Career Options with Chronic Illness
January 28, 2018 1:05 PM
Seeking help with career change research. Female, 20s, college degree ( BA Communication Studies /Media Production, Drama). Hashimoto's Disease (autoimmune hypothyroidism) with other issues/complications, including digestive issues. Not well-managed, not much success with doctors.
I found Ask MetaFilter while researching career ideas for the chronically ill, and wanted to present my situation because I've been researching and trying things for a few years but haven't found a concrete solution yet. Would appreciate input/advice.
- Main obstacles: low energy and digestive issues. (Need to cook almost all of my food)
Health has declined steadily over the past five years, even with doctor visits and lifestyle changes. I'm not able to sustain full-time work, which impacts my ability to pay for medical treatment.
- Goals:
- Become qualified for work with higher pay and part-time or less hours
- Eventually move abroad and seek holistic/natural healthcare (haven't responded well to conventional medicine)
I began seeking remote/freelance work in 2015 (copywriting, etc), and for the past year have worked in online education (tutoring). This has helped a lot, with the flexibility. However, I still cannot keep a full time schedule, so it seems the only option at this point is grad school and become qualified for a job with higher pay and less hours (or become qualified some other way).
This in itself isn't ideal; I'm not in prime condition to do grad school. But I need to do whatever it takes. Currently I'm in a situation with no rent and minimal bills, but I am responsible for working, groceries and preparing my own food, which takes a lot of energy. Though eating pre-prepared food, even from 'healthy' sources, saves me time & energy, I really can't avoid cooking all my food at this point. I'm on an elimination diet and at this time need to eat soft foods, often blended foods, because my digestion is poor.
I didn't study a 'practical' major, so now I'm hoping to study something that will help me get where I need to be financially so I can seek treatment and relocate if necessary.
After a year of tutoring, I realize teaching isn't the best for me -- talking for hours is exhausting. Private tutoring with advanced students, who do not require me to talk as constantly, is less strenuous for me. Perhaps becoming a college professor isn't the best -- taking paperwork home to grade is the last thing I need. But if there's a subject I can teach that doesn't require much 'grading' after hours (like dance, etc., which I do have experience in, though it's less straightforward in terms of stability and pay), I'm open to that.
What I've considered so far:
- Education: Masters, possibly PhD to teach at college level (overseas, preferably); subject undecided. I was set on English as a Second Language for a time & have been accepted to schools, but I'm reconsidering teaching's suitability for my energy levels. English provides a great route to overseas work.
- Other professional careers: law, engineering, environmental/wildlife-related fields...Pursuing medicine doesn't seem best because it requires many years of study, and with my poor immune system, it's best I'm not around a lot of people at work, especially not sick people.
- Language: I'm great with learning languages. (Spanish: intermediate, Korean: beginner) I've heard translation is competitive, but I could possibly become proficient enough in Spanish within a couple of years.
- Starting my own company: willing to do, have tried a few ideas, but doesn't seem realistic for me. Flexibility is nice, but it's demanding.
- There are so many options on the side of entrepreneurship, working events, etc., but working on a schedule is hard for me. I can swing it sometimes, but other times my heath causes me to cancel lessons/appointments, which isn't good for business. I try, and my clients are often understanding, but it's nice if I can do something without rigid scheduling.
I need to obtain work and progress toward financial stability & seeking treatment as quickly as possible.
Basic needs for job:
- Minimum hours with high pay (out of necessity)
- Flexibility (my health can be unpredictable; overextending myself only makes it worse)
- Possibly working on a project/deadline basis
- Remote: It seems necessary for me to work from home now, but with the right conditions and job (flexibility, low to no commute), I'm sure I could swing working on location.
I'd really appreciate advice. I am continuing to research but it is overwhelming trying to research and prepare for grad school, take exams, etc., when working and trying to take care of myself consume all of my energy. Still researching whether certain professional careers (law, etc.) actually allow for flexibility or part-time when you're first starting out. My original plan was to move abroad and teach English in a location that is more affordable with natural health care, but not being able to work full-time and average rates keep me from moving forward.
Summary of my main skills:
- Writing: copywriting, creative writing, etc.
- Public speaking
- Performance in general - dance, voice, acting, etc.
- Fitness Instruction
- Customer Service (people person)
- Organization/Event Planning/Coordinating
- Main obstacles: low energy and digestive issues. (Need to cook almost all of my food)
Health has declined steadily over the past five years, even with doctor visits and lifestyle changes. I'm not able to sustain full-time work, which impacts my ability to pay for medical treatment.
