Accomodation troubles / confusion
Hi there!
I am fairly new to being diagnosed with autoimmune shenanigans. Last February, within the span of two months, was diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome, vasculitis (IgA and another variety that is escaping me at the moment after punch biopsies), and with elevated ANA levels that "could suggest Lupus". My rheumatologist has been amazing. He got me started on Hydroxychloroquine right away and it's helped with my blood test results immensely.
This March, after eight years with my previous work from home job since COVID, I (31F) was laid off due to unfortunate economic circumstances. It left me scrambling to find a new job. I did, and the people and load has been wonderful... but it's been difficult to adjust.
It's a logistics desk job, my drive to and from work is about an hour each way so it's thrown me off quite a bit this past month. I do my best to get up and move every 1-2 hours, stretch, but I'm getting vasculitis flare ups and have spent 80% of my days with pretty gnarly joint pain with swelling in my ankles, knees, elbows and wrists/hands. Keeping my feet elevated helps with some of the swelling and pain so I'm going to bring a stool or pouf in to sit under my desk to keep my feet elevated.
It's my first time having to ask for accommodations because it's my first time being in a situation where I've had to. The long drive will be fixed when my partner and I move (hopefully in the next few months). I am working second shift and it's actually going really well on the daily level, the only big change I could think I could ask for is sliding to a 4-10's type schedule to help with body fatigue. I have done 4-10's in the past so I know I can mentally do it. I am also kicking around asking for flexible unpaid FMLA for days where I can't physically move... But I don't know what is reasonable and what is not.
Can I ask what accommodations you have to help with your flares or symptoms if you're in a similar situation? Or who you worked with before going to HR to find the best requests for you?