the misconception: if ur labs are normal, you don’t need accommodations. wrong. labs don’t measure how ur hands function on a hard day. i’m RA where CRP and ESR often stay low even mid-flare, so my employer saw the results and basically cleared me.
but gripping during patient consults left me aching for days. how to advocate for what you need: lead with function, not diagnosis. say “i need to sit during consults” not “my RA flares.” bring documentation from ur rheum confirming diagnosis and ongoing treatment (doesn’t need to be detailed). be specific: “flexible mornings on metho injection days” lands way different than “i’m tired sometimes.” the hardest part: employers want visible proof of sickness to justify accommodations.
but autoimmune illness doesn’t come with a visible card. you show up looking fine, functioning at 60%, and somehow that disqualifies you. anyone else dealing w/ this constant need to prove you’re sick enough?