- Goals:
- Become qualified for work with higher pay and part-time or less hours
- Eventually move abroad and seek holistic/natural healthcare (haven't responded well to conventional medicine)
I began seeking remote/freelance work in 2015 (copywriting, etc), and for the past year have worked in online education (tutoring). This has helped a lot, with the flexibility. However, I still cannot keep a full time schedule, so it seems the only option at this point is grad school and become qualified for a job with higher pay and less hours (or become qualified some other way).
This in itself isn't ideal; I'm not in prime condition to do grad school. But I need to do whatever it takes. Currently I'm in a situation with no rent and minimal bills, but I am responsible for working, groceries and preparing my own food, which takes a lot of energy. Though eating pre-prepared food, even from 'healthy' sources, saves me time & energy, I really can't avoid cooking all my food at this point. I'm on an elimination diet and at this time need to eat soft foods, often blended foods, because my digestion is poor.
I didn't study a 'practical' major, so now I'm hoping to study something that will help me get where I need to be financially so I can seek treatment and relocate if necessary.
After a year of tutoring, I realize teaching isn't the best for me -- talking for hours is exhausting. Private tutoring with advanced students, who do not require me to talk as constantly, is less strenuous for me. Perhaps becoming a college professor isn't the best -- taking paperwork home to grade is the last thing I need. But if there's a subject I can teach that doesn't require much 'grading' after hours (like dance, etc., which I do have experience in, though it's less straightforward in terms of stability and pay), I'm open to that.
What I've considered so far:
- Education: Masters, possibly PhD to teach at college level (overseas, preferably); subject undecided. I was set on English as a Second Language for a time & have been accepted to schools, but I'm reconsidering teaching's suitability for my energy levels. English provides a great route to overseas work.
- Other professional careers: law, engineering, environmental/wildlife-related fields...Pursuing medicine doesn't seem best because it requires many years of study, and with my poor immune system, it's best I'm not around a lot of people at work, especially not sick people.
- Language: I'm great with learning languages. (Spanish: intermediate, Korean: beginner) I've heard translation is competitive, but I could possibly become proficient enough in Spanish within a couple of years.
- Starting my own company: willing to do, have tried a few ideas, but doesn't seem realistic for me. Flexibility is nice, but it's demanding.
- There are so many options on the side of entrepreneurship, working events, etc., but working on a schedule is hard for me. I can swing it sometimes, but other times my heath causes me to cancel lessons/appointments, which isn't good for business. I try, and my clients are often understanding, but it's nice if I can do something without rigid scheduling.
I need to obtain work and progress toward financial stability & seeking treatment as quickly as possible.
Basic needs for job:
- Minimum hours with high pay (out of necessity)
- Flexibility (my health can be unpredictable; overextending myself only makes it worse)
- Possibly working on a project/deadline basis
- Remote: It seems necessary for me to work from home now, but with the right conditions and job (flexibility, low to no commute), I'm sure I could swing working on location.
I'd really appreciate advice. I am continuing to research but it is overwhelming trying to research and prepare for grad school, take exams, etc., when working and trying to take care of myself consume all of my energy. Still researching whether certain professional careers (law, etc.) actually allow for flexibility or part-time when you're first starting out. My original plan was to move abroad and teach English in a location that is more affordable with natural health care, but not being able to work full-time and average rates keep me from moving forward.
Summary of my main skills:
- Writing: copywriting, creative writing, etc.
- Public speaking
- Performance in general - dance, voice, acting, etc.
- Fitness Instruction
- Customer Service (people person)
- Organization/Event Planning/Coordinating
If you aren't actively desperate to be a lawyer, just take law off the list immediately. It's hard to get jobs at all these days, much less jobs with incredibly flexible schedules, and law school itself is--I'm not going to say it would be impossible for someone with your health situation? I'm just going to say it would take an extraordinary level of commitment, even with accommodations. I say this with the experience of someone who went and then opted to make a career change immediately afterwards because of the career prospects being much worse than anticipated.
posted by Sequence at 2:14 PM on January 28, 2018
posted by Sequence at 2:14 PM on January 28, 2018
If you can get overseas asap to a place with a real health care system I'd do that.
