Best (and worst) Jobs for People with hEDS!
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- Опубліковано 10 кві 2023
- In this video, I go over some good and bad aspects of various careers in relation to having a chronic illness. I also reveal what I believe to be the best jobs for people with hEDS. What do you do for a living? What is your fallback career plan? Let me know in the comments!
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What do you do for a living? Do you have a fallback career? What do you think are the best jobs for people with chronic illnesses? Let me know!
You forgot to mention anything that accommodates brain fog. I find that jobs that require performative mental clarity on-the-spot are to be avoided. This is because I tend to (poorly) improvise a solution under these circumstances and experience regret later.
@b_uppy good point, thanks!
I’ve been working successfully as a freelance commercial photographer for about 8 years as my condition has progressed. Only very recently, my health has been very unstable and I’ve become much more disabled than anticipated. Now I’m looking to go back into fine art, which will likely be less lucrative but more flexible to my abilities and inconsistent health. Glad you pointed out that desk work is taxing on our bodies too, something I think a lot of people don’t consider!
Thanks for sharing. I’m a speech language pathologist. My job currently has a good mix of ups and downs. I worked in the public schools for 20 years before I retired to work for a private practice. My boss is an occupational therapist and is very accommodating for my frequent absences. I have a bad knee and foot currently, so working with toddlers is not always easy. I enjoy working with school age children who can sit at the table 😊
I can see how your job would be difficult at times! I appreciate and respect what you do!
@@ehlersdanlosandi thank you!
Great advice for anyone who has an MSK chronic illness. I have psoriatic arthritis and i let go of my freelance editing business (too deadline based) and my canine rehab position (too hard on the joints). Now i am teaching animal acupuncture online. I think your tip to look for related positions is great - for me teaching what i used to practice has been an amazing option. I can still be in the field i love but in a different way. Owning a business has its drawbacks but no job would be able to offer the number of sick days and flexibility i realistically need.
I’m a stay at home mom who homeschools and gardens, but I also work from home writing and managing our website/blog. My husband also works from home and started his architecture firm (all his employees work remotely too) a couple years ago.
That's amazing! I'm so impressed at how much remote work is available now, it's fantastic!
This was exactly what I needed! Going through a tough transition in that I’m 29, years into my career and I need flexibility that seems not to be an option. So hard… Great ideas!
I'm glad you found it helpful! Good luck with your transition, I hope things go well!
Thank you so much for this information. I was actually looking at going back to school for ultrasound technician
Just got diagnosed with hEDS and am finding all your videos so helpful thank you! I've been a freelancer for 6 years now (Yoga Teacher + Copywriter). I can't imagine how I would possibly manage in a non-flexible employed position. I do need to spend less time at the desk and I'm looking forward to continuing to develop my yoga teacher training to work more specifically with hypermobility and EDS :)
I'm glad you're finding them helpful! I wish you well with your training, I can see that being very helpful!
My problem is, my health started deteriorating when I was 20. At that point, I had been working the same job that I got when I turned 16 (waitress->promoted to manager of a restaurant) but never was able to get any professional training/college because it's like my body fell apart over night and I was forced to quit. Now, I'm struggling to find anything I can do for income. I live at home with my parents but want to stop having to depend on them as it's not fair to them. But I'm completely at a loss of what I can offer that has value. I do enjoy writing, but I don't have any "expertise", so I don't even know what services I could offer.
It's very difficult 😣
That's definitely a difficult situation. If you enjoy writing, especially if you feel that you're good at it, I'd lean into that. It could look like writing a novel, writing a blog, writing articles, or even writing ads. It might not be much at first, but you would gain experience and discover what you like and are good at and could expand from there.
Great video! I’d wish I’d watched it while I was in high school! I did actually spend the first few years of my career corporate freelancing and this suited me well. Then I went full time in the corporate world when I wanted to buy a property and I found that very hard.
