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The Journey Continues: Navigating the Realities of Work and Disability
- Michael Foglietta
- Jan 23
- 2 min read
For the last few years, I have been on a dedicated mission to rejoin the workforce. I have "put myself out there" in every way imaginable—exploring retail, maintenance, child safety, insurance sales, real estate, and even attempting to launch my own businesses. But I don't think I have found the right business to start, and the learning curve to starting a business is steep.
Despite this persistence, I always seem to hit the same wall: the jobs I can get are simply not compatible with my disabilities.
The Search for a Fit
Many people assume that a work-from-home position in tech or customer support would be the ideal solution. Unfortunately, the reality is much more complex:
Cognitive Overload: My brain cannot process the amount of information required to simultaneously take notes, talk, and manage multiple screens. Yes, I am slow.
Physical Demands: Jobs that don't seem physical often still require standing or walking for long periods, which is extremely difficult for me.
The Daily Reality
Living with these disabilities means navigating a world that often feels out of reach:
Memory Obstacles: My lack of memory has hindered my performance in every role. It became a running joke at one job that every Monday was a "training day" because I would forget how to do the job over the weekend.
Physical Toll: Activity eventually leads to nausea, dizziness, and headaches, and a lot of pain.
Safety Concerns: My balance is often horrible, and I fall down frequently enough to know when somethin is dangerous. Activities like climbing ladders or even walking on flat ground are constant challenges.
The Hardest Part
To tell the truth, it is all pretty hard to stomach. Being in my 50s and having been out of work for so long, finding a career that will hire me and pay a living wage feels nearly impossible.
I am faced with the prospect of starting at the bottom again, but at this stage of my life, I simply don’t have the time to start over. While I can laugh about the falls sometimes, it remains a serious problem as I continue to search for a path that works for me.
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