This. Not only will it be better for your health, but your presentation and interactional skills should be very valuable in a non-English speaking country because you can do them all in flawless English.
posted by DrGail at 2:42 PM on January 28, 2018
This. Not only will it be better for your health, but your presentation and interactional skills should be very valuable in a non-English speaking country because you can do them all in flawless English.
posted by DrGail at 2:42 PM on January 28, 2018
What about something professional where it's common for people to have a private practice? On the more liberal arts side, there's counseling/therapy, though it seems like that could be an issue in terms of your immune system. If you're confident with numbers, maybe look into personal financial advising (a friend's husband went into that in his 40s from an underpaid career as a photographer and he loves it), bookkeeping, or accounting? (the latter takes the most schooling but of course pays the most)
Another thing you might look into is fundraising. You could focus more on the writing side (grant writing, membership/marketing materials) and/or the data analysis side, rather than the face-to-face/major donor/events side. Not necessarily as remunerative, but a lot of nonprofits are more flexible around things like hours and disability. And if you could carve out a niche for yourself as a really good grant writer, for instance, you could work as a consultant, charging quite a bit per hour and making your own hours.
Of course, either of these angles will take a while to get to the point where you're making a good hourly wage and have the freedom to set your own hours.
posted by lunasol at 2:48 PM on January 28, 2018
Another thing you might look into is fundraising. You could focus more on the writing side (grant writing, membership/marketing materials) and/or the data analysis side, rather than the face-to-face/major donor/events side. Not necessarily as remunerative, but a lot of nonprofits are more flexible around things like hours and disability. And if you could carve out a niche for yourself as a really good grant writer, for instance, you could work as a consultant, charging quite a bit per hour and making your own hours.
Of course, either of these angles will take a while to get to the point where you're making a good hourly wage and have the freedom to set your own hours.
posted by lunasol at 2:48 PM on January 28, 2018
What about learning to do closed captioning? Also, if there is a specific country you want to move to what are the local in demand part time jobs?
posted by SyraCarol at 4:12 PM on January 28, 2018
posted by SyraCarol at 4:12 PM on January 28, 2018
Perhaps becoming a college professor isn't the best -- taking paperwork home to grade is the last thing I need.
You're right, it's not the best idea - but taking paperwork home to grade is the least of it. All of the good jobs in academia are incredibly hard to get, and even if you succeed the job will be demanding. I wouldn't want to go into academia if I had concerns about my stamina - a 9-5 job would honestly be better. It also wouldn't do anything to solve your problem of having to cancel appointments.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 4:49 PM on January 28, 2018
You're right, it's not the best idea - but taking paperwork home to grade is the least of it. All of the good jobs in academia are incredibly hard to get, and even if you succeed the job will be demanding. I wouldn't want to go into academia if I had concerns about my stamina - a 9-5 job would honestly be better. It also wouldn't do anything to solve your problem of having to cancel appointments.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 4:49 PM on January 28, 2018
In general, getting a higher-level degree is going to involve a LOT of work -- if cooking your own food is exhausting, a PhD is almost certainly out of the question.
If healthcare is an issue, I would n-th the suggestion to go elsewhere ASAP. Teaching English might be your best bet.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 7:51 PM on January 28, 2018
If healthcare is an issue, I would n-th the suggestion to go elsewhere ASAP. Teaching English might be your best bet.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 7:51 PM on January 28, 2018
Following up on lunasol's suggestion of counselling/therapy — my therapist has a private practice and does online therapy. She's chronically ill and can't work full-time, so this gives her a lot of flexibility. (And it works well for me as a chronically ill patient, vs. dragging myself to an office.)
Online therapy isn't the norm but it does seem to be becoming more common. I have no idea if the schooling to become a counsellor would be manageable for you, though. Feel free to MeMail me if you want her contact info.
posted by fire, water, earth, air at 1:12 AM on January 29, 2018
Online therapy isn't the norm but it does seem to be becoming more common. I have no idea if the schooling to become a counsellor would be manageable for you, though. Feel free to MeMail me if you want her contact info.
posted by fire, water, earth, air at 1:12 AM on January 29, 2018
One of the things about teaching is that it tends to expect you to be working on a schedule. Tutoring is more flexible, in the sense that you can control that more, but there's still a strong expectation of you showing up at X time to do Y thing.
