Hi Patricia,

You're very welcome to our corner of cyberspace and there is tons of support here.

I'm sorry to hear this but to be honest I'm not surprised, this country of ours has gone to the dogs in every which way you can imagine. I'm in a very similar position to you, I work in the public education sector but at University level I too struggle every day to work in my Admin job but more and more recently I question for how much longer I can keep this up, I've used my 6mths full pay sick leave and half pay for another 6 mths has been already ate into. I too don't know what I'd live on if I was to take a career break for a while try to go through more surgeries, Pain Management clinics and get myself fitter for work. I dunno, one of my friends suggested ringing our pension people see if that can help and what would it mean when I reach retirement.

Could I ask who your Pain Dr is? Can you PM me if you like, it sucks to be in a situation like this and I can so relate to how frustrated you are by the lack of help and support our public health & even private systems are to anyone.

All the best

Sinead



QUOTE=PatriciaB;806310]Hi All,

As I was telling you recently, siince January last I have been unable to work due to chronic,tortuous, agonising pain that has left me medically disabled. Prior to January I struggled to cope every day and pushed and pushed myself so hard that I had to stop and need my consultants' advise. I was advised by my consultants that I could no longer as a teacher. I have had procedure after procedure over a 2 year period without success. I applied to retire on grounds of disability. I was assessed 3 weeks ago. This week I was refused on the grounds that it has been established that I am not permanently unfit to carry out my duties as a teacher. My heart is broken. From October 2nd next I will no longer be in receipt of salary. What will I live on?[/QUOTE]