Since then, I’ve had a career change and have worked as a massage therapist and then as a remedial massage therapist with a specialty in dry needling and cupping while studying my BHSc (myotherapy). I’ve now completed the degree and will be working as a myotherapist once my transcript comes through. This will be too much for my body in the long term as it’s still quite physical, particularly the joint mobilisations, so I’m planning to study a masters in acupuncture. I have had to modify my treatment style to reduce wear and tear on my joints, but am still able to get great results with my clients, many of whom have chronic conditions themselves. If I had known that my condition would deteriorate as much as it has, I would not have studied myotherapy, but I am making it work!
Before I was diagnosed I worked in offices and as a guide dog trainer/instructor. I loved that job but it was very hard on my body. When I first started I used to come home from work and just sleep until the next morning. Now, I’m lucky to not have to work, but I’ve started refinishing furniture , which is taxing, but I can work only the hours I can. If I’m not feeling great I just work for an hour or two.
Oh wow, I can definitely see how your previous job would be super hard on the body! I'm glad you've found a way to do work on your own time, I'm sure your body thanks you!
I’m a professional tarot reader and psychic medium. I had to give up phone readings because my voice gives out. I give readings by chat and work from home. I have the flexibility to set my own schedule.
Before my hEDS progressed (I’m 55) I was a hairdresser, waitress, daycare worker and freelance writer.
Though tarot reading/psychic medium wasn’t on your list, it’s the perfect job for me.
❤
That sounds like a fabulous job, and very interesting too! Thanks for sharing!
I have Classical EDS and I am a Housekeeper at a local Bowling Alley. You should consider being on your feet quite often, but of course you can take a break and enjoy a meal, etc. BUT if you work at a Bowling Alley like I do, you get employee discount on food and two games of free bowling. I lean on my Housekeepers cart for help with keeping the stress off my feet when possible, but I can’t do that when I’m cleaning tables or the bathrooms
That sounds like an interesting job! I come from a family of competitive bowlers, but alas, I am quite terrible at it! I'm lucky to score a 100 😅. I can emphasize with being on your feet all day, my right foot is 1000% the source of most of my pain. Employee discounts sure help!
@@ehlersdanlosandi I suck at Bowling 🎳 but I at least try! And yes, Emplee discounts do help, especially when buying food and we get free drinks ( sodas, coffee, etc. No Alcoholic Drinks though)! And yes, being on your feet is a MUST for doing the job. My feet, back, hips and ribs are all my trigger points for pain! I’m hurting in those areas now!
@@shannongreenwell1278 I feel for you! Take care of those feet!
@@ehlersdanlosandi I’m going to, I’m going to take my meds and then go to bed! I’m so over this day!!!
I'm going to be an outpatient physical therapist not only because that's where my interest lies but also because it involves significantly less patient handling. I'm also going to specialize in dry needling so I can offer this as a replacement for manual therapy, which is very taxing on my hands.
That sounds like a great career! I'm sure you'll be a very empathetic therapist!
Omg this is like the only jobs i know how to do . I've been a Forester a fire team leader assisted living for people with disabilities my favorite* I currently work in a meet room that is absolutely awful and I need out and I can't find anything
I am currently a machinist. So I am climbing into machines and lifting and doing a lot of twisting movements with my hands and wrists. This is not great for my body but better than my last job because there is less repetitive motion, and my company is paying for me to go back to school for engineering, which would be a desk job with lots of walking around to trouble shoot things. So that's my out plan. P.S. I got diagnosed with joint hypermobility syndrome (chronic pain from being too bendy dr. said it was very similar to heds and was treated the same way, but less severe he also said to watch out for some other symptoms that would change the diagnosis to heds which I am experiencing but I hate drs and the JHS was hard enough to get and none of my drs know what it is or takes it seriously any way) a while back.
It sounds like you have a very good plan laid out! I'm hoping they publish the gene mutation that's been identified for hEDS, because I think that will make diagnosis so much easier - although I believe there's multiple gene mutations responsible for hEDS since it's so much more prevalent than the other subtypes and some of those subtypes also have multiple gene mutations.
