New office chair....guilt

[Wufflebear]

So I finally broke down and asked for a chair that had a foot rest. I had seen one floating around a while ago. I have tried to prop my feet up on boxes, shelves but nothing really does the trick. I need to get my feet up some days as it does reallyhelp my ability to cope. And my old chair reclines but it is springy so you keep bouncing back up...

They brought a chair this morning and it is MASSIVE. It is kind of awkward but it does help. I can feel that it does take the edge off how yucky I feel. However I feel SO DARN GUILTY. And the looks co-workers give me as they walk by is really precious. I have always just denied my problems and tried to just fit in, but it does not work real good. I feel like a gimp or something. This is the first thing I have asked for that I actually got here...and I had to spill a good deal beans to get it. Now I guess I feel kind of vunerable, I guess.

[persephone]

Hey don't feel bad- if it helps, that is COOL!

I'm in exactly the same boat here in OXford.

THe bodleian library has world famous chairs named after the library-- but I CANNOT sit in them. They absolutely kioll my joints and they cut off the circulation a wee bit too much.

My disabled student allowance enabled me to get an ergonomic chair which reclines without springing up- checl out www.posturite.co.uk

I'm sure they have a sister company in the US or something.

anyway, their chairs are designed to increase blood flow and circulation, ease pressure on back and joints ,and best of all, I have a funky bendy footrest. My chair is SO snazzy!

But people kept trying to sit in it at first- so the library have given me my own desk and left a sign on it saying that the desk is for use by someone with a particular disability. Which is really helpful.

Maybe you could get one of your bosses to explain to ther people what's going on with you? Or maybe you could yourself?

I have always been VERY open about what happens to me- it's the best way. It might scrae people a bit to hear about it, but it sure scares them a lot less than if they know nothing and then just see you passed out on the floor before their eyes. Cruel to be kind and all that...

Great on gettin a chair though- well done, love! It's amazing how something like that can make such a difference. For the first time in my entire life, I can spend more than 20 minutes in a library without feeling so sore and tired and dizzy and headachy I could just SOB .

Quite liberating, all in all!

[Jacquie802]

Hi,

CONGRATS on the chair. DO NOT feel GUILTY!! You would obviously rather feel better, than dealing with symptoms everyday.

I try to educate as many people as I can about POTS. It's really up to us right now to let people know POTS exists! Do you talk to any of your co-workers about stuff other than work?? Even if you just talked to one about POTS and told them that's the reason you need the recliner, I'm sure the others would find out and understand. Try not to worry about this, as long as it helps you out who cares what others think?!

Enjoy your nice new chair!

Jacquie

[dizzygirl]

Hi.. I understand you guiilt about wanting to fit in and such... but if this chair is going to enable you to be able to do your job and maybe be alittle less symptomatic thru out the day.. then forget about you co-workers and there "looks"...give them some really precious looks back !!! LOL..

maybe send an inner office memo.. giving a breif explanation of dysautonomia.. and leave it at that.. if they still have isues then it is there issue not yours!

[Sunfish]

i know it's easier said than done, but please try not to feel guilty...if it helps you to function better, then that is WAY more important than what others think. additionally, they may be more curious than anything else. and while it's obviously your choice re: how much to tell others, sometimes a short explanation can go a long way for folks who otherwise think you're just getting extras for no reason. it doesn't have to even be detailed but can cut people off at the pass.

but you said that you paid for the chair?? did i read that right?? if it's something that you need b/c of a disability your employer - not you - should have paid for it. unless you work somewhere with less than fifteen employees (in which case the ADA essentially doesn't apply).

melissa

[Evie]

Its good to hear they got you a chair Sorry that your co-workers are being weird about it. Maybe you are misinterpreting thier looks? They could just be thinking why does she get a big chair? I mean if they dont know you have medical issues it would seem strange, but usually if they know then they are supportive.

I get notetakers at university as well as extra time and computers in exams. I was a bit worried how the other students (my friends) would react but once you explain they are mostly very supportive. All in all we need these things to function the best we can, no need to feel guilty... hang in there

[flyingmonkey]

I can totally relate -- I HATE asking for special treatment, especially at work, where of course I want to appear capable and helpful, not needy! But I do believe it is really important for us all to take care of our needs. The fact is, we do have special needs and we have limitations that other people don't have (much as we may hate to admit it, even to ourselves), and if we don't respect those limitations the results will probably be unpleasant for the people around us, as well as for ourselves.

Soo ... try not to feel guilty! Even if other people think that you are getting better treatment than they are, you know the truth: that you have problems they do not have, and the chair is just part of helping you cope with those problems.

Congratulations, and be proud of yourself for doing what it takes to take care of yourself!

-flyingmonkey

[Wufflebear]

Thanks guys!

It was weird friday, the day i got the chair, I left work without a massive headache for the first time in over two months! That in and of itself was SOOOOO good. When I sit up for too long and finally recline a bit w/ the footrest I can actually feel some of the yucky feeling drain out... How do you spell relief? CHAIR. (-;

The chair is old, massive and a little quirky but it does help. (I did not pay for it, they just dug it out of storage for me. It used to belong to the owner of the company until they sold..then it floated around and finally landed in storage.)

I have always just tried to hide my physical problems and switch jobs when I could not do that anymore...but as I am in such a small town I am finally having to face the music, so to speak. (-; Thanks everyone for responding...I love having a place where people understand.