Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Issues:
Dealing with Chronic Illness in the
Academy
Leslie Rott
Graduate Student, Sociology Ph.D. Program
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
The Impact Of Illness
“Chronic conditions attack body and spirit, assaulting the
quality of our lives. Some are life-threatening. All are
life-altering. Ever so slowly, moment by moment,
function and sensation cease. Muscles and nerves
malfunction. The body’s processes grow difficult. Our
view of ourselves as normal human beings making our
way in a neutral world is challenged as, in the eyes of
others, we become our illnesses” (xvi).
- Richard M. Cohen,
Strong at the Broken Places
Personal Problems:
My Chronic Illness Story
! Had severe dizzy spell that required trip to
hospital in 2006
! Had multiple strept throat, pink eye, and fungal
infections during 2006-2007 school year
!In the summer of 2007, began having joint and
muscle aches after working out, and rib pain
! Diagnosed with lupus (SLE) and rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) in April 2007 at 22 years old
Welcome to the Strange and
Wacky World of Lupus
It feels like It feels like
It feels like
someone is someone is
someone is
pulling out my sticking a fork in
sitting on my face
finger nails my back
Why Me?
Very early on in my process of dealing
with my illnesses, a friend of mine told
me that I would make something good
out of this experience. So here I am…
The Importance of Asking for
Accommodation
! When one of my own students became
severely ill on top of being chronically ill,
the results were devastating.
-Richard M. Cohen,
Strong at the Broken Places
A Chorus Of Voices
“When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent; I was not a communist.
Then they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out; I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out for me.”
- Martin Niemoller
Prescriptions For Change
- Mahatma Gandhi
Advocacy In Action
! The University of Michigan has a strong
union for graduate student employees
! Most recent contract agreement
Services For Students With
Disabilities (SSWD)
! Ata recent forum I attended, people had the
following to say about this resource:
Questions???
Email:
lesliero@umich.edu