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[worldsong]

Hi--I’m in my first academic job out of grad school, and I’ve run into a puzzling problem. Because of a chronic cardiovascular disorder, I can’t stand up for more than a few minutes without fainting.  I’m doing well in spite of this, but I have some limitations, and I’ve found that it’s a particular issue at professional-social gatherings.

Faculty and conference parties, unlike parties in grad school, seem to always be conducted with everyone standing up, and if there are any seats in the space at all, they are placed several feet away from the socializing—so that when I sit, I feel like a wallflower at a middle school dance! Once at a chairless conference reception I asked for one, and was told no chairs could be moved into that room.

I need to meet and interact with my colleagues, and while I’ve tried joining those standing at first and then telling whoever I’m talking to, in a positive way, that I’d love to chat more but need to be sitting down, most aren’t willing to leave the crowd. I’m usually quite a social person, so this is killing me. I’m (thankfully) not disabled enough to need a wheelchair, but I wish there were some option in between that and being relegated to the sidelines.

I also have some concerns about campus visits on the job market, where it can sometimes be awkward as well. What can I do to keep my condition from holding back my professional (and social) life?

[zuzu_]

Why don't you go get a fabulous cane and carry it around? People will be much more accomodating, and no one will think twice when you ask to sit. Plus, you won't have the awkwardness of explaining your condition. The cane will do the talking.

[scampster]

Wow, that's hard. Do you teach and present at conferences while sitting down?

[wegie]

Would a shooting stick work?

[greyscale]

I was going to suggest a small folding 3-legged stool, but wegie's shooting stick suggestion is even better, especially if you can find a nifty antique one.

I have a friend who is legally blind but has enough vision that she doesn't immediately seem vision-impaired. She uses a cane to help navigate safely and easily -- and it definitely has the positive side effect zuzu_ mentioned, getting rid of any need to explain the situation. I realize that carrying a stool or a cane might make you feel like your disability is on display to the world, but she found that it was an improvement.

[worldsong]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! It's kind of a ridiculous problem to have, and it's hard to talk to people about it, so I really appreciate this forum and your help. I do sit to teach and present--sometimes students complain about it in evaluations, and classroom/conference setups are also sometimes an issue, but usually it's workable in some way. I've been reluctant to do the cane for all the obvious reasons, but I suppose in the long run it might be worse for me to not participate than to make it visible that I have a medical condition.

And I've never heard of a shooting stick before! It looks like if I can suck it up and just be practical, it might be a perfect solution! Thanks again. :)

[goldenapple]

Please don't feel that it's a ridiculous problem. It's a situation you have to deal with, and it would probably be best to be very direct about it with a few people. For instance, have a talk with the department secretary and probably the chair (I've always had really nice department chairs, though many people here have not). Let that person know that you aren't physically able to stand for long periods and that it's important for you to have a place to sit. Even at conferences, it would be best to let people know directly (without being obliged to lay out your entire health record): "Hey, I have some issues with my legs. Can we sit for a while?"

Clearly you're embarrassed by having to ask for a chair, but really, it's necessary. And I, for one, would feel terrible if I had been standing and talking to someone who said, "Hey, why don't we find some chairs?" and, not realizing that that person really meant, "If I don't find a chair in the next 10 minutes, I'll faint," I responded with, "Oh, I don't mind standing. I've been sitting all day." I don't want to be a jerk! Give me a chance.  Let people know what you need. It's really fine.

[larryc]

Yeah, this is no more ridiculous than any other physical impairment. I think that life would be better for you if you were more upfront about it. Tell your classes what is going on--teach them about your condition (be specific, not vague) by way of explanation of why you teach sitting down. At conferences and such carry a cane as a visible advertisement of your condition. Otherwise the "let's go sit somewhere" segues comes off as a little weird.

You can totally work with this, but bring it up front.

[punchnpie]

worldsong - I'm sorry to hear of your troubles.  I'm currently battling sciatica. I thought I could stand for teaching, but soon found that I couldn't walk, much less stand. At first I struggled around, trying to be 'normal,' but then I got a cane. I think it can be important for people to see that you have an issue. You won't be pressed to do things that make you uncomfortable as you might when people can't see that you may have some special needs.

I always tell my students that when they design systems and services for users that not all disabilities are visible, and to be mindful of what others may be going through. And I can understand wanting to keep one's disability invisible, but sometimes you have to let people see what is going on. The cane with the little seat sounds like something worth trying.

My students have been very supportive - I can't imagine that I'd get dinged on my evals for sitting down during class. It was a lot easier to be up front about my need to sit during class when I walked in with the cane, than to try and hide everything and have them wonder why their formally bubbly and moving around the room prof was rather quiet and sitting still.

Good luck.

