[Queenie55]

I have been out of work since March 2009 -collecting unemployment
I have Gi problem-Esophoguel Spasms,erosion on stomach lining
I had gastroscopy 2 months ago-see doctor on Friday
disc disease-shooting pain in leg -have to go to pain doctor
cholesterol-378 ,Diabetes ,hypothyroid,Gerd ,IbS some sort of blood problem
hernia in esophagus

I have an interview on Friday- I don't know what will happen if I get a job
I hope i can work so many medical problems and doctors

[January]

Do you have a t or pdoc you can speak with about this? Tell him/her your fears of about being able to hold a job and how huge your health issues are to you. Listen to your gut and listen to your pdoc or t.

I wish you the very best and please keep us posted.

[mychloe]

Hi-
I too have severe chronic illness-lung disease, avascular necrosis, Adrenal failure, immune insufficiency, anorexia, and the list goes on.

I honestly feel that if i did not go to work I would surrender to illness and would probably die. My endocrinologist told me when I saw her earlier this month that when she met me in 2006 she did not think I would live the rest of the year. Her comment hit me like a brick. I never saw this in myself. I knew I was sick, and I am medically complex. But I cannot live my life as a "patient". I think that I would have just given up so many times if I didn't have something to live for-and for me that has been my career.

I joke and say that for me "my best prozac are the patients that I care for".

I have to admit that I cannot remember the last time that "i felt good". I just don't. I hurt all the time. I don't sleep. I can't breath. But you know what?-That all goes on if i lay on the couch on disability, or get out of the house and go to work.

I really feel that one cannot enable illness, or it will take them over.

Now, the thing that I am learning, is that while this is important, working 50 hours a week is defeating. So everything in moderation.

That is my two cents!

chloe

[January]

Some people can somehow keep on pushing on, but others of us have maxed our bodies out to the point we can't keep on working. My Dr told me she was amazed that I managed to work for so many years with all my health issues. There is no right or wrong. It's entirely up to each individual's health issues.

[brephi]

Discuss all of your medical and emotional problems with your Primary Care Physician. That's if you have one you feel you can talk to and get his input and/or advice. You seem to be a strong person, but the body can only take so much. Some people continue working with chronic medical problems and some don't. I happen to be one with overwhelming chronic physical problems that prevent me from being reemployed. I used to be ashamed because I could no longer work, but I've gotten over that.

[wickedwings]

Yeah, I'm sure that working is a real good motivator for living as long as it doesn't add stress to the mix.

Working has been detrimental for me for years. I'm a housewife with too many hobbies, hehe. I do what I can to keep myself going. I was born deaf, have had chronic depression, had a stroke at the age of 33, and been through stuff in life. It's really hard to work because people don't realize that I'm profoundly deaf or care to accomodate a little bit. I can't keep with the world's pace. I'm just beaten down by life, if you know what I mean.

What kind of jobs do you have? Just curious.

[katrineme7]

This topic makes me really anxious, but I need to face it and I thought I will start here, even if I don't know what to say, exactly.

I have been disabled in my life, at least that is my judgement of it, but I have always had enough money independently, (like my mother supporting me) that I never had to deal with the state or Federal Government, and for that reason also, I have not worked in many years. It's been hard enough to raise my kids.

I used to be a RN and I loved nursing, but I never worked enough years and hours to really pay anything into SS. Then I got sick, and after I moved out of Manhatten and healed in a new place that I now call home, Eugene, OR, I went back to school and got a MA in Counseling psychology. But then I was sick on and off and had kids and never worked full time again. But now it is about overdue that I do, and I need to and I am totally scared and don't even know how to begin. I would love to do nursing but would have to get my license back because I never worked enough hours in Oregon.

My real problems are now total anxiety, not knowing how to go about any of this, and not feeling well a lot, and insomnia, and fatigue and no endurance. I have pretty much recovered from major depression and PTSD.

Formal diagnosis that apply and are related: Diabetes type 1 which I have had most of my life and that has taken it's toll. Like, my kidneys are getting progressively worse, also high BP and cholesterol and I take a truckload of medications every day, also thyroid, which quit on me after I had my first child, then psychiatric stuff, and the latest cancer and chemo, radiation, the hormone treatments are horrible and have caused my femur to start dying and you know, 1000 things.

like, even now i am totally exhausted just writing this. thanks for listening, Katrin

Originally Posted by Queenie55

I have been out of work since March 2009 -collecting unemployment
I have Gi problem-Esophoguel Spasms,erosion on stomach lining
I had gastroscopy 2 months ago-see doctor on Friday
disc disease-shooting pain in leg -have to go to pain doctor
cholesterol-378 ,Diabetes ,hypothyroid,Gerd ,IbS some sort of blood problem
hernia in esophagus

I have an interview on Friday- I don't know what will happen if I get a job
I hope i can work so many medical problems and doctors

[Rmdctc]

Originally Posted by katrineme7

This topic makes me really anxious, but I need to face it and I thought I will start here, even if I don't know what to say, exactly.

I have been disabled in my life, at least that is my judgement of it, but I have always had enough money independently, (like my mother supporting me) that I never had to deal with the state or Federal Government, and for that reason also, I have not worked in many years. It's been hard enough to raise my kids.

I used to be a RN and I loved nursing, but I never worked enough years and hours to really pay anything into SS. Then I got sick, and after I moved out of Manhatten and healed in a new place that I now call home, Eugene, OR, I went back to school and got a MA in Counseling psychology. But then I was sick on and off and had kids and never worked full time again. But now it is about overdue that I do, and I need to and I am totally scared and don't even know how to begin. I would love to do nursing but would have to get my license back because I never worked enough hours in Oregon.

My real problems are now total anxiety, not knowing how to go about any of this, and not feeling well a lot, and insomnia, and fatigue and no endurance. I have pretty much recovered from major depression and PTSD.

Formal diagnosis that apply and are related: Diabetes type 1 which I have had most of my life and that has taken it's toll. Like, my kidneys are getting progressively worse, also high BP and cholesterol and I take a truckload of medications every day, also thyroid, which quit on me after I had my first child, then psychiatric stuff, and the latest cancer and chemo, radiation, the hormone treatments are horrible and have caused my femur to start dying and you know, 1000 things.

like, even now i am totally exhausted just writing this. thanks for listening, Katrin

Sounds to me like you need to look into SSI. That sounds like alot of things going. Femur dying really sounds scary. I hope that things start getting better for you soon. Good luck!

[billieJ]

Dear Queenie and Katrin, I can seen the points of all the above. Major Depression is one Dx that qualifies for SSI or SSDI, depending on whether you have paid enough into Social Security. You can get the forms at SSA. If you can't write, like me, and are not too good with computer, the SSA or local mental health center [if you have one] might help you. You will need: Dx, diagnosing Docs name, address and phone #; and meds for each Dx. Also, as an addendum, if not directly asked, state in what way each Dx impairs your ability to work. Such as: [back problem dx] impairs ability to sit, stand, mow or vacuum; tremors impair ability to write; depression impairs ability to initiate and maintain activity; etc. You will need your work history, if this applies. I know that my having become eligible for disability HAS enabled my illness; but I also feel certain that I would have been fired had I returned to work as I had planned. This may not apply to either of you, however. Major Depression/anxiety was my downfall, and neither of you mentions this as being active. Good Luck ~ billieJ