Are you still working?

I recently put in for fmla and I plan on cutting back on hours after the 12 weeks are up. I have Sjogren's,Lupus,and RA. You have to do what is best for you.

Thanks for your replies.  I left work one day with vertigo/nausea so bad that my principal (I'm a teacher) had to drive me home.  Another time my husband was able to come get me.

There are many, many days when I don't feel like teaching and go anyway.  It bothers me when able-bodied healthy teachers take "mental health" days whenever they feel like it, and I work hard NOT to use my sick days because I'm constantly worried I'll have a terrible flare and end up missing a whole week or so.

My PCP has mentioned the "disability" word.  It sounds like a distant daydream in an ideal word.  I just can't imagine it.  I'd like to...I just can't believe I'm really that sick.

Hi! Heartsong, and everyone,

I am a teacher, too, and I have decided that this will be my last year, and only hope I can get through till June. I have drastically cut my hours over the past 10 years, I had to give up floor nursing and finally couldn't even work charge because I couldn't run unit to unit anymore and my 8 hour shifts were always 12 or 14. It took me 4 days to crash and become functional again, and it started all over. I took a .5 FTE but am forced to do almost full time work for half time pay, because, why, that's what teachers do. And my class size has doubled each of the past 3 years. I can get a small retirement with 30 calendar years when I turn 55 in May, but I just talked to my rheumy about permanent disability. I have had con't chronic and acute infections for the past 7 months, cellulitis in my fingers, a pilonoidal cyst, mouth and nose sores that just relocate, and a monthlong bout of "flu like illness", diarrhea and not getting to the bathroom in time, and confirmed strep throat twice. And it was my first summer not working a perdiem job since I was 11. I asked about needing a lawyer, and he thought it would be a good idea as lupus is very diffiucult to "prove". He did imply that my APA lab work was a start. I am going to have heel and hip xrays, some days I can hardly limp enough to manage to walk. Then do blood work in 6 months. I tried to wean off my 5mg of prednisone twice, figuring I was so sick I might as well be that sick off the pred. Never thought I could feel much sicker.... Boy, was I stupid and WRONG! And I am P*($*&%@#^ because I really love my job. My husband really wants me to stop working. It will be really tough financially, but with our faith in God, needing only one car..... and my quilting, I have promised my family to start the retirement paperwork. There is a really good thread here, a posting by Harley Diva that gives lots of info and encouragement for the process. My ANA is positive, but dropped in titre, and what if the prednisone suppresses the very autoimmune antibodies that would be enough to be elibible for SSD???????  So I feel like I am caught between a rock and a hard place. It has taken me 5 years to make this decision.  It is a daily struggle to work effectively, multitask, and do what is required at school. Some mornings I can't find my computer monitor for the sticky notes! I worry about my self noted decrease in cognition. That scares me more than the physical issue of not heading down a hall where I need to go because I don't have the muscle strenght. It's time. And the dr. did change my NSAID, and I am blessed that I have a supportive husband and a good dr.  And all you guys,

hugs,

suetoo

This is a tough decision to make. Lupus is such an up and down roller coaster ride. Even though I was having major organ involvement and one infection after the other I had a hard to believing that I was sick to the point of losing my career and going on disability. The decision was taken out of my hands when worse came to worse. I was not fired, but I was "counseled" by my superior that it was time to give up and go home. I wish I had made the decision and left with a little more dignity! It's just that every now and then out of the clear blue a good day would pop up and convince me that I wasn't sick at all!! Good luck! Judy

Went on a forced disability in 1982.  I foundered around for 7years and moved to FL  Still foundered and then I started a cottage industry it thrived and so did I [to an extent , lots of iillness]Then 19 years ago bought a place in a agricultural area where I did well for 11 years.  Started to make a comeback and was stricken with a horrendous flare.  I am off predisone and am trying to stabalise Greatly reduced my cottage industry and actually am losing money but this I believe is part of my thread to life so I hang in there.  I raise exotic birds {Cocatoos] each and every one is a dear friend to me.  I believe you need to have something to keep your mind and body active, within reason.  I find now at the age of 72 I have had to slow way down.  I have SLE with heart , lung liver, kidney [one kidney is dead], joint, RH. am having short term memory problems my emotions are rampant from the predisone and I am having sleep issues.  Just keep stepping ladies and realise that you must work within the guidelines of your body and minds ability.  Good luck I have made it to 72 and am still kiciking, well more like stepping.  Lupus is not the end of life it just feels like it and somtimes takes you to the brink, but  you have life until your experation date and only God knows the date. Bless