Working with a chronic illness

[movingforward1984]

hi I hope someone can give me advice and honest replies please. I worked as a beauty therapist and enjoyed it a lot. Unfortunately I became very ill and for the past 12 years Iv not worked due to a chronic illness I have. Iv found it so hard because I was always so ambitious and this illness has has taken away and stopped so much of my life. My two young children are at school and I spend my days either feeling quite well and having nothing to do but sit indoors on my own or I’m feeling really ill in bed.

I’m desperately wanting to work again and trying to think of ways I could do this. My condition causes me to at short notice get very poorly where I can become bedbound for a day or a couple of weeks,but I also have phases where I can do quite normal thingsaslong as I don’t over do it.

due to the unpredictable nature of my illness I just decided I couldn’t work again yes there are lots of days I physically can’t work but I know I also have a lot of fear now stopping me, as I worry all I’ll do is let people down.

However I really want to get some quality of life back i would love to work doing clients and being social again but I’m trying to think of a way I could do this giving the nature of my illness.

I can’t do over strenuous things like waxing any more but I’d love to get into microblading but also more holistic therapies.

I was thinking something like I could have some kind of system where I could contact clients( once there built up) on the day offering discounted treatments if they can attend that day, or I’m trying to think say if I booked someone in and had to cancel on them then I could offer something for the inconvenience.

Sorry for the long message I just hope someone can help I’m 34 and just don’t want to spend the rest of my life this way Many thanks

 

[Blunderer]

If you are doing this from home and explain your situation I wouldn’t think people would expect compensation. Especially if your prices are keen ?

 

[Mr D]

How about doing something on your schedule?
Perhaps involving youtube - and you can record when you are well and not when you are unwell.

 

[Lloyd Williams]

I imagine your receiving disability benefits? Housing benefits? I don’t like to assume but if your unable to work you surely still need an income?

How will having a business effect this?
Might you end up unable to work and the council stopping your benefits without you being able to reapply for several months?

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

How about doing something on your schedule?
Perhaps involving youtube - and you can record when you are well and not when you are unwell.

I was thinking something like this too. Perhaps a website/blog and social media pages relating to beauty therapy (tips, videos, articles etc).

The online content model is extremely competitive and usually doesn't make a lot of money, but it depends how much of this is about earning money or just having something productive to do.

Either way, it would provide considerable flexibility. Probably more than anything else.

It's not exactly going to be the most sociable job, but it could work well with your situation. For example, if you wanted to create video tutorials for beauty routines, you could bring in volunteers to receive the treatments and then won't be burdened by having to deal with paying customers who could complain if you become unavailable.

And (not to be insensitive), your condition could give you quite a lot of publicity as an inspiring story of how you haven't let your illness hold you back.

 

[Mr D]

Guest appearances, teaching someone else how to do something, even reviews of particular good or bad products with demonstration.

But most importantly fitting in around a chronic illness is hard. Working with the limitations rather than pushing against means not making things worse.

 

[movingforward1984]

Hi

Thankyou everyone for your replies! It’s much appreciated! And really helpful. I have been having a real long think about things since writing this post and I have come up with an idea of creating an app! And I was thinking alongside this a you tube channel. I’ve now come on here and read your suggestions! Which some of you have suggested more online things also..so maybe this is the right way forwards for me.

I am on disability benefits and I do worry that if I try to work and loose my benefits and then I am too unwell to work that It will put me and my children in a awful financial situation. Yes it would be nice to work and earn more money so I can not struggle so much BUT my main reason for wanting to work is so I feel I am useful, I am doing something for me, having a purpose which I’ve not felt for so many years.

I would also like suggested love to give inspiration to others who are struggling with limitations and to show them that if you adapt there’s always a way you can do something for yourself however small it may be.

I am very untechnical and I have no idea how I would create an app or build a wed site or start a blog. How do you get people to read your site or your blog or look at you app. I’ve just no idea about these things and technologies never been my strong point but I really do feel if I can get the right help and support and guidance this could potebtuinally be the way forward for me.

