The Importance of Finding a Job That Accommodates Your Illness

Living with a chronic illness and trying to work is a challenge.

I was working my dream job working with children. I would see up to 14 kids in eight hours. Sessions would be 30 minutes and a new child would be waiting once I finished with the last. There was minimal time to complete my paperwork and I could not let it take over my time off. The stress when I would walk in the door was astounding. I did not think I could make it through the day for the past year and half. There were many days I would go into my small office, close the door, turn off the light and have to try to ease my panic attacks.

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It was after one of these panic attacks I realized this was not the place for me. I love what I do, but not the company I work for. I do not believe that pediatric therapy should be about money. It is about the children. My job is to make their lives better. I began looking for a new place of work.

One Sunday, I was looking online and applied to a job nearby. The next day, I received a call from the owner and we talked for 45 minutes. She was easygoing and offered me the job a few days later. It was a blessing like I never expected. Now, I don’t know what to do with all my extra time.

She flat out told me, “I could make more money and give you more patients, but you will burn out and leave me.” As someone whose stress creates physical pain, this was the best thing a boss could say. My life now has less stress and less pain.

We need to find the perfect career that feeds our soul and a gives us a way to accommodate our limitations.

It is possible.

Keep trying.

Don’t give up the search.

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Thinkstock photo via alkir.