Song of the Day: All Star by Smash Mouth
Some people have asked me why I am so secretive about my real identity. The main reason is that I haven't told many people about my conditions. In particular, I am trying to keep it quiet at my workplace. Please don't judge me or take this the wrong way. I am not ashamed of the fact that I have medical conditions that include fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. I have my reasons; I don't want to share all of them, but there are a few that may help you to understand where I am coming from.
First and foremost, I don't want fibromyalgia or CFIDS or any of my other conditions to affect people's perceptions of me at work. I have always been a bit of an overachiever and my career is no exception. I work hard at my job and I do it well. It isn't easy though.
I work Monday through Friday, and my company hasn't yet embraced options like flextime or telecommuting. My job is also very detail-oriented and can be stressful; by the time I get home on most nights, I am unable to wash or dry my own hair, let alone cook dinner or do the dishes. I often plan to relax or do something fun on the weekends, but it's rare for me to do anything other than rest and watch TV. I am that tired.
Working in Human Resources, I know that I have the right to request accommodations. I choose not to request them yet, but just knowing that I have options helps me relax and get through each day. It is also hard for me to bring up the subject to my boss, who is absolutely wonderful, but also a big skeptic of people who claim to have FMS or CFIDS (I know this because I have heard him talk about it). He is a good, but ignorant (in this respect) person and I just don't feel comfortable bringing it up to him just yet.
Another big factor is that I have changed doctors a few months ago. As I wrote in a previous post, my new doctor has been incredibly thorough. I am getting a lot of tests done and he has referred me to other excellent doctors for my overlapping conditions and he communicates with them regularly about my status. Once they finalize a treatment plan for me, I will see if/how that will affect my work, and then I will discuss it with my boss. I just want to have all of my ducks in order first.
As someone who works in Human Resources, trust me. It's always uncomfortable to have to discuss your health with your employer, but it's a lot more helpful when you are armed with documentation to support your claim and a proactive plan that details what reasonable accommodations you will require. Keep in mind that your requests should be reasonable and try to think of a few different options for your boss to choose from. If you have questions or need more information, try visiting some of the sites below or leave me a message and I will see if I can answer your questions.
Resources
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