Who knows?

mom2lillian · Jul 15, 2008

Honesty is the best policy in my book. I have had 6 bosses (in 7 years YIKES) who are all FANTASTIC about it. My bosses range in how they deal with it, some want to understand, some ask questions, others just send me an email as to my FMLA being covered saying let me know if you need anything.

My preference is for people to know me before they know about my CF that is just so it does not alter their view of me with teh 'pity card'. I did not tell the colleagues in my new group until I had had a cold for some time I couldnt ditch and was getting the 'wow you sound horrible' commments then I sent an email out to everyone with info and links where they could learn more and told them I was VERY open and enjoyed fielding questions with an additional brief explanation as to how it may affect me at work, doctor appontments and missing for IV's about 1x year.

That being said I ahve also had an article done on me for fundraising and sent to the whole site, but its a large site (4000) and most people dont put me together with it however it is 'out' there.

The head of HR, disability dept, my boss, my director, the site leader, and now the leader of a group of sites (due to promotion of that person and his family ties with CF) know I have CF. I am a hard worker and a valued team member I have zero worries about being discriminated against. HOnestly, in this day and age IMO you have a higher chance of having policies be more lenient towards you for fear of lawsuit via discrimination. Note all of that is said with a larger company in mind, I am sure that is NOT the case with small companies.

mom2lillian · Jul 15, 2008

Honesty is the best policy in my book. I have had 6 bosses (in 7 years YIKES) who are all FANTASTIC about it. My bosses range in how they deal with it, some want to understand, some ask questions, others just send me an email as to my FMLA being covered saying let me know if you need anything.

My preference is for people to know me before they know about my CF that is just so it does not alter their view of me with teh 'pity card'. I did not tell the colleagues in my new group until I had had a cold for some time I couldnt ditch and was getting the 'wow you sound horrible' commments then I sent an email out to everyone with info and links where they could learn more and told them I was VERY open and enjoyed fielding questions with an additional brief explanation as to how it may affect me at work, doctor appontments and missing for IV's about 1x year.

That being said I ahve also had an article done on me for fundraising and sent to the whole site, but its a large site (4000) and most people dont put me together with it however it is 'out' there.

The head of HR, disability dept, my boss, my director, the site leader, and now the leader of a group of sites (due to promotion of that person and his family ties with CF) know I have CF. I am a hard worker and a valued team member I have zero worries about being discriminated against. HOnestly, in this day and age IMO you have a higher chance of having policies be more lenient towards you for fear of lawsuit via discrimination. Note all of that is said with a larger company in mind, I am sure that is NOT the case with small companies.

mom2lillian · Jul 15, 2008

Honesty is the best policy in my book. I have had 6 bosses (in 7 years YIKES) who are all FANTASTIC about it. My bosses range in how they deal with it, some want to understand, some ask questions, others just send me an email as to my FMLA being covered saying let me know if you need anything.

My preference is for people to know me before they know about my CF that is just so it does not alter their view of me with teh 'pity card'. I did not tell the colleagues in my new group until I had had a cold for some time I couldnt ditch and was getting the 'wow you sound horrible' commments then I sent an email out to everyone with info and links where they could learn more and told them I was VERY open and enjoyed fielding questions with an additional brief explanation as to how it may affect me at work, doctor appontments and missing for IV's about 1x year.

That being said I ahve also had an article done on me for fundraising and sent to the whole site, but its a large site (4000) and most people dont put me together with it however it is 'out' there.

The head of HR, disability dept, my boss, my director, the site leader, and now the leader of a group of sites (due to promotion of that person and his family ties with CF) know I have CF. I am a hard worker and a valued team member I have zero worries about being discriminated against. HOnestly, in this day and age IMO you have a higher chance of having policies be more lenient towards you for fear of lawsuit via discrimination. Note all of that is said with a larger company in mind, I am sure that is NOT the case with small companies.

mom2lillian · Jul 15, 2008

Honesty is the best policy in my book. I have had 6 bosses (in 7 years YIKES) who are all FANTASTIC about it. My bosses range in how they deal with it, some want to understand, some ask questions, others just send me an email as to my FMLA being covered saying let me know if you need anything.

My preference is for people to know me before they know about my CF that is just so it does not alter their view of me with teh 'pity card'. I did not tell the colleagues in my new group until I had had a cold for some time I couldnt ditch and was getting the 'wow you sound horrible' commments then I sent an email out to everyone with info and links where they could learn more and told them I was VERY open and enjoyed fielding questions with an additional brief explanation as to how it may affect me at work, doctor appontments and missing for IV's about 1x year.

