change life plans (work/school, etc) because of UC?

Just curious - has anyone changed plans for career or school or any other major undertaking because of UC? Are others accomodating when you are not performing at 100% because of the condition or meds?

I work for a fairly large company that is exremely understanding and very professional.  I have been there for about 3 years every since I got out of college.  Ever since my symptoms started back in August of '08, they have been exremely understanding and supportive.  I have a lot of freedom to do as i wish at work (go to the loo, doctor, home, etc...). 

The only thing that really sucks and it happened yesterday is long meetings that invove very important co-workers or clients.  It's kind of hard to just get up during a meeting to go to the bathroom and it seems my symptoms start to come about only during important meetings (must be stress).

But other then that my employer has been exrememly awesome about my illness. I'm actually going on a performance incentive trip to mexico in March and my boss told me that i better call the resort to make sure they have heinekens (really the only beer i can drink becuase of low gluten).

I was planning on going back to school but I don't know if I can handle the drive and classes with my urgency. Some days I am okay, others I am in bad shape. I have been feeling good lately - maybe I can get back on track with my plans  

I took this semester off from college because my GI was talkin about remicade and I didn't want to have the stress of running my company, remicade, college and UC. Now that I'm doing so much better I wish I would have went. Oh well..... I took 20 years off before... I guess I can miss a semester. lol

Absolutely not. I was diagnosed in high school and I just pushed through it. It was really hard being 16 and dealing with a disease (though it was a moderate flare) but I didn't want to let it defeat me. And it didn't. I was able to graduate high school in the top 15% of my class. Like somebody on here has the quote "I have UC, it doesn't have me!"

I sometimes consider changing my job. But I feel like my job is very different. I work in child care, and where I am at right now, it's just me in the classroom, no real flexibility. My job also relies on Teacher/ child ratio. My class is a 1/12 ratio. We are short staffed due to the economy, and it's kinda hard to relieve a teacher constantly. When I was very sick, I ended up getting temporary disability because it's not good for a class of 3 year old's to have a teacher constantly step out. Of course right now I'm fine and in remission, but when my remission is not there is where I consider the change.

Yes, I have. I would have gone to a different college--one that was better academically but far from home and would have cost a lot of money--if I hadn't gotten UC. It seemed to stupid to take out loans when I'd have to worry about medical bills for the rest of my life. I hate my current college, but it's cheap and not too far from home.

I wanted to major in international relations, but I decided against that since it'd be a lot of traveling. Then when I switched to a psychology major, I was thinking of going to grad school for a PhD. But I've decided not to do that either since getting a PhD takes a long time and is very stressful, and I know that some of my symptoms are associated with stress. I'm not sure what I'm going to do now. It sucks.

I agree that we shouldn't let UC rule our lives, but we also need to be realistic about it.

Not planning any changes right now. I'm a non-traditional student in graduate school. Just don't know if the commute (130 miles round trip) plus the course work and clinic are worth continuing past this semester. I have a year to go (including summer) before completing the program.

I often think about people in jobs that could not be done with this disease...and always thought one of them was teaching! Bless you. I guess you can't struggle through the day like I do sometimes but instead have to take it off when you're flaring. That must be very stressful.

I became ill in my last year of law school and stayed with the employer I had at that time when I graduated. I needed two weeks off at first, and so they knew about it. One of the other senior lawyers had UC too. They were not good to me, I think they didn't want another unhealthy lawyer in their small legal deparment.

I have never since let an empoyer know that I have UC and have been able to manage. I don't think I've ever taken a day off for this, but I've been late to work a lot. I've had some pretty miserable days and my boss can tell sometimes I'm not feeling well because she is very perceptive, but she doesn't know it's usually that same thing that's bothering me. She knows that I learned I can't eat wheat, she probably just attributes it to food sensitivities. Fortunately, I am not actually in the office very much so can usually do what I need to do, wherever I am. And they are also thinking of letting me telecommute because we have run out of office space....that would be SO great!!

subdued said...
The only person who wasn't supportive of my UC was my previous boss. I remember when a co-worker was sick, and we had a deadline to make. My co-worker was expected to meet the deadline, sick or not. I really felt sorry for her. When I got my last flareup and asked for some time off, my boss kept calling me on the phone and badgering me for hours about it. It didn't matter that I had met all my deadlines. I decided then and there to find another job.

I'm now working from home. It's great.

What do you do from home if you don't mind me asking... I've tried finding legit stuff...it's tough.

Congrats on the baby! Best of luck to you!

UC was taking control of many aspects of my life no matter how hard I tried to make it through. There were just some occassions that it was too painful to follow through with my responsibilities. I work out of town in my client's homes, and I cannot tell you how difficult it was to concentrate on my sessions b/c of the pain I was in. It also made it difficult to hold my one full-time job, two part-time jobs, grad classes, home responsibilities and my Mommy duties. So, I knew something had to give and I refuse to change my life and suffer in silence. I took control and nixed the UC. : ) It was just compromising too much of my life and I found that completely unacceptable. Also, I had horrible side effects the prednisone and Remicade, so I also was dealing with open wounds and staph infections (one being MRSA).

So, it is my belief that once there are no longer any medications that work and your life is just not much of al life at all, surgery may be a positive option. Since my surgery I have felt amazing...the UC is gone! I have had some adjustments to the surgery pain and an ileostomy is an adjustment no matter how much you prepare, but in comparision to my life with UC it is already much improved and I'm just hanging out on the sofa and in bed waiting on the healing process. : )

I'm seriously not trying to push anyone into surgery, I just hate the thought of losing your life and things you love due to a disease. It's so sad and I do understand the feeling of hopelessness. I was broken hearted each time a treatment method failed. Surgery is a very big decision, and I haven't regretted it once.

I'm glad the most of you are able to control both your UC and your life!!! I think that is WONDERFUL!!!

and for what it's worth, I feel opting for surgery is most definitely NOT giving in to UC- if anything, it's the opposite, kicking it to the curb once & for all! If you get to the point where you find yourself HAVING to change your daily schedule, perhaps look into another career path, then opting for surgery is a pretty sensible option. I guess it's a mixed bag- some on here have made changes, some haven't, & both parties come from a wide variety of professional arenas. There's no real right answer to this one- it's all about how much you are willing to compromise due to your UC. Personally, I'm not willing to compromise a thing- yeah ok, I'll pass on the occasional night out or whatever if I'm not up to it, but anything more & I would have to think long & hard (again) about surgery. And Robin- I'm so happy that you are happy! It's just great!!! You "won" this battle, for sure.