I was a medical secretary and later an Executive Assistant. I don't know any office assistant that makes coffee. Usually, the boss brings that to these people or they go out and get it on their break. The keyboarding caused a great number of hand joint dislocations, filing charts and binders above head height causes shoulder dislocations and sitting in meetings makes getting back to a standing position next to impossible. I did work in a major hospital and had great support. Went to physio for my lunch break and had hot compresses available PRN at my office. I managed to work until I was 44 yrs old. (60 currently). I would not recommend this as a career choice for not wearing out your loose joints based on my personal experience. Teaching would be a better choice. Provided you didn't have to move heavy supplies from room to room.
Thanks for the advice!
I work in digital marketing, so a desk job, but I make sure to get up and move around as often as possible. I don't have a fall back, but I think I will need a change soon :(.
I hope you find something that will work for you!
@@ehlersdanlosandi Thank you very much!
My experience is either retail or geology. Anything I can do with my skills is either a very strenuous job or a desk job. I don't see anything I could do that would bring in enough to afford living expenses by myself. However, society doesn't really believe there's enough wrong with me to get disability. I feel very much like everything is hopeless and every time people try to help me, I end up being that person who says, "no that won't work either".
I would love to be a freelancer. But realistically, you need to have money saved up to get started. To start a business in my field would take thousands of dollars of equipment and a lab.
I have no fallbacks. I'm afraid society is on the brink of throwing me in the garbage because I just can't be good enough no matter how I try.
It's so hard to find that perfect middle ground. That's another reason why early diagnosis is so important, because it allows us to make informed decisions about our future career path while we are young.
Mam hypermobility sa osteoarthritis ho jaya toh
Kya ya sbhi joints ko effect krega
Flexible hours for my flexible tissues!
Hypermobility spectrum disorder develop in scoliosis
People with HSD can develop scoliosis, yes.
How do you process Disability Medicaid Filing and state payments!???
I wish I could tell you, but I have no idea unfortunately!
Thanks for reply! Fighting a bit...didn't know if Connective Tissue Disease, RA, or EDS would get approved with Disability or not. Thanks.
Is it good for me to join medical school?
Is handmade work like jewelry making or painting suitable?
I think as long as you don't pick a super physical specialty, medical school would be ok. It will probably be the most strenuous during school versus actually in the real job later. As far as jewelry making and hand painting go, it can get repetitive on your hands, but everyone is different and it might be ok for you, especially if you can choose your hours and how much you do. I still work full time in a pretty active job and I'm doing ok but I do notice certain things are getting more difficult as I get older.
You'll need to ensure you have a medical note detailing your condition because you do not get to choose your rotations and some involve more patient handling than others.
I'm a medical student on the way to getting an official diagnosis of hEDS/HSD. It's very difficult and draining, but worth it if that's what you're passionate about. I would recommend finding good coping methods for your symptoms now because it will help you in the long-run. I would also recommend looking around at other healthcare professions that have better work-life balance (such as occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, etc.) because medical school is quite strenuous. At the same time though, it's my passion and so far don't regret it. Also we really need more doctors with chronic illnesses because we offer a unique perspective and can relate to patients better. So if medicine is your passion, go for it!
Hypermobility belong improve with age
Hypermobility spectrum disorder is serious problem
Is a autoimmune disease
Yes or no
Yes, HSD can be a serious problem. No, HSD is not an autoimmune disorder.
How do I get a work from home job with no skills? I work as a cashier currently..my feet are killing me. I dont see how I can continue on.
Personally, I would Google entry-level remote jobs. Because they're non-skilled, you're going to be looking at minimum wage, but that's certainly better than nothing. Call centers and phone or online customer service type jobs come to mind because they don't require any prior experience. I would try to pick one though that has room for growth, as in you can move up the ladder into higher paying positions after you've been with the company for so long.
Or, if you're comfortable, you could ask your current employer to use a stool/chair at your register. Smaller mom and pop type stores usually won't require you to get a doctor's note and file an official accommodation request, but larger corporations will.
Im a massage therapist.... its horrible
I can imagine it would be! That's a physically tough career on any body, but especially an EDS body.
Same. I can not work more than 4 clients in a day, and I consider 4 too many. To support yourself you basically need to work 5 or 6 which is too big an ask even for average people. I consider it great part time, unthinkable fulltime.
Me with the dream of being an agroecologist and farmer 🫠💀