Running Header: Margarets Doctors Note

Margarets Doctors Note

Jonette M. Fitzgerald
Louisiana State University

Authors Notes

This paper was written for English 2001 directed by Professor Jean Coco. This was based off of

the issues from the case study They Make Us Miserable in the Name of Helping Us written by

Dawn O. Braithwaite and Phyllis Jap published in, Health Communication in Practice: A Case

Study Approach.
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3349 Gladys Drive

Addis, LA 70710

Phone: (555) 555-5555

Fax: (555) 555-5555
Dr.Fitzintelligence.com

April 21, 2017

Dr. Williams A. Long

Director and Administrator of Communications
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
3835 Holdrege Street
Lincoln, NE 68583

Dear superintendent,

My patient Margaret is under your branch of the school that she works at as a professor. I am
well aware that she is a very hard worker, however, I have a feeling she has failed to mention a
few things about her health. Margaret has a chronic fatigue autoimmune disease which causes
her to encounter extreme fatigue, chronic pain, and digestive upsets, along with endless other
issues. Due to this, she has been having issues with coping with her disease in her every day life.
Meaning that she is struggling both at home with her daughter as well as at work with her peers
and coworkers. Her disease is invisible, meaning that people can not look at her and
automatically tell that she is sick. A proper definition of an invisible disability as given by the
official invisible disability website is, The term invisible disabilities refers to symptoms such
as debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences
and mental health disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments. (invisibledisabilites.org)
She has had a difficult time accepting that she is not like everyone else even though she seems
that way, which brings me here writing this letter to you today.

I understand that from your point of view as the superintendent as well as what you hear, she
seems likes a perfectly fine completely healthy person. However, because her disease is invisible
it is deeper below the surface. This does not mean that she is always in extreme pain. On some
days she is fine, while on others she is not. One wrong move in her routine and her entire day is a
struggle. I understand that as a person looking in, it can be hard to believe that she has a
disability due to her illness fluctuating. I also know that it is difficult for you to give one
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individual person special treatment, especially if others around are not aware of the actual
situation. Margaret has encountered people giving her dirty looks from parking in handicapped
spots, many people with invisible illnesses tend to run into this issue. For example, the president
and founder of the Invisible Disabilities Association, Wayne Connell, states, "We'd park in
disabled parking and she didn't use a wheelchair or a cane, and so people would always give us
dirty looks and scream at us, (npr.org). Margaret encountered this same incident, which makes
her even more uncomfortable with coming to terms with her illness.

I agree that it is wrong to to give one-person special treatment and give them a different deadline
for certain things rather than pushing it back for everyone. However, Margaret is not healthy. Her
disease holds her back from doing assignments that are given to her late. She would never tell
you that she will not be able to do them, because she knows people think she is completely
healthy. For example; the essay you assigned late to all of your workers that needed to be turned
in the following day put her in a difficult position. Although, everyone has to do a little late work
after all, nobody is perfect. But her having to do the assignment is very dangerous for her health.
She needs all of the rest she can get, and if she fights her fatigue she can end up in the hospital
very quickly. I understand where you are coming from though, because I am also a boss and have
to take in to consideration not giving one specific employee special treatments.

Although. I completely understand the fact that it is unfair for one to have less work than other
workers. You must also take into consideration that you want your tasks done effectively and at
their full potential. You dont want one task done quickly and poorly because that would be an
outlier, and not only look bad on that individual but also on you. Take into consideration
someone with an invisible disability. Look deeper than the surface because people hide lots of
things. Not everyone wants people to think they are lying or just milking it. She wants her
illness to be recognized but she does not want the overly special treatment. In other words, she
doesnt want someone to treat her as though she is incapable of doing her job. This is actually a
common issue as stated on the Minnesota Stae Career wise education website regarding cons on
coming out with your illness.
F
F
F Is there some place that we can find a mutual agreement? Agreement can be found in the place
that she can come forward about her illness or disability and go speak with the disability head
board at school. Disclosing her ability will help in three major ways as stated by the Career wise
education Minnesota State website, To receive reasonable accommodations to perform the
essential functions of the job, to establish a positive and open relationship with the employer, to
provide legal protection against discrimination. (careerwise.mscu.edu). While talking to them
they should teach her how to cope with the mixture of work and her illness, and how to deal with
her coworkers. There she can figure eout the certain extensions she can receive. For example; on
last minute assignments, it should be an understood agreement that she would not be able to do
them in the expected time. However, she needs to fully understand that she will not be forced to
turn in her assignments on time because if she feels like she doesnt have that full consent then
she will still push herself. Which like I said, is very dangerous for her health. Basically the point
that I am making is that these decisions cannot be left up to her because she has not come to
Margarets Doctors Note 4

terms with what she can and cannot due just yet. Also, Margarets main concern is for the people
that dont understand invisible illnesses. Although she is not required to tell any of her coworkers
about her sickness (careerwise.mscu.edu), they should still be informed on these issues in the
work place. This way, not only will Margaret feel more comfortable at work but so will everyone
else.

Sincerely,

Jonette Fitzgerald
Margarets Doctors Note 5

References

Ray, E. B. (2009). Health communication in practice: a case study approach [A Case

Study Approach]. Retrieved April 188, 2017, from http://www.tandfebooks.

com.libezp.lib.lsu.edu/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.4324%2F9781410612779

Invisible Disabilities Association. (2015, July 8). What is an Invisible

Disability?
https://invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/

Minnesota State. (2017). Hidden Disabilities in the Workplace.

https://www.careerwise.mnscu.edu/guide/disabilities/hidden-
disabilities.html

Ginogold, Naomi. (2015, March 8). People With Invisible Disabilities Fight For
Understanding.
http://www.npr.org/2015/03/08/391517412/people-with-invisible-
disabilities-fight-for-understanding