Almost twenty years after initial diagnosis in a city full of medical expertise, I know that there is no cure for my pain or treatment available worth the risks, so I have had to learn to adapt to it.
Then in my early forties, I developed (moderate) PTSD, from six violent crimes committed against me in my twenties and thirties by seven different perpetrators, one of them a coworker.
But my combined experiences do make me more sensitive to students managing mental health conditions than the average physicist.Since Peet's disabilities make them unable to comfortably carry bags and heavy objects using their arms and shoulders, they found alternative ways to use and access their belongings in electronic forms.
It took me years to find the right gear to reduce my everyday pain without isolating me from students and colleagues or breaking the budget.
I scan all papers and acquire electronic copies of books, so that I can carry my briefcase on a USB stick (currently a 512GB USB3 Patriot Magnum 2).