I'm a librarian with some chronic stuff. My previous jobs had a strong component of 'someone has to staff the desk'. My current one, that's much less of an issue, and it's been a lot better for my health overall. Both in the sense that if I need a sick day, I'm not letting people down, but also in terms of being able to balance tasks for the day on my own schedule, within my work hours.
Agree with the other comments about academia being incredibly demanding on stamina, but admin jobs in academia (if you can find them) are sometimes a lot more reasonable, and the benefits tend to be fairly good. For some jobs, it's also possible to do part time, or preferred schedules with a little negotiation, if there isn't a need for the office to be open/staffed at specific times.
posted by modernhypatia at 5:47 AM on January 29, 2018
I'm a librarian with some chronic stuff. My previous jobs had a strong component of 'someone has to staff the desk'. My current one, that's much less of an issue, and it's been a lot better for my health overall. Both in the sense that if I need a sick day, I'm not letting people down, but also in terms of being able to balance tasks for the day on my own schedule, within my work hours.
Agree with the other comments about academia being incredibly demanding on stamina, but admin jobs in academia (if you can find them) are sometimes a lot more reasonable, and the benefits tend to be fairly good. For some jobs, it's also possible to do part time, or preferred schedules with a little negotiation, if there isn't a need for the office to be open/staffed at specific times.
posted by modernhypatia at 5:47 AM on January 29, 2018
I think you need to shift away from years of school and consider more near term options such as court stenographer, medical coder or transcription.
Can you do dance or music therapy? This would require more school but it would be more niche and aligned with your undergrad degree and personal interests. if you go that route maybe you could also start your own business where you visit schools or nursing homes with your therapies.
Lastly, money seems like a driver here, so it would be useful if you could add an update to give a ballpark of what kind of pay you are hoping for. based on your lawyer / doctor musings, it seems pretty high and you might need to adjust your expectations a little.
posted by WeekendJen at 8:31 AM on January 29, 2018
Can you do dance or music therapy? This would require more school but it would be more niche and aligned with your undergrad degree and personal interests. if you go that route maybe you could also start your own business where you visit schools or nursing homes with your therapies.
Lastly, money seems like a driver here, so it would be useful if you could add an update to give a ballpark of what kind of pay you are hoping for. based on your lawyer / doctor musings, it seems pretty high and you might need to adjust your expectations a little.
posted by WeekendJen at 8:31 AM on January 29, 2018
Hi everyone, I really appreciate the advice and input, more than you know. Someone asked for an update with an estimate of the pay range I'm seeking. I figure: part time + medical costs + health food costs + relocating abroad = higher than average rate. Also because in the US, naturopathic doctors are generally only affordable to very high salaried individuals. If I had to stay in the US. Right now making $20/hour is rare for me. I need to progress toward goals as soon as possible (really sick), so that's why I was eyeing professional fields with high pay.
I'd like to relocate abroad 'responsibly' (aka not hightailing it out with $1000 in my pocket and hoping an overseas school comes through on housing & contract promises). But I'm lacking the energy and qualifications to make enough money to relocate abroad in a reasonable amount of time. Which is why I was aiming high. I'm not able to give a range exactly, because it could change drastically once I'm out of the country, or if I relocate within the US. I'm strongly considering Europe or Asia (not China or S Korea, air pollution problems). From my understanding, there are places in Europe that embrace holistic & Chinese medicine more readily, but my living costs could still be high in certain EU countries, compared to the US. So I'm going off of US costs of living to be safe. Holistic Medicine doctors aren't necessarily covered by insurance everywhere, even in S Korea, I learned from a Chinese medicine doctor practicing there.
I've considered I may have to stay in the US longer and get more qualifications just so I can save enough money to relocate. Possibly go to grad school in Canada, where schools could be a bit cheaper. I can get there more cheaply than Australia, though I've been accepted to a school in Australia. I can even take furniture, etc. that I already own, minimizing my relocation costs.
Strategy behind grad school: No, it's not ideal for someone in my health condition. But the other alternative seems to be keep working at the low rates I'm generally qualified for, which isn't getting me anywhere with part time hours. Unless I somehow fundraise a ton to help get me overseas.
I figure if I can get a fully-funded grad program, even with a teaching assistantship and loans, at least my living costs will be mostly taken care of. Then my only job is school, which, while intense, will have flexibility, which I need. I have considered that I won't be able to work much *during* school, which affects my ability to relocate after school. Haven't figured that out yet. May have to stay and work (with higher pay hopefully) for a while before relocating. Of course, if I managed to get a fully-funded program overseas, I don't see why I can't do it. I may not have much savings to move with, but it could possibly provide a way for me to relocate with funding. In my current situation, it will take several years or more to save up before relocating.
