At 44, Still Seeking Her Dream Job

Women with Turner’s Syndrome—the disease affects only women—have a damaged X chromosome. Symptoms include infertility, depression and health problems, such as brittle bones and heart ailments. Rebecca Shaney lives in Watertown. She wasn’t diagnosed with Turner’s until she was 28. When she was 29, she got her master’s degree in French. Rebecca is, in her own words, obsessed with French. She’s always wanted to be a French teacher. She has taught after school and tutored and been a sub, but she’s never landed a full time teaching job. Meanwhile she’s cleaned offices, washed dishes, and cashiered. She’s currently on disability for a broken hip. She lives well under the poverty line. Rebecca had another job interview this month; we gave her a tape recorder the week before. She brings us this audio diary.