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I hear you on wanting to be "normal". Having a chronic disease is one thing, being forced to not work just rubs salt in the wound, doesn't it? RA often affects our ability to work - sometimes it's manageable, other times you have to drop out. It not only hurts your bank account, but your self-esteem, too. The good news is that when your RA is managed with medication, it's quite possible that you'll be able to return to the workforce. Since you have finally become diagnosed, it means that you disease can be treated, which hopefully will lessen its impact on your daily life. When you have a disease that impacts your mobility and energy, working full-time can be an exercise in self-destruction - sometimes (not always), full time is just too much. However, that doesn't mean that you can't work. If you have a creative approach to employment and have an employer who is willing to be creative, as well (or is mandated to be creative), there are all kinds of modifications you can do to change the process off your job, but not the end result. For example, I used to work in policy development where a lot of the work was doing research and writing - tasks that could be done at home. So I had an arrangement with my boss that I would work from home on a fairly regular basis (as often as 1-2 days a week, depending on what else was going on at work), which made me less tired. As well, on the days where I wasn't feeling well, but not actually sick, I would be able to sleep a little longer, sit around until the painkillers hit and then do some work while at home. I also worked 80% of full-time. You being a lecturer may lend itself to the same sort of arrangement - they are times where you have to be physically at work to do a lecture, but the prep can be done anywhere. The Americans with Disabilities Act may help you here - I found a website (here) with a description of reasonable accommodation, which among other things can involve restructuring of a job to enable you to perform the essential duties of the job, but perhaps use a different process. I just had a thought - ICT is computer technology, right? Aren't there companies out there that develop lecture series on CDs or via the Internet for long-distance learning, so you don't even have to be in the same room with the people you're teaching? It may expand you options for your career to think outside the box. It might be helpful for you to find a disability advocacy group in your area - such groups often know more tips and tricks for employment and accommodation than e.g., regular employment agencies People like you and I will probably never be completely "normal", but that doesn't mean that we have to become housebound and give up being a contributing member of society. Developing a career may take a bit longer than it would if you did not have a chronic illness, but you don't have to give it up. Having an illness that affects your abilities will require you to rethink the way you do things, perhaps even rethink where you get your idea of self worth. For many of us, who we are is intricately tied up in what we do, so that work = self. There are many other ways of nourishing your self-worth, of involving yourself in your community and of feeding your soul. Good luck and don't give up! Please write again if you have more questions.