Work accommodations advice x

[velvetonion]

I’ve just started a new job in January, I work at a Cat charity rescue Adoption Centre. I’ve told my managers about my endo and adeno and my surgery, and they asked if there is anything i need from them and i didn’t have a clue what they could even do. I’m 23 so more new to the chronically ill/ work balance in comparison to someone who’s further on in life and has experience with job accommodations. My previous jobs were retail where there were no real accommodations available because it’s stand on your feet and walk around there’s not many options for sitting and another was a hard labour job on a horse yard so again, no accommodations really available as it’s all manual labour.

The work I do day to day is looking after the cats, cleaning feeding and giving meds etc to 20/30 odd cats a day with lots of walking, bending and moving around, once the cats are looked after there’s sometimes phone work and admin jobs which are mostly sat down. I was a little naive coming into this job in terms of how much moving around there is and with it being full time as well i have REALLY been struggling with my chronic pain (i have fibromyalgia as well) and some flares have been so bad i can’t shower or make food and eat for days. I obviously love my job and my role and absolutely need it to pay for life.

With all this in mind I’m not sure what accommodations would even be am option for me and i REALLY need advice on what sort of jobs people have had and what accommodations they’ve had/ thought of. I have no clue. If i don’t know whats available or possible i dont stand a chance to be able to ask for them and then for them to help me.

I’d love for this new job to start with open communication and accommodations where and when appropriate if possible but I don’t know what to ask for.

I’ve mentioned, as one of the sections you can be put on (eg maternity, isolation etc) is reception which is all mostly sat down, that maybe if I’m having a really bad period that maybe i could ask a colleague to swap sections with me so i can be on reception for the day instead and most people seemed okay with that, but in practice it won’t always be that simple as so many jobs need doing as working with animals can be unpredictable AND that includes me advocating for myself to say ‘hey im in a lot of pain and really struggling please could we swap’ and i cant always trust myself to speak up as i really struggle with that part (and am working on it in therapy lol), im the type to put my head down and pretend everything’s fine like a lot of endo patients have had to do until i can’t see the pain is so bad and im crying in the toilet because im too scared to say anything (im bad i know).

It might help to have more context into what i actually do each day as it depends on my rota’d section for the week so that also throws a wrench in things as it’s different week to week and im more than happy to do that it will just be a lottt to type and a lot for you to read.

Ive been struggling with this for a long time, at previous jobs too, and i would so massively appreciate it if any of you amazing lovely people could please give me a little advice on it

[Daveexaggerate]

I don't work due to my illnesses, would be impossible for me at the moment. But there are organisations that help those with disabilities get accommodations.

One I know of is Shaw trust. They would probably have a good idea of the kind of help you might need. They have a website. It might also be worth talking with the citizens advice bureau or looking on some charity websites such as the me association for your fibromyalgia.

I'm sorry I don't have personal experience to draw on to help. Hopefully some of these ideas will get you somewhere. Good luck.

[velvetonion in reply to Daveexaggerate]

that's a really good idea thank you so much! I haven't heard of the shaw trust ill definitely go and have a look! I think my charity has some employee support program or email or something that i was told about when i let them know id need time off for surgery so your reply has reminded me of that!! thank you i really appreciate your reply and advice <3

[Daveexaggerate in reply to velvetonion]

No problem 😊 life is quite overwhelming especially when we have added complications. Im one of the most forgetful people when it comes to myself.

Glad you already have access to some kind of help. And hopefully you will find more.

Good luck with the cats and I hope you have a chance to sit with some and have them cuddle up and purr. Supposed to be great stress relief 😄

[Kelpiestryder]

a portable seat..either a collapsable one or one with wheels like an office stool type thing so can easily move around without having to be completely upright! This means you can still do tasks without standing...If I’m super exhausted (cannot currently work), I’ve found simple stuff like sitting down to chop the vegetables rather than standing goes a long way in preserving energy!

I’d definitely agree with getting more info on the context of your week ahead..(or even further if you can) this means you know what’s coming and can plan accordingly ie if you know you’ve got something that’s going to super exhaust you, on the day before or after schedule in rest. Also if you can (don’t know what your day to days are) but see if it’s possible to have a varied week so again, if there’s going to be an extra busy/exhausting day, maybe see if the work days before or after can be something easier such as reception/admin or ‘light duties’ as it were! Another step up from this and only if they’ll accommodate you/you’re comfortable in discussing…try and schedule weeks around your cycle…I for one have my worst weeks around ovulation and then the days before my period, so I try and plan around this, f*cked it up this week though as my period came early and I ended up having to do the food shop on day 1…been in bed in a lot of pain ever since I got back! I know people don’t like to talk about their cycles, but with endo it’s kind of a given and if you can accommodate your bodies needs during different times of the month you might get away without completely exerting yourself! But again depends how comfortable you are discussing this!

Try and take ‘regular breaks’ (If that works for you ofcourse). So instead of having say an hour lunch break ask if you can take 4x15 min or 3x20 min intervals..possibly in a quiet and undisturbed area where you can lie down and recharge effectively!

I get over stimulated by noise when I’m in a flare and I have found loop earplugs a life saver, by reducing my noise sensitivity, I limit the amount of ‘stress’ my body is under and so reduce my ‘hormone load’ and ‘inflammation’ which we all know contributes to endo!

