are we afaird of looking weak or something. Personally I was Afaird that people would think I couldn’t do my job well if they knew I was ill. I have SJogren’s Sjogren’s and overlapping Myositis. No one knows what that is so I would say I have something like LUPUS but then I realized that it was important to education others and own my illness. This is a very important sujbect.

]]> By: Julie http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1016 Julie Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:30:27 +0000 http://keepworkinggirlfriend.com/2007/06/12/how-loudly-do-you-talk/#comment-1016 It's funny. Having a CI is so much a part of my life that it just comes up in normal conversation, just like any other part of my life. I might mention it in passing, in a normal voice, in a normal tone, at a normal volume, and someone who doesn't already know about it is surprised. Like, even though people don't want me to dwell on it, they still expect me to. Once I mention it, people are curious. I find it odd that so many people with CIs try to hide it, while people without CIs are simply curious most of the time. I understand wanting to hide a CI, but I also understand how difficult and damaging that can be. We all have enough to deal with, do we want to add "keeping secrets" to the list? Personally, I feel like there are other things I'd rather spend my energy on. Besides, if we were all more vocal, there might be a bit less ignorance in our society. I'd hope. Julie It’s funny. Having a CI is so much a part of my life that it just comes up in normal conversation, just like any other part of my life. I might mention it in passing, in a normal voice, in a normal tone, at a normal volume, and someone who doesn’t already know about it is surprised. Like, even though people don’t want me to dwell on it, they still expect me to. Once I mention it, people are curious. I find it odd that so many people with CIs try to hide it, while people without CIs are simply curious most of the time.

I understand wanting to hide a CI, but I also understand how difficult and damaging that can be. We all have enough to deal with, do we want to add “keeping secrets” to the list? Personally, I feel like there are other things I’d rather spend my energy on. Besides, if we were all more vocal, there might be a bit less ignorance in our society. I’d hope.

Julie

]]>