Thank you so much everyone. Just to respond to a few questions/ suggestions: In Australia disability is means tested and we do not qualify. I can do courses free at colleges of further study and support as they recognise myositis as a disability but I am concerned about my brain fog/ executive function. The pains I get from working last 3 days - ending with Thusday being my 1 pain free day. This is just the extra pain. Oh to be pain free!

Hi Carol,
......about having short term and long term disability at work. You should apply.
I had to cut down to 30 hours work for a year and the short term disability paid 75% of my missing wage. We get 480 hours of short term at my work and since I was only taking 10 hrs a week off, it actually lasted for a year, . And if I missed a day because of my health they paid me for the day too at 75%. (my doctor order to reduce my work schedule included that I might miss 2-3 days of work per month.)
I now have to cut back to half time and don't have anymore short term left so we will really have to tighten our budget, but I have been checking into long term disability through work which is "state" disability. On my plan we can apply for that even when we are working, if I make less than 80% of my full time wage, which of course I will be. I am just waiting on HR to find out which plan we actually have. Unfortunately I did not pay for the added coverage before I was diagnosed.

Good luck to you!
Kim