Quote:
Originally Posted by dealingwithtos
JAMY,
I'm responding because I think I can relate to your question. I had TOS surgery - rib resection in 8/05. Since that surgery I have developed RSD in my surgery side and is now moving to my other arm.
It's funny. When I read your post, I was thinking the exact opposite. I am forced to work FT or I will lose my house. So, if I had the option of being at home, I could focus more on taking care of myself instead of taking care of everyone else. My husband is wonderful - involved - and supportive. So, he makes me stop doing things at home if he feels it's too much. I was on the floor picking up dog toy stuffing and he told me to get up off the floor. I am blessed in that regard.
My job is FT - I'm an assistant to two Directors at a major company. I am at the computer (I can still type about 60 wpm - down from 90), but I have the option of standing/sitting with the touch of a button. I have a restriction from my doctor to not push, pull, carry more than 5 lbs. My job does not keep me chained to my desk. I can walk/deep breath twice daily to try to keep the pain down. I park in the handicaped parking that my company provides so I'm not out in the cold for long. I try not to do anything repetitious. No amount of lifting my arms up either.
I am on the strongest medications that I can handle while working. But, to be honest, I'm limited. Because I can't be at home, there were many medications I couldn't take. I cannot wear a shirt on my surgery arm without a lidocaine patch. The sensitivity is horrible.
When I come home, I don't do much. I haven't made dinner in months (except something very easy), I don't do housework either. Very, very little. At this point, I can't do anything else. I went for a walk last weekend - about 6 blocks and that put me down for 2 days because of the pain. It's very hard for me to do anything at all on the weekends. I try to help my husband with the shopping, but most times it's too much.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that if that's all you do is work, atleast for me, that's about all I can do. It's very much a give and take.
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This is how I lived basically during my last year of employment.
Then, I was taken off work when I could no longer use my right arm at all, and had high pain that interfered with ANY sleep for days on end.
I had RSD that was beyond what you can imagine, for years. Not until '06, when I had surgery, (which is an unusual result), did it finally start giving me a break...but still high pain from TOS and the fibro went into high gear.
I personally regret working the last year - I suppose if I hadn't, I'd always have wondered the result, and have that regret - but I do blame the last year of working after I knew I had TOS (but the ortho hand doctor was having it called "overuse" still) - as I blame it for another 50% of the pain I've endured. I should have quit with the initial injury, rather than continue to cause such nerve damage. There are so many times when I'm suicidal because of the nerve pain...it is, again, beyond what most people can even imagine as pain, and I had it again just a couple nights ago...
Just this September I did lose my house. Like I've said before, I've lost all financial goals, gone through a sizeable savings that I had at the time, and these things I've had to accept along with the illness...maybe that's why it upsets me so when doctors act like it's a minor annoyance of not being able to lift or use the right arm - it is a complex, totally debilitating pain, and it has a LOT of symptoms, as I've discussed with you all here.
I really warn anyone who's not in the "hell zone" of pain to be very careful about what you do next, as this pain came during that last year of working, as I said, and it's really a nightmare that doesn't end when you sleep or wake up, day after day, year after year...