I don't have anything to add to this post, but all I can say is that there are a lot of well informed members in this group! What great advice you have all given!! WOW!!! I am a boss and owner of a small business, and I am always looking to see if one of my employees is struggling with personal or medical issues. If they are I do try to help and accomodate and find out if there are problems. I need to have my employees top notch, and when they struggle I want to help so they can function well on the job! Hang in there!

it really doesn't matter that the laws have us covered under the ADA because it is really about the kids -who don't understand your problems with RA, neither should it be their problem. Your boss is just one of the many people in your life who won't get it, and even though laws are in place to help us "fit in" - is it really fair on your students?

Many of us with RA have to make changes in our careers and even stop working to take care of ourselves and our families. I think you should talk to your doctor and your family and have a real talk with yourself about how you are doing and please don't angry with the other people for not understanding what you are going through. It's not their problem,. We own our RA. It's ours. You have my permission to take care of yourself first, and with RA that can take plenty of energy!

I had to stop working recently after 24 years on the job - because i lost a step or two because of my RA. Not everyone can get remission even though we try!!!

RA is a game changer for real. At least you can talk to us about it. I am sorry for you because you are so young, but i am also happy for you because you are young enough to make adjustments and carry on.

Be truthful with yourself and carefully think about and do what is right for you, your family, your employer and your students...RA will still be there whatever your decision.

Thank God that you're still young. Positive thoughts to you!!!

hang in there RAMom you may be at the beginning of your career, and it is your career, you will make he best decisions for you. who knows with the right medication mix you could get one hell of a lull to a sorta kinda remission - and you do not owe your boss a self reflection. tape alto's response to your bathroom mirror - i can't remember but we have a ot of working teachers on this board right now in treatment - you are just caught at a cross roads of early treatment - rooting for you - get in and talk to your doctor also

Depot

linzsey, RAmom didn't mention that s/he was specifically a teacher - just in education. additionally, even if s/he is suffering from RA and children s/he may teach wouldn't understand it, so what? if s/he is able to perform his/her job - even if s/he 'looks tired', which i'm sorry but how i look has no effing bearing on how i do my job unless i'm like a model or actor - then s/he shouldn't even THINK about reconsidering because some douchecanoe boss says 'ooh, you look tired and overwhelmed, stop or i'll write you up'.

ridiculous. RAmom, please feel free to ignore anything linzsey - or any of the rest of us - say. i hope you feel like you've received some support and well-meant advice from us. good luck :)

as a disclaimer - this is only my opinion - no disrespect meant to anyone. I am just offering food for thought. I don't know about you all, but for ME only I guess, RA changed everything about my life. I am not able to do the things I used to do and maybe that just happened to me alone, I don't know. I found that trying to keep up with everything at the pace I needed to was too much. It is very hard getting people to understand RA - I don't even understand it, and I have it.

Did you know being under a lot of stress also can make your RA flare even more? Or I should say, stress makes my RA worse.

Talking to your doctor is the safest route to take. No one this forum has all the answers and i always try to be positive, but some people on here are just foul-mouthed and others are just looking for a fight.

RAmom - Always give your best, and only you know what your best is.

I think this is the wrong forum for me. but I did try!!

Best wishes to you

Lindsey, I actually BECAME a teacher BECAUSE of RA. Couldn't continue on as a horse trainer - so I went back to college and now use my brain.

I've now taught for six years. Taught through a full body super flare my very first year. Got a Master's WHILE working 80 hours per week and teaching three preps - two of which were advanced placement high level courses.

And guess what ? I'm a level five teacher and only one of two teachers in my school to consistently be in the green zone for state test scores of my classes.

I've seen highly effective teachers who are blind, wheelchair bound and using Cains. Effectiveness is a mindset - not a physical ability. Sure, I don't handwrite much on the board - I used pots. Sure I don't keep a handwritten grading book - I use cloud grading books. It's easy to make adjustments to deal with my physical limitations - THAT'S why I became an educator.

And students must be taught empathy - do they not? And they also must learn that physical limitations do not limit where your mind can take you.

That's ppts not pots.... Darn autocorrect!

Thanks again. Depot, I have one kid in high school, one in kindergarten, and one still in day care. I also commute to work so I am up and going by 4:30 every day. We leave the house at 6:30 to make all the drop offs and for me to get to work! My DH is trying to be supportive but he's got his own health issues. We live an hour and a half from our family. So I do have a lot on my plate. My boss is not the most sympathetic person so all these factors would be considered whining to him.
As for going above his head to talk to someone or even calling HR it's almost impossible because he is related to everyone in the DO! It's a weird situation, but also seems hopeless.
Thanks again everyone!

You have privacy rights when talking to HR about your medical condition. Just because this person is related to the HR person makes no difference. This is why these privacy laws have been established.

wow you are supermom with that break up in different care and classes! I am thinking of you. Hang in there. :)

not sure how you would file your FLMLA if not through HR

the labor site (earlier post) from the US government was kind of interesting as I read through it. It's not bad dinner conversation:

Unlawful Acts
FMLA makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right provided by this law. It is also unlawful for an employer to discharge or discriminate against any individual for opposing any practice, or because of involvement in any proceeding, related to FMLA.

Employers cannot use the taking of FMLA leave as a negative factor in employment actions, such as hiring, promotions, or disciplinary actions; nor can FMLA leave be counted under "no fault" attendance policies.
Enforcement

FMLA is enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment Standards Administration. This agency investigates complaints of violations. If violations cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the Department may bring action in court to compel compliance.

An eligible employee may bring a private civil action against an employer for violations. An employee is not required to file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division prior to bringing such action.

Other Provisions
Some special rules apply to employees of local education agencies. Generally, these rules provide for FMLA leave to be taken in blocks of time when the leave is needed intermittently or when leave is required near the end of a school term (semester).
Several States and other jurisdictions also have family or medical leave laws. If both the Federal law and a State law apply to an employer's operations, an employee is entitled to the most generous benefit provided under either law.