It’s little things like that I wish I’d know about back when I worked! Think of things that have or can trigger you and then see if work can accommodate your ‘coping’ mechanisms!

Be open about it, the more people I tell/let know how and why I struggle the easier it is when I’m bad to no long have to mask my symptoms/pain and they leave me alone! Most are shocked to learn because I’m such a ‘happy, bubbly, energetic’ person! We don’t have to just grin and bear it! My consultant the other day urged to me to continue expressing and explaining to those around me about the endo so as to not ‘normalise’ the pain within myself and also for others!

I hope some of those help! I’m sure there are loads you’ll come up with once you really think about putting your health first and what works for you! If only all workplaces where more accommodating may be more of us would be able to stay in work!! Super jealous of your job!! Congrats!!!

[velvetonion in reply to Kelpiestryder]

first of all thank you so much for taking the time to reply <3

i had thought about a chair at work for certain things like food prep for the cats but it might be an issue with height and moving around but a wheely one that's maybe a stool is a great idea! id be nervous to ask as i guess id have to buy it myself but i think at my charity (ive worked in for years just moved to a more hands on role this year) has like employee support programs and stuff so maybe i could email around to get some advice and info on that like asking what im allowed and maybe some support in actually bringing it up to my management is an idea to start :).

With rest i absolutely do my best on my two days off and after work, it can be so frustrating when you still have to do things like cooking, showering laundry etc it can feel like a never ending cycle and i really do struggle with my increased hours now. With getting it at work it can be hard because it's a charity rescue fast paced environment as sometimes we don't have notice for when new cats come in and we have to deep clean pens which is something that i did when rushing once as we had no time and it made me incredibly unwell with a really bad flare because it's a VERY physically demanding job especially when rushed as you have to clean every single inch of the pen inside and out with disinfectant and then repeat that process with water to rinse it, and when there's one member of staff to each section who can't help each other in theirs because of cross contamination ie someone in isolation with sick cats can't enter admissions or maternity and someone in maternity cant enter admissions as they might get pregnant cats or kittens sick etc. that part can be really hard because it means you get no help and cant really swap with someone on low staff days. So talking to managers about that feels a bit helpless as youre in the section and its your responsibility nothing can really be done. I guess being placed in sections that have lighter work loads would be beneficial for me and my health but i dont want to feel like a burden or feel like im being 'lazy' while my colleagues have to do all the hard work, it would make me feel like im being difficult. again thats a me issue i need to work on, i just really wasnt expecting the job to be THIS hard on my health, its a job i have always wanted and im so so proud of the work i do.

I have brought up my cycle with management before and i felt like that helped, on my first week i started on the first day of my period, driving 30 miles there and back in driving snow and ice and darkness and my god was that bad luck. i work with an all women team apart from one man which i think definitely helps me feel more comfortable in these conversations. now the last month i gave them a warning a few days before my period came that it was coming soon and i might be a little slower and i might struggle a little and that felt good to do but since i had endo surgery my periods have gotten more irregular as time has gone on which isnt normal for me ive always been like clockwork. Im about 8 months post surgery now and my period is nearly 2 weeks late! which is distressing in itself because i already get really scared before my period because i know its gunna be agony but now i cant even plan around it im even more terrified. I did plan on booking some time off in advance on days my periods would come but now i cant really do that

The loop plugs is such a good idea! i have a pair myself and have never thought of wearing them during flares, only when im overstimulated but thats a really good idea i hadnt pieced together so thank you!

You're so right about 'grinning and bearing it', ive definitely made a conscious effort with a new start to talk more about my health and symptoms, i have had sone good conversations with a few colleagues about it and how i can struggle and they were very supportive and said how important it is to tell them and that theyll be happy to help where they can and theyd rather i say it in the moment than have it get really bad and then need time off work. I appreciated it sooo much, but at the same time again it isnt always going to be that easy and the environment we work in is busy and unpredictable and isnt ever that simple. and it also depends on management being supportive as well which there isnt always time for and one of the managers doesnt like time wasting at all she wants the jobs done straight away and without fuss which adds so much pressure. i find not masking my symptoms incredibly difficult and im sure youll relate, a lot of experiences in life as women with chronic pain (especially in work) teaches us that people dont really care if youre in pain and they certainly dont care to see it. through school and onwards you learn to hide and cover your pain as it makes others uncomfortable. If people could physically see how much actual pain we're in they would be fucking terrified. we work through and mask pain that would send a normal person straight to hospital. it can be so hard to unlearn. i really appreciate your advice and encouragement on that! i definitely find talking about endo a lot easier than i used to and raising awareness for it is something im really passionate about but your advice has helped me see that that doesnt just include conversation but also not hiding the pain youre in and not pretending like youre not about to keel over in agony, so thank you for that <3.

You have absolutely helped and once again i really really appreciate you taking some time out of your day to reply and offer some kind advice <3 Im deeply sorry for how stupidly long and rambly my reply is, i dont really have anyone in my life to talk to about this so it all just came out. and thank you so so much, it's never lost on me how lucky i am to help so many wonderful cats find new happiness every day