I hope this provides more detail and clarification.
posted by dancer4life at 5:29 PM on January 29, 2018
I'd like to relocate abroad 'responsibly' (aka not hightailing it out with $1000 in my pocket and hoping an overseas school comes through on housing & contract promises). But I'm lacking the energy and qualifications to make enough money to relocate abroad in a reasonable amount of time. Which is why I was aiming high. I'm not able to give a range exactly, because it could change drastically once I'm out of the country, or if I relocate within the US. I'm strongly considering Europe or Asia (not China or S Korea, air pollution problems). From my understanding, there are places in Europe that embrace holistic & Chinese medicine more readily, but my living costs could still be high in certain EU countries, compared to the US. So I'm going off of US costs of living to be safe. Holistic Medicine doctors aren't necessarily covered by insurance everywhere, even in S Korea, I learned from a Chinese medicine doctor practicing there.
I've considered I may have to stay in the US longer and get more qualifications just so I can save enough money to relocate. Possibly go to grad school in Canada, where schools could be a bit cheaper. I can get there more cheaply than Australia, though I've been accepted to a school in Australia. I can even take furniture, etc. that I already own, minimizing my relocation costs.
Strategy behind grad school: No, it's not ideal for someone in my health condition. But the other alternative seems to be keep working at the low rates I'm generally qualified for, which isn't getting me anywhere with part time hours. Unless I somehow fundraise a ton to help get me overseas.
I figure if I can get a fully-funded grad program, even with a teaching assistantship and loans, at least my living costs will be mostly taken care of. Then my only job is school, which, while intense, will have flexibility, which I need. I have considered that I won't be able to work much *during* school, which affects my ability to relocate after school. Haven't figured that out yet. May have to stay and work (with higher pay hopefully) for a while before relocating. Of course, if I managed to get a fully-funded program overseas, I don't see why I can't do it. I may not have much savings to move with, but it could possibly provide a way for me to relocate with funding. In my current situation, it will take several years or more to save up before relocating.
I hope this provides more detail and clarification.
posted by dancer4life at 5:29 PM on January 29, 2018
I figure if I can get a fully-funded grad program, even with a teaching assistantship and loans, at least my living costs will be mostly taken care of. Then my only job is school, which, while intense, will have flexibility, which I need.
As someone with a Ph.D., let me assure you that this is a horrible idea. Your job will be a teaching assistantship, plus school, plus anything else (research or part-time work) that you'll need to do to keep afloat. Grad school won't cover your living expenses, at least not as you see them -- it may give you health insurance, but (depending upon your program) you will be living with roommates and cooking your own food.
Is it flexible? Yes. To paraphrase the old joke, you can work any 60 hours a week you'd like. Or you can, unless you're a TA, in which case you'll have set hours. Which is something you are trying to avoid.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 5:46 PM on January 29, 2018
As someone with a Ph.D., let me assure you that this is a horrible idea. Your job will be a teaching assistantship, plus school, plus anything else (research or part-time work) that you'll need to do to keep afloat. Grad school won't cover your living expenses, at least not as you see them -- it may give you health insurance, but (depending upon your program) you will be living with roommates and cooking your own food.
Is it flexible? Yes. To paraphrase the old joke, you can work any 60 hours a week you'd like. Or you can, unless you're a TA, in which case you'll have set hours. Which is something you are trying to avoid.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 5:46 PM on January 29, 2018
Your view of what grad school is like does not seem terribly realistic.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 10:02 PM on January 29, 2018
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 10:02 PM on January 29, 2018
Upon reflection: I think you are thinking that grad school is similar to college. It’s not — it’s closer to an extremely low-paying, very intense job.
Have you considered a programming boot camp or something similar that might rapidly boost your income?
posted by steady-state strawberry at 4:06 PM on January 30, 2018
Have you considered a programming boot camp or something similar that might rapidly boost your income?
posted by steady-state strawberry at 4:06 PM on January 30, 2018
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If you can get overseas asap to a place with a real health care system I'd do that. It'll give you the freedom to pursue your other options with less financial stress and vastly improved ability to work part time, which it sounds Kirk you need.
posted by fshgrl at 1:19 PM on January 28, 2018