That being said I ahve also had an article done on me for fundraising and sent to the whole site, but its a large site (4000) and most people dont put me together with it however it is 'out' there.

The head of HR, disability dept, my boss, my director, the site leader, and now the leader of a group of sites (due to promotion of that person and his family ties with CF) know I have CF. I am a hard worker and a valued team member I have zero worries about being discriminated against. HOnestly, in this day and age IMO you have a higher chance of having policies be more lenient towards you for fear of lawsuit via discrimination. Note all of that is said with a larger company in mind, I am sure that is NOT the case with small companies.

mom2lillian · Jul 15, 2008

Honesty is the best policy in my book. I have had 6 bosses (in 7 years YIKES) who are all FANTASTIC about it. My bosses range in how they deal with it, some want to understand, some ask questions, others just send me an email as to my FMLA being covered saying let me know if you need anything.
 
 My preference is for people to know me before they know about my CF that is just so it does not alter their view of me with teh 'pity card'. I did not tell the colleagues in my new group until I had had a cold for some time I couldnt ditch and was getting the 'wow you sound horrible' commments then I sent an email out to everyone with info and links where they could learn more and told them I was VERY open and enjoyed fielding questions with an additional brief explanation as to how it may affect me at work, doctor appontments and missing for IV's about 1x year.
 
 That being said I ahve also had an article done on me for fundraising and sent to the whole site, but its a large site (4000) and most people dont put me together with it however it is 'out' there.
 
 The head of HR, disability dept, my boss, my director, the site leader, and now the leader of a group of sites (due to promotion of that person and his family ties with CF) know I have CF. I am a hard worker and a valued team member I have zero worries about being discriminated against. HOnestly, in this day and age IMO you have a higher chance of having policies be more lenient towards you for fear of lawsuit via discrimination. Note all of that is said with a larger company in mind, I am sure that is NOT the case with small companies.

MCGrad2006 · Jul 15, 2008

I am still on the edge about this topic. I am very careful as to who I tell. Currently I am 24 years old and have yet to find a permanent job (for those that dont know, I am seeking a teaching position and they are hard to come by in my area). When I was in college, I did not tell anyone, except my close friends and the three other girls at my school that had CF...yes very wierd, but another story for another time. A lot of people knew in high school and in my town, so I didnt want people to judge me by my sickness. I found out later on that a lot of the people in my grade knew simply because of the other girls with CF...since we couldnt hang out together, they probably said something to thier friends.

That being said, not many faculty knew either...none of my professors knew until I hade to be hospitalized during the school year in my junior year. And even then I only told on an as needed basis. I kinda just said I may be out for a few days but I will be back and will be able to do work while I am getting my meds. I just didnt want to deal with the sympathy card and make my profs feel like they had to give me sympathy. I didnt want to be treated differently than any of my classmates.

When I went back for my "super senior" (in other words, my third semester of senior year...for my student teaching...another incident happened to make me believe that I didnt want people to know. I was supposed to teach at this school and low and behold...there was a child with CF and cepacia at this school. I called my doctor (and this was three days before school was to start, and I had already moved into my college dorm) and he was like omg get out of there pretty much. So there goes my cover, I had to tell my professors so that they could find me another school to work at. I found another school, but now my advisor knew and she treated me differently. I hated it. She would say things, especially at the end when I was really tired and worn down, like would you like me to take it easier on you and grade you differently. I said, "No, I want you to treat me the same as everyone else." Well then eventually I found out that when she was called on to give (at least one) reference to prospective jobs for me, she told them I had a disability and/or that it might effect my stamina. I contacted her and she denied the whole thing and without having much evidence, I couldnt do anything else to affect her. I do think that she did say those things, because she was terrified that I found out and contacted me right away.

That is the other reason I would not want to tell people. I mean yes, once I have a permanent job, I will want at least my bosses to know. With my experience, I just dont want that to happen until I am settled. At least when I get a permanent job, I will have a good reputation and hopefully my bosses will want to give me a more shining recomendation. The other thing for me is that I will be a teacher...and I will have to make sure I dont have students that might have CF, so some people at whatever school I am working at, would have to know.

