The short answer: Yes. However, you came here to read a bit more than a one-word answer, so I suppose I'll expound upon that.
I don't have a sample size of people with chronic illness. I didn't conduct a survey and find which clinicians have what illness and for how long they've been practicing.
- Do all of these people say their illnesses can interfere with their jobs, responsibilities, free time, and vacations? Yes.
- Do some of them feel that their dreams are being interrupted, crushed, or changed? Yes.
- Do they make it work? Yes.
Those of us who are healthy must remember that health is the greatest luxury, and it allows us opportunities that some struggle to obtain. While the nature of our jobs is to work with those who are working to regain function, we must be cognizant of our coworkers who are struggling to maintain it.
Limitations look different for different people, and of course, diagnoses can happen at any point in one's lifetime.
Some are diagnosed when they have just recently embarked on their careers. Some people are well into their profession, and some are children with dreams of how their adulthood will manifest.
While remembering that no one's challenges are the same, the following are means by which I've realized a personal standard of achievement as a physical therapist, and hopefully these are helpful to you, the reader, as well.
Talking to employers about your chronic illness
If you are passionate about a certain area or specialty, explore it. Try not to be dissuaded or discouraged because of your condition.
- In the United States, employers, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, are required to provide adequate measures to meet employees' accessibility and/or medical needs.
- There is also the Family and Medical Leave Act, which states that employees are allowed unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks due to family or medical emergencies.
- If there are questions regarding appropriate job-site accommodations, the Job Accommodation Network is a great resource, and it is one of the free services provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Another piece to consider is some settings – such as schools – have unionized contracts that allow a certain allotment of sick days per school year.
It's easy to feel as though you're expressing weakness or choosing a cop-out when bringing up medical or accessibility needs. But you're not. We're not.
In order to do our best work, we must take care of ourselves. We're valuable to companies, and we're valuable to our patients, and we must remember that.
Knowing the healthcare providers in your area
One of the most important pieces to maintaining good health is having trusted and skilled healthcare providers near you.
The unpredictable nature of certain conditions makes any kind of traveling a difficult option for some, and proximity to healthcare providers is often very high on the priority list. When I began graduate school at Northwestern University, I immediately switched my gastroenterologist to a clinician within Northwestern Memorial Hospital system, which was only 5 miles from my school.
Having your specialists and primary care provider within a certain radius may be the most comforting to you as it pertains to your individual needs. Therefore, it's key to know yourself and what makes you feel the most control over your condition.
Find a support network
Without a support network, it is easy to feel isolated, and not just alone, but lonely. Whatever this term "support network," means to you, I urge you to find one.
Here are some ways to find that support network:
- Immersing yourself in the national organization for your particular condition
- Developing new - or maintaining old - friendships
- Staying close with nearby family
- Becoming involved in a religious or secular community organization
- Being an active member of your alumni network
- Seeking out a mental healthcare provider
- Joining a choir, hosting a monthly book club
Whatever it is, find people. Find people who can either share your experience, offer relief from your experience, or both. I encourage you to lighten the load in whatever way best suits you.
Yes, you can absolutely be a successful PT with a chronic illness. It's up to you to take steps to find that support network, understand the resources available to you, and make your own health a priority; it's the only way you can offer your best self to your patients and your employers.
