This is beyond my Japaense google abilty and I just left the doctor and wont see him again. I am pretty fucking deppressed, so maybe in the meantime someone here can help me.
I am facing a total colectomy and then j pouch surgery which would require me to defeat 10 to 20 times a day. There is no way I can go about a regular teaching job at a uni having to live like that. Does this type of thing allow me to get on disability (to be clear i 100% would rather not have this fucking surgery and would be happy to work until I was 80 if I had to to choose)
4 comments
As someone with a potentially degenerative bowel condition of my own, I really feel for you.
If you mean attaining disability certification and the benefits that go along with it in everyday life, you would almost certainly apply. As a non-citizen, I’m not sure whether that extends to support payments that would conceivably replace your income though.
My instinct is no, but you should definitely investigate further before anything is done.
I feel for you, I hope you have someone or find something/someone to get some positive thoughts in these times.
On topic: a former colleague at uni had to use a pouch (ストーマ) after colectomy; also did have a disability pass and apparently he was entitled to reduce his work hours. (spoiler alert: he didn’t; whole department had a severe tendency of overworking people)
Depending on severity and other conditions, post-colectomy you should qualify for level 4 or higher, according to this site (JP): https://www.almediaweb.jp/stomacare/life/contents/stoma/001.html
There’s some good information about the system in general in this blog post: https://www.tokyodev.com/articles/disabilities-in-japan-and-the-disability-certificate-shougaisha-techou
…and a more official overview from the city of Yokohama:
https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/lang/residents/en/welfare/eigoban.html
As long as you are a legal resident (i.e. not a tourist) you should be eligible to apply at your local municipality.
I knew someone with a pouch at the small uni where I worked. They were still there when I left. I think you’ll get used to it, just know that many people do have a pouch, and do live with it. yeah, there’ll be times when there’s the odd fart sound coming from the front of you instead of from the back. And you’ll get used to deodorizers and all that.
You can get disability for it, and then maybe treatment and supplies will be discounted. A uni should be able to accommodate this–and they get some kind of bonus points (tax break?) for having disabled people under employment. I’m guessing, but the disability classification for a colostomy is probably level 3, small chance it will be a 2 (障害者三級, or 二級, and I’d bet money it won’t be 一級).
BUT, having a stoma is not a prevent-you-from-working kind of disability, and being in any of the diability classes will not leave you sitting at home or somewhere doing nothing. I think the worst lifestyle ‘crimp’ will be bathing/onsen. I’ve seen some older japanese guys with what I am sure are sort of big flesh-colored patches that are likely covering a pouch. If you’re worried about teaching, then consider the embarrassment level of going naked into a big bath.
Bottom line: you’ve just gotten this news, and it certainly is a shock. But chill, get used to it (take a semester off for recovery?) you’ll probably find that you can still work till you’re 80.
Incidentally, I’m 一級 due to a heart valve replacement. Google 障害者 and where you live to see some of the discounts and benefits. E.g, cheaper shinkansen tickets, and that discount also applies to a companion, movie tickets, many admission fees are reduced or waived at various museums, my ETC card is set up so road tolls are half price, and here’s a kicker–where I am the yearly car tax is completely waived, saving me ~¥40,000/yr. I also have a card to hang from my mirror so I can park in the blue disabled spots.
10-20 times a day sounds high, in the initial post operative period it can be a bit of a problem with high output but that can be managed with medications/diet change/time. If someone was needing to empty their bag 20x a day that would be terrible quality of life (almost worse than needing to shit 20 times a day), so you’d want to fix that.
lots and lots of people are out about about with stomas, and you often wouldn’t even know. there’s lots of support out there, there should be dedicated Stoma Nurses and the companies that make stoma products (like Coloplast) so I hope you can feel supported to have good quality of life after the surgery.