MCGrad2006 · Jul 15, 2008

I am still on the edge about this topic. I am very careful as to who I tell. Currently I am 24 years old and have yet to find a permanent job (for those that dont know, I am seeking a teaching position and they are hard to come by in my area). When I was in college, I did not tell anyone, except my close friends and the three other girls at my school that had CF...yes very wierd, but another story for another time. A lot of people knew in high school and in my town, so I didnt want people to judge me by my sickness. I found out later on that a lot of the people in my grade knew simply because of the other girls with CF...since we couldnt hang out together, they probably said something to thier friends.

That being said, not many faculty knew either...none of my professors knew until I hade to be hospitalized during the school year in my junior year. And even then I only told on an as needed basis. I kinda just said I may be out for a few days but I will be back and will be able to do work while I am getting my meds. I just didnt want to deal with the sympathy card and make my profs feel like they had to give me sympathy. I didnt want to be treated differently than any of my classmates.

When I went back for my "super senior" (in other words, my third semester of senior year...for my student teaching...another incident happened to make me believe that I didnt want people to know. I was supposed to teach at this school and low and behold...there was a child with CF and cepacia at this school. I called my doctor (and this was three days before school was to start, and I had already moved into my college dorm) and he was like omg get out of there pretty much. So there goes my cover, I had to tell my professors so that they could find me another school to work at. I found another school, but now my advisor knew and she treated me differently. I hated it. She would say things, especially at the end when I was really tired and worn down, like would you like me to take it easier on you and grade you differently. I said, "No, I want you to treat me the same as everyone else." Well then eventually I found out that when she was called on to give (at least one) reference to prospective jobs for me, she told them I had a disability and/or that it might effect my stamina. I contacted her and she denied the whole thing and without having much evidence, I couldnt do anything else to affect her. I do think that she did say those things, because she was terrified that I found out and contacted me right away.

That is the other reason I would not want to tell people. I mean yes, once I have a permanent job, I will want at least my bosses to know. With my experience, I just dont want that to happen until I am settled. At least when I get a permanent job, I will have a good reputation and hopefully my bosses will want to give me a more shining recomendation. The other thing for me is that I will be a teacher...and I will have to make sure I dont have students that might have CF, so some people at whatever school I am working at, would have to know.

MCGrad2006 · Jul 15, 2008

I am still on the edge about this topic. I am very careful as to who I tell. Currently I am 24 years old and have yet to find a permanent job (for those that dont know, I am seeking a teaching position and they are hard to come by in my area). When I was in college, I did not tell anyone, except my close friends and the three other girls at my school that had CF...yes very wierd, but another story for another time. A lot of people knew in high school and in my town, so I didnt want people to judge me by my sickness. I found out later on that a lot of the people in my grade knew simply because of the other girls with CF...since we couldnt hang out together, they probably said something to thier friends.

That being said, not many faculty knew either...none of my professors knew until I hade to be hospitalized during the school year in my junior year. And even then I only told on an as needed basis. I kinda just said I may be out for a few days but I will be back and will be able to do work while I am getting my meds. I just didnt want to deal with the sympathy card and make my profs feel like they had to give me sympathy. I didnt want to be treated differently than any of my classmates.

When I went back for my "super senior" (in other words, my third semester of senior year...for my student teaching...another incident happened to make me believe that I didnt want people to know. I was supposed to teach at this school and low and behold...there was a child with CF and cepacia at this school. I called my doctor (and this was three days before school was to start, and I had already moved into my college dorm) and he was like omg get out of there pretty much. So there goes my cover, I had to tell my professors so that they could find me another school to work at. I found another school, but now my advisor knew and she treated me differently. I hated it. She would say things, especially at the end when I was really tired and worn down, like would you like me to take it easier on you and grade you differently. I said, "No, I want you to treat me the same as everyone else." Well then eventually I found out that when she was called on to give (at least one) reference to prospective jobs for me, she told them I had a disability and/or that it might effect my stamina. I contacted her and she denied the whole thing and without having much evidence, I couldnt do anything else to affect her. I do think that she did say those things, because she was terrified that I found out and contacted me right away.

That is the other reason I would not want to tell people. I mean yes, once I have a permanent job, I will want at least my bosses to know. With my experience, I just dont want that to happen until I am settled. At least when I get a permanent job, I will have a good reputation and hopefully my bosses will want to give me a more shining recomendation. The other thing for me is that I will be a teacher...and I will have to make sure I dont have students that might have CF, so some people at whatever school I am working at, would have to know.

