Over the next several posts, I want to slowly address some of the misconceptions of people who have some kind of disability.
Many people seem to believe that if a person is too ill to work (we are talking long-term) that this person should not be able to do anything enjoyable. If they cannot sit at a desk, then how can they exercise? How can they travel? How can they go out to dinners or go on dates? How can they write or draw?
The main theme here is sacrifice.
We all understand this concept. We have all worked ourselves ragged when we are short on money. We have all ignored health concerns for a paycheck. We have all participated in some event or activity that has sacrificed some of our regularly required scheduled events. If we stay out too late for a party, we sacrifice our sleep and potentially our cognitive functions for the next day. If we drink, we are sacrificing the level that our bodies can function the next day. These are all choices and all different levels of sacrifice. A rigorous workout may prevent us from comfortably walking the stairs the next few days.
These are considered to be normal run-of-the-mill sacrifices.
I am going to provide some examples over the next several posts. I hope that these examples will provide some context and improve our general understanding of what a chronic illness or a disability means.
Example Number One
Let's take a quick look at someone who has asthma, for instance.
A healthy person, let's imagine, has a 100% functioning set of lungs. If this healthy person works in a factory that produces smoke or fumes, they are sacrificing a certain percentage of their lung function to work. For that healthy person, this is not a big deal. Going to work every single day may reduce their lung function by 20%, and may only be noticeable after that person leaves that job. Working every day in that atmosphere is not necessarily resulting in clear damaging symptoms. So this person can visit the mountains, go on trips that require flying, they can be in the same vicinity as smokers, they can go for drinks, they can exercise, they can have bonfires and go camping and have no concern about being able to breathe.
Now let's put someone in that same position who has a chronic lung issue. Perhaps this ill person's lung function sits at 60% at all times. Their illness has reduced the function of their lungs by 40% nearly every day. Some days - some good days - they may be working at 70%. This could be likely from medications, a change in treatment, or maybe really good weather conditions that result in a 'good day'. This does not mean they are functioning magically at 100%, but they are better able to function, and may be able to accomplish more than usual.
So this ill individual is put into the same position. They work in this factory day in and day out, sacrificing another 20% of lung function. Suddenly, this person is only functioning with 40%. Symptoms, although not necessarily visible, are bombarding this individual. At 40% function, this person can only work. Their ability to travel, to go camping or be around any extra smoke, their ability to exercise or do anything that relies on heavy breathing is entirely hindered. They are concerned, every single day, with their ability to breathe.
So they are faced with a choice.
They can try to find employment in a different job or position, or they can sacrifice all other facets of life to work in this position - which they have trained to be, perhaps where their education has brought them - before this lung disease. They could potentially reduce their hours so that the level of damage is reduced, opening up a little more opportunity to enjoy life outside of work.
The unfortunate thing is that if this person decides to work part-time because of this lung issue, there is a stigma that goes along with it. If someone from his work were to see him on a flight traveling somewhere, exercising, or going to a bonfire, there is immediate criticism and skepticism.
For the ill individual, he is still functioning with only 40%. His lung function was still only 60%-70% on his best days, but now his work might only deplete it by 10%, so he is able to have a better quality of life outside of work. He is not better. His condition has not improved. He has simply shifted the reason for the damage so that he has a more well-rounded existence.
What if he were to leave that job entirely for a desk job with no exposure to smoke? Suddenly, his lung function is at 60%-70% each day instead of 40%-50%. Something like this could be life changing! Suddenly, he is hiking and traveling on a regular basis. He is out and about, worried less about his ability to breathe.
Yes, he is still criticized for leaving his previous job. Friends, and even some of his physicians, begin to question his integrity. They begin to wonder if he had manipulated the system for an easier job.
The truth is that nothing has changed in his disease or in his body. The only difference is the shift in outside factors. In outside influences. At first he was sacrificing his own health for a specific job. Now he is sacrificing the type of job so that he feels a bit better most days and can do more outside of work.
Stay tuned for another example!
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