Employment advice for a loved one.

[NCTraveler]

Someone very dear to me has a chronic illness. Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome to be exact. This person is also bi-polar and has anxiety issues but they are managed very well. This person currently works at a fast food chain and deals with customers constantly and it is not a "big" problem. I put that there so you know that her anxiety is controlled to the point she can do these things, although it would be best for her to move away from constant contact with others. Her bi-polar disorder is fully under control. She has never had a manic episode at work. Her CVS comes on occasionally and she cannot do anything when an episode occurs. It often lands her in the hospital as she can't eat, sleep, or drink during an episode. Sometimes episodes last for up to a week, normally a couple of days. She can barely get out of bed when she has an episode. Sometimes she goes years without an episode, sometimes she has multiple episodes that flare up for months.

Her current boss is extremely caring and has tolerated it all. He has had ample reason to fire her but has not. He knows that this syndrome is real, that she lives a clean life, and that she cares for his business. That brings us to our current position. She needs to move and find a new job. She is young and I want to help her find something that will cause her less anxiety during her work day and when she has an episode. I know there are things out there. She is very close to getting her CNA, but with the move we need to get things in her life in order and centered before she moves on to finish it. With proper planning, order, and self-centering, her episodes become further and further apart.

This young lady is smart, competent, and responsible. She spent a couple of years managing multiple fast food stores. She stopped managing because of the stress, anxiety, and CVS. While she was successful at managing, it was not the best thing for her health. We are trying to be smarter about it this time and are trying to find something for her that will be healthy for her. She does not want to be unemployed. She does not want to be on disability. She wants to feel whole, and these take away from her feeling that way. She is fighting for her version of normal. She does not frown upon disability but it is not what she needs for her own personal mindset. Between episodes she is a very healthy person.

Thank you very much for any help. I am also going to talk to her about signing up here. For now I just want to try and help. She knows I have posted this.