Thankyou for all your time and help

 

[Mr D]

I'm non technical too (never got the hang of the settings on the video recorder, downhill since).
Anything technical beyond the wife (who never reads that spanish book with the item about some guy called manual) I ask my nieces and nephews, teens and preteens. They can either do it for me or explain in basic terms what to do.

So don't forget to get your kids to help.

 

[Gecko001]

Have you thought about doing something that does not involved day-to-day involvement with people? I was thinking in terms of say making things that you could sell. Something that you could do when you are feeling fine, stop doing during periods of illness and then continue doing when you are feeling better. It would involve less interaction with people, but it would mean that you would get that sense that you are actually doing something useful.

 

[Lloyd Williams]

1) OP - it would be lovely if you could be inspirational for people who also have disabilities and want to work, but in-order to do that you surely have to achieve something first? make it big etc? - unfortunately there are lots of people out there with disabilities who'd like to work but can't. I don't see what's unique about you and why this would make you an inspiration to others?

2) Apps are not only very complex to develop and take a LOT of time and knowledge, they can require A LOT of MONEY. Recent articles show it can cost between £8,000-13,000 for a single use app and much more for complex ones. I don't think asking your kids or nephews etc is going to cut it.

3) As you have confirm you are on disability benefits, I would look VERY CAREFULLY into the impact of having a business. Could you afford to have your benefits/ income stopped for several months whilst you are unable to work? Even if allowed you want to get what your doing exactly right, as very often people's benefits are stopped when they shouldn't be and it takes weeks to appeal.

I'm certainly not trying to be rude in anyway, but for you not to consider these points isn't helpful for you and people giving you totally unrealistic ideas and concepts that could actually put you in a position with no income is almost dangerous.

I would speak with an adviser firstly about your position of whether you can work or not, then look at your options from there.

 

[ethical PR]

If your main reason for wanting to work is to feel useful, why not look at volunteering?

Hospices and cancer services are crying out for people like yourself to help with make up, nails etc.

This would have the advantage of building up your confidence and helping you understand the impact of going back into the workplace in terms of your health.

 

[Mr D]

Disadvantage of volunteering is many places want volunteers to turn up when agreed, not have a chronic illness that prevents them going out that day.

 

[Julia Sta Romana]

Hi

I am very untechnical and I have no idea how I would create an app or build a wed site or start a blog. How do you get people to read your site or your blog or look at you app. I’ve just no idea about these things and technologies never been my strong point but I really do feel if I can get the right help and support and guidance this could potebtuinally be the way forward for me.

If you're not very technical, I think one of the best places to start would be social media. Instead of building an app or a website right away, why not start with a Facebook page or an Instagram profile where you can share your tips. Build a community while you're learning to build a website (which isn't that hard, btw).

This way, when you do decide to build an app/website and start earning from this, you won't have to worry about marketing. You can just direct your followers to your website.

 

[KimH]

@movingforward1984 - I don't have any advice on what you could do in terms of business, but what I would like to offer is encouragement. Like you I have a chronic illness, mine was diagnosed soon after I returned to the UK and makes it near impossible for me to spend a full day at work. As I saw it I had two choices, stay at home and go insane or start my own business from home where I could work around my illness. Being a fiercely independent workaholic I chose to start my own business. Finding clients has not been the easiest - I've spent the last 40 years in South Africa - so although I was born here, I'm still considered a bit of a foreigner as I have that lekker saffa twang but I have a few clients now and things are finally going in the right direction.

I would encourage you to find something that you love to do and can do on your time - it makes dealing with a chronic illness that little bit less stressful and gives you a reason to get up in the morning.With that said, I've never been on benefits and wouldn't have the first clue how starting your own business may impact on that - I would strongly advise you find that out before you start setting up as it can take quite some time before you start making any money and you really don't want to jeopardize your family or their welfare.

Best of luck and please let us know how you get on.