Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
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I quit teaching an overload course today. I'm overextended at work. Teaching an extra 6th class as an overload is beyond my normal load of 5 per semester and I can't do it. It's the first week of school, and today it was too much. I nearly lost it by the end of the day, I hurt so much and I was so exhausted.
I'm not supposed to teach overloads anyway.
I came home in crisis, then, and invoked my Americans with Disabilities Act right to an accommodation. When in 2016 I accepted tenure at the college where I teach nursing students from my hospital chaplaincy I went on the record with my PTSD, kidney disease, and diabetes diagnoses right away with HR and my college VP.
My college VP and HR director asked me what accommodation I wanted in that 2016 conversation accepting tenure, and I said just to teach a normal load. Overloads were too much stress. That semester I was teaching 8 courses, 3 courses above my normal load of 5!!
Fast forward to this week starting 2017, starting classes being assigned what? An overload.
OK, just one, I thought, not 3 like before, so I tried this week out. I nearly lost my mind with pain and exhaustion by the fourth day of the week this afternoon. When I came home in painful, exhausted crisis I emailed my VP, HR, my Chair, and my doctor. I reminded them of what we all put on the record in 2016.
It's a matter of record as I accepted tenure in 2016 that it was agreed that I am to be accommodated in the smallest way: not to bend over backwards for my diagnoses, just a normal load.
I have a coworker now in 2017 who wants to teach that class. He actually WANTS to teach an overload, so they can give it to him if they want to.
I am in physical pain, I'm exhausted, and now I am actually frightened about going back to work at school tomorrow. I don't know how my VP, etc. are going to respond. I do not feel heard.
Support really welcome, believe me.
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Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
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Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
We are a lot more closer to mortality of those lessons you teach, than those younger students and many members of staff. Health issues are a factor, physical and mental where stress and pain are involved..
The beginning of classes are always rough until a flow is achieved. Each class has an amount of required set of applications that go beyond just the class hours too.
They know this, or should if they ever taught. There is organization, planned course strategies, outside relevant nuances to incorporate, giving constructive feedback or steering back on track, reading and grading assignments x class x students, All done outside of class for each class.
Just as when a student takes a 3 /4 credit course, you can expect at least a few hours per credit outside side of class of work...Instructors have similar ratios. So it's not just the hours in class but the many outside of class that make you the instructor meeting your own standards, as high or higher than most, with a subject many don't really want to think about...but all, no exceptions will face at some point, some more than others.
A boatload of support on the way.
J.
I very much commend you for seeing clearly that that is too much & addressing it, that is a good step in taking care of you. You are already being very strong & brave doing the normal load with all you got going on. I'm sorry you do not feel heard. I hope everything works out smoothly & that they can have your coworker that wants to teach that class do it.
They are lucky to have you there I think anyway
We're here for you <3
((((((Gentle hugs)))))))))
Continued support while you work it out.
It gets so much harder to be brave when you've hurt and getting older. If people don't know, they just don't know. (I'm beyond grateful for the health that I have.)
it does sound like if they allow it to, all things will fall into place nicely with the coworker so wanting the class - how great is that.
i hope you can somehow get out of there feeling as if it were simple and easy, the email having gone ahead and handled things.
head directly for a simple meal and home to treat yourself to that extra self care and feeling all the comfort we can send you. <3 X
i'm glad you are doing what you need to do to take care of you,that's the most
important thing.
I noticed that none of them asked me how I was doing.
Someone suggested I might want to have a faculty rep sit in on the meeting, or I might want to ask if I can record it? On the other hand, I don't want to "lawyer up" and provoke a confrontation, either. I want to follow the "Goldilocks" rule--be not too hot, not too cold. By definition it's adding stress to stress, though. Any advice?
Please forward a copy of their notes or summary of the meeting for your records.
Sincerely, the Prof.
Ha!