[worldsong]

Well, I do always say that I need to sit due to a medical problem (so sitting doesn't sound like a creepy suggestion)--but it's true that I have to work on feeling OK with being up front about this.

Thanks again for your support, all. :)

[bud04]

He!! I sit all the time on a table in front of the class and the lectern. I've never heard one peep about this on my student evaluations. Just do what you need to do to be comfortable. 

[infopri]

When I first got onto the TT, I injured my ankle very badly on my second day (before classes even started!), on my way to new-faculty orientation.  It took a year to heal, in part because I continued to re-injure it just by walking around, so I ended up having to use a cane until the healing was complete the following year.

I was amazed at how differently (for the better) I was treated once I had the cane.  Without any request from me, people held doors, offered me their seats, even offered to carry my things for me, etc.  I was even able to board airplanes early, along with those folks who had small children or needed assistance (even though I didn't need any assistance).

If a cane would be helpful to you, I definitely recommend using it, even though (or even because) it announces your condition (and you won't have to explain what the condition is).  If the cane doesn't help you to stand longer, I'd still consider it, because, as others said and my experience confirms, people will understand more readily that you have a physical problem and will make all sorts of allowances.

Good luck.

[worldsong]

Yeah, I really do like the idea of the seat cane and will definitely try it--I've actually ordered one! My iffiness about just carrying around a cane in general, I think, comes from an emotional place--I don't need one for walking (I used to have trouble walking before treatment, but now I can walk short distances fine), and because my condition's uncommon and I didn't really fit the textbook characteristics, no one thought to look for it for a while, and I spent several unfortunate years before diagnosis being treated like I was just making things up. So I guess I am reluctant to do any pretending at all, lest anyone think that I'm exaggerating my problem or just looking for attention. It's a dumb psychological reason, but there it is. :)  I'm sure lots of people with invisible health challenges have similar stories.

Anyway, thanks again for the positive experiences!

[infopri]

Yeah, I really do like the idea of the seat cane and will definitely try it--I've actually ordered one! My iffiness about just carrying around a cane in general, I think, comes from an emotional place--I don't need one for walking (I used to have trouble walking before treatment, but now I can walk short distances fine), and because my condition's uncommon and I didn't really fit the textbook characteristics, no one thought to look for it for a while, and I spent several unfortunate years before diagnosis being treated like I was just making things up. So I guess I am reluctant to do any pretending at all, lest anyone think that I'm exaggerating my problem or just looking for attention. It's a dumb psychological reason, but there it is. :)  I'm sure lots of people with invisible health challenges have similar stories.

Anyway, thanks again for the positive experiences!

I felt weird using the cane at first, too.  I did need it to walk, but I still felt very self-conscious and phony.  Like you, I was afraid I'd be seen as exaggerating my problem or looking for attention.  It was indeed dumb of me, and I learned to get past the feeling.

But your condition is different from what I was going through, so you have to do what's right for you.  I hope the seat cane does the trick for you!

[lost_angeleno]

I can't stand for more than a few minutes at a time, and have been amazed at the hostility I've encountered from other faculty, students, and administration.

Faculty complain to me that they don't want a desk in "their" classroom, because they like to walk around.  Totally insensitive.  Have had to confront a few. They backed down, but showed no evidence they understood.

Students have carried desks out of the classroom, right in front of me.  Again, I had to confront them, and they got angry at me for demanding the desks be replaced.  I still get petty harassment; two weeks ago, someone slipped a notice under my office door of a charity 10k run.  Cute.

I have read student comments (on ratemyprof) complaining about a colleague being a really bad teacher because he had suffered a stroke.  Many of the kids we're getting these days are seriously insensitive.  Entitled, used to being pandered to and accommodated themselves, many have no interest in showing understanding toward others.

The administration has been obstinate about taking minimal initiative.  It was only when a tin desk they put in a room collapsed under me that they began to take things seriously; and then  only because I filed a formal complaint under the ADA, the ADAAAof2008, and the System policy on Civil Rights Discrimination, along with a threat of legal action if the situation was not resolved immediately, and spread it all over the university administration (I gave them 2 hours, the time until my next class.  It worked.).

Ultimately, if you're disabled. you may have to take action to protect yourself.  Get a copy of the ADA, the ADAAAof2008, and any university or system policies on civil rights discrimination (disablilty is a civil rights issue), handicapped access, and disability accommodation.  Create a file with medical verification of your disability and these documents.  Make 4 0r 5 copies.  If you have any problems, take the issue to Human Resources, the office of the Dean of Faculties (or whichever office fulfills that function), and the Provost.  Make a clear, reasonable case if you've not faced adversarial actions; make a demand if you have faced adversarial actions.  You have rights.  Exercise them.

This college is in Texas.  No surprise.