MCGrad2006 · Jul 15, 2008

I am still on the edge about this topic. I am very careful as to who I tell. Currently I am 24 years old and have yet to find a permanent job (for those that dont know, I am seeking a teaching position and they are hard to come by in my area). When I was in college, I did not tell anyone, except my close friends and the three other girls at my school that had CF...yes very wierd, but another story for another time. A lot of people knew in high school and in my town, so I didnt want people to judge me by my sickness. I found out later on that a lot of the people in my grade knew simply because of the other girls with CF...since we couldnt hang out together, they probably said something to thier friends.

That being said, not many faculty knew either...none of my professors knew until I hade to be hospitalized during the school year in my junior year. And even then I only told on an as needed basis. I kinda just said I may be out for a few days but I will be back and will be able to do work while I am getting my meds. I just didnt want to deal with the sympathy card and make my profs feel like they had to give me sympathy. I didnt want to be treated differently than any of my classmates.

When I went back for my "super senior" (in other words, my third semester of senior year...for my student teaching...another incident happened to make me believe that I didnt want people to know. I was supposed to teach at this school and low and behold...there was a child with CF and cepacia at this school. I called my doctor (and this was three days before school was to start, and I had already moved into my college dorm) and he was like omg get out of there pretty much. So there goes my cover, I had to tell my professors so that they could find me another school to work at. I found another school, but now my advisor knew and she treated me differently. I hated it. She would say things, especially at the end when I was really tired and worn down, like would you like me to take it easier on you and grade you differently. I said, "No, I want you to treat me the same as everyone else." Well then eventually I found out that when she was called on to give (at least one) reference to prospective jobs for me, she told them I had a disability and/or that it might effect my stamina. I contacted her and she denied the whole thing and without having much evidence, I couldnt do anything else to affect her. I do think that she did say those things, because she was terrified that I found out and contacted me right away.

That is the other reason I would not want to tell people. I mean yes, once I have a permanent job, I will want at least my bosses to know. With my experience, I just dont want that to happen until I am settled. At least when I get a permanent job, I will have a good reputation and hopefully my bosses will want to give me a more shining recomendation. The other thing for me is that I will be a teacher...and I will have to make sure I dont have students that might have CF, so some people at whatever school I am working at, would have to know.

MCGrad2006 · Jul 15, 2008

I am still on the edge about this topic. I am very careful as to who I tell. Currently I am 24 years old and have yet to find a permanent job (for those that dont know, I am seeking a teaching position and they are hard to come by in my area). When I was in college, I did not tell anyone, except my close friends and the three other girls at my school that had CF...yes very wierd, but another story for another time. A lot of people knew in high school and in my town, so I didnt want people to judge me by my sickness. I found out later on that a lot of the people in my grade knew simply because of the other girls with CF...since we couldnt hang out together, they probably said something to thier friends.
 
 That being said, not many faculty knew either...none of my professors knew until I hade to be hospitalized during the school year in my junior year. And even then I only told on an as needed basis. I kinda just said I may be out for a few days but I will be back and will be able to do work while I am getting my meds. I just didnt want to deal with the sympathy card and make my profs feel like they had to give me sympathy. I didnt want to be treated differently than any of my classmates.
 
 When I went back for my "super senior" (in other words, my third semester of senior year...for my student teaching...another incident happened to make me believe that I didnt want people to know. I was supposed to teach at this school and low and behold...there was a child with CF and cepacia at this school. I called my doctor (and this was three days before school was to start, and I had already moved into my college dorm) and he was like omg get out of there pretty much. So there goes my cover, I had to tell my professors so that they could find me another school to work at. I found another school, but now my advisor knew and she treated me differently. I hated it. She would say things, especially at the end when I was really tired and worn down, like would you like me to take it easier on you and grade you differently. I said, "No, I want you to treat me the same as everyone else." Well then eventually I found out that when she was called on to give (at least one) reference to prospective jobs for me, she told them I had a disability and/or that it might effect my stamina. I contacted her and she denied the whole thing and without having much evidence, I couldnt do anything else to affect her. I do think that she did say those things, because she was terrified that I found out and contacted me right away.
 
 That is the other reason I would not want to tell people. I mean yes, once I have a permanent job, I will want at least my bosses to know. With my experience, I just dont want that to happen until I am settled. At least when I get a permanent job, I will have a good reputation and hopefully my bosses will want to give me a more shining recomendation. The other thing for me is that I will be a teacher...and I will have to make sure I dont have students that might have CF, so some people at whatever school I am working at, would have to know.

Juliet · Jul 15, 2008