Working as a Server When You Have Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis has been a part of my life for many years. It affects every aspect of my life. Before I started writing, I had a job as a server. My ulcerative colitis made my job difficult sometimes because of the frequent and, sometimes, urgent trips to the bathroom.

With a job as a server, it is not feasible to let every guest know about a medical condition that is often considered taboo. I can only imagine how a guest would look at me if I said "Hi. I am Casey. I will be your server today. I have ulcerative colitis so if I am gone for a little bit, that is the reason." I am sure that a guest would consider that a shock. I probably would not have made much in tips either. I mean, who would want to eat after a server told them that?

I did tell my bosses and my coworkers. I got a doctor's note that named my condition for the management. I also brought in an informative pamphlet that detailed some of the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. I did not want them to think that I was being lazy when I would have to run to the bathroom. Everyone was pretty understanding. I would call whatever manager would be on duty for my shift and let them know if I needed a section close to the bathroom. They were always very accommodating.

Most of the time, the front of house manager and the other servers would check on my guests if I had to run to the restroom. There were a few times when I was the only server and the manager was the cook that were difficult. Now, keep in mind that I worked in a full service restaurant. I had to get their drinks and refills, their order, bring their condiments and food, get them their tickets and on week nights, I was also the cashier. I worked third shift.

I remember one time I was the only server. I had 4 tables of guests came in all at once and I knew that I was in major trouble. I had already been to the bathroom 5 times during my shift. I was going about once every 30 to 45 minutes. On that night, I handled the situation by going to the bathroom every chance I got. I would bring out refills then go to the bathroom. I would run food out, then go to the bathroom. It was crazy but, I made it through without an accident.

One of the major problems with my ulcerative colitis is that I often get diarrhea. Because of that, I cannot just hold it and wait until the opportunity to go to the bathroom presents itself. I have to go right away. This was sometimes a problem because there were only 3 stalls in the women's restroom. When we were busy, there was often a line. When I had to go and there was a line, all I could do was pray that I would not have an accident.

I did find some ways to make my life easier. When I was working, I would keep an extra set of panties in my purse along with some baby wipes. I did this in case I did have an accident. I would wear bladder control pads so that if I had an accident, hopefully, it would not get onto my clothes. I would also keep a change of pants in my car. Luckily, I never had an accident bad enough to have to change pants but, there were some really close calls.

I guess that working with ulcerative colitis is about the same as working with any minor disability. I just had to figure out what worked for me and my situation. My one piece of advice to anyone dealing with ulcerative colitis is this: do not try to hide your condition. Ulcerative colitis is nothing to be ashamed of in any circumstance. I am not saying to tell everyone that you meet but, do not be afraid to tell the people who are around you a lot or the people who can help you.