www.incontinentsupport.org

mhedman,
Your post is inspiring. It is good to know that there are people out there with incon issues that are teaching successfully. I have an education lab to complete that is part of my minor requirements. I have to go out to the local school system and sit in on actual classes. This will be a make or break as to whether or not I can do it. I have already started my classes. I am currently taking an educational psychology course that is fairly enlightening. I took a History class in the first part of the summer that was very interesting. It was on the south after the civil war. Very cool. I am taking two education courses and a history class in the Fall. So I'm sure in the spring, I will take the lab. Looking forward to it.

The bigger make or break will be if I can teach with my bipolar disorder. I have lost a few jobs already. I have trouble getting up early as my medication makes me groggy. So I think wearing diapers is the least of my problems.

Don, I'm glad that my post was helpful. I work with children and youth with emotional and mental disorders, some of whom are bi-polar. It is a devastating disorder that presents many challenges as you well know. About 80 percent of the kids I help have trouble sleeping, which also means they have trouble getting up and staying awake. One thing that may work for you is to get credentialed as a special ed teacher. In most cases, special ed teachers work as "resource specialists" and aren't necessarily required to start their teaching day when school begins. You may have some flexibility there, as well as the possibility of negotiating a "prep period" at the beginning of the day. Fortunately our society is better educated when it comes to emotional and mental disorders than was the case with past generations and employers are more likely to make informed and appropriate decisions when it comes to accommodating the disabilities of others. Feel free to stay in touch if there's anything I can do to help or encourage you.

Mhedman,
Thank you for your encouragement. While special ed would be a noble profession, I don't think that is for me. A friend of our family is a special ed teacher and she has to go through alot. It takes a great deal of time and energy and I just don't think its for me. I am thoroughly greatful that there are people willing to do it though. Lord knows, we need em and special ed kids are great too. I am so thankful that both of my two children are healthy. They mean so much to me.

I am considering teaching college. I want to get my masters degree in American History and teach at a community college level. I figure that a college will be alot more liberal with my health conditions and allow for more freedom. Maybe I'm wrong. Only time will tell. I do know that I want my masters of History though. I'm planning to take the GRE next year. I'm already researching colleges that offer masters degrees in History. So I'm trying to set myself up for success. But I have to finish my Bachelors first. I'm getting there.

This semester, the Fall, I'll be pretty busy. But come spring, I have to take a course for my education minor called Field Lab 1. This is where I go to local public schools and shadow teachers in the field. I have to actually teach small lessons. My field is History so I don't venture too far from my expertise. I don't know much about the lab either so I don't know how it works. But I will get a chance to find out how my incontinence effects my teaching. And I can plan accordingly. If it doesn't work out, I could always change my mind. Thats what school is for, for me to decide what I want to do with my life. So with Field Lab 1, I get to find out.