Don’t hang a sign on yourself saying you’ve become "that person’! …Yes some people may pretend to be sick when they’re not, but are you really doing that? It doesn’t sound like it . You sound like someone who has come to the end of your emotional strength and without that strength we cannot go on.
Sit down and write how you really feel, warts and all, then read it out to yourself and really listen. Next, what would you compassionally advise that person to do?
I’ve done this for myself many a time and it makes me realise how hard on myself I can be, how critical and unloving I act towards myself. You need to be able to love yourself.
I am not even sure you could have enough meds to control your pain with your job... your job is physically taxing for someone in perfect health!
Don't guilt yourself. Your students are FINE. Really! Hopefully you have some time today to come up with alternatives of how you can go forward. I wonder if PsA is protected under the ADA laws? Can you go to your union rep and ask about pursuing a 'light duty' type of arrangement? Maybe the district would have to find you a different position that works with your limitations in order to not be discriminating against a person with a disability? Can you do another stretch of short term disability?
Teachers are strong people, and you are one. The year before I left school, PsA caused me to stay away for 3 months, and then Christmas break. Yet, I still covered the curriculum when I came back, no sweat! All but two children passed (that's 25 first graders). Believe in yourself, because I believe in you.
Yes. In Florida's Statutes, the definition of a teacher is included, as we are supposed to be "paid by the State". The State sends the funds to the County, who administers the funds using "FTE" (full-term equivalency=meaning the amount of full time students the school has). Since we are government employees, they are quick into taking our money anyway they can. This includes Social Security and Medicare. They gave the employees an option to buy Disability Insurance, which I did. And yes, you can claim into it as many times as you need, until you reach the age of retirement. They have Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance. I claimed the short term until my Social Security case was approved. This approval immediately made my Long Term Disability stick.
I had a rough time getting my Social Security Disability approved, until I found out one of my cousins was a retired SS lawyer. This is the trick. Many doctors are slow in their diagnosis of PsA, or just plainly do not want to give us the disability per se. (I am sure they are convinced of their reasons because they don't really know anyone close to them with this disease) The trick is that the Social Security will approve any patient who can prove many ongoing illnesses, like we all have. There is a big YES! to this. As soon as I plead my case, we celebrated the victory, even without a PsA diagnosis.
Ibeth said:
Gelita,
Does your district pay into Social Security? I live in California and they do not here. I have disability insurance, and used it two years ago for an entire school year when I was first diagnosed and in excruciating pain.
Gelita said:Ibeth,
In my job, the School Board had a disability insurance, which I claimed with a dr.'s note. Once you have exhausted your sick leave, this may help.
This income helped me while I got my Social Security checks coming. Once it did, the disability checks were reduced, but there's money still coming in from this insurance until I reach 62 years of age.