Well I guess the first thing that helped me succeed was having a strong work ethic, which I received from my “depression era” grandparents. The idea of not working for years on end did not seem like an option for me.

Determination also helped. Even when things were rough I kept sending out resumes, doing my own freelance work and putting myself in front of employers. I took a job at my current TV network as an on-call writer. I didn’t think I would stay as it was a small network and not terribly prestigious at the time. It was a great job for me as it was less stressful than most news jobs. Eventually both the network and my career grew together. One of the things I learned early on was to make sure you have a job you love. If you don’t, it makes it that much more difficult to get up every day.

The second thing I did, when I was feeling relatively well, was to make sure I gave extra to the job. I was always better prepared than any of my co-workers. That way, when I was ill, the company was more willing to cut me some slack.

The news director job I have now is a tough one even for a healthy person. I’m on call 24/7. My hours are unpredictable and the demands on me and my department are constant. The one thing I have going for me is the great relationship I have with my employees. Many of them know I often come in to work feeling terrible and still give my best, so they give their best at all times too. When they know I need help, they give it to me. It has definitely paid off for the company too. Since I came onboard we have won several prestigious national and international journalism awards and increased the number of news elements on the network by almost 400 per cent in 5 years.

I’m now past 40 and for the past year and a half have been tapering down off 30 years of prednisone use for my illness (Crohn’s disease). My personality is changing and the excess energy the drug has given me these three decades is waning. Despite my position at the company and in the industry I’m not sure I will be able to continue the pace of my current job.

When I look at the things I have found truly rewarding about what I do, I realize that it’s the support and coaching I have given to members of my staff who have chronic illness themselves. Helping chronically ill people perform at a high level in a competitive business is the area that I see myself pursuing in the future. Besides yourself Rosalind, there isn’t much support out there for us.

I am at the point where I could go on long term-disability if I wanted, but instead I’m still working my old job while gradually building my own business – publishing, speaking and consulting on high performance with chronic illness. Running a business is not easy, but I realize this type of endeavor is perfect for me. When I do have energy I can get a lot done, whether it’s 8pm or on a weekend. It provides more flexibility. Hey there’s that word again.

It also reminds me of the other key to working with a chronic illness – being pro-active. The less you feel like a paper boat being tossed on rough seas, the better your chance at succeeding.