Need a new career; So i have RSD in my left hand up my arm just past my elbow. I was a dog groomer but cannot do that anymore. I have a cervical scs that covers anywhere from 50-75% of my pain! I am having ALOT of troublevfinding a job. The div Voc Rehab was going to send me for a Medical Billing or medical office Admin program but the college program dir. feel i won't be able to do it. I can type 20 wpm with 1 hand, I have an Assoc degree (liberal arts). I like helping people. unemployment is going to end by Dec and if I don't have an income by then we are going to lose everything. My husband makes just barely too much to qualify for help and I am short work credits so can't get Soc security (I was home to raise my kids then went back to wk-3yrs later I get hurt). What can I do for the rest of my life?

I am a little bit in the same situation, I have been off from my current job since the end of January, because I need to use a rollabout to get around now. My employer said that I could not come back on a rollabout, even though I was already doing modified work, because I hurt myself there and now have RSD. Today I found out I have been terminated. I am fortunante right at the moment because I am currently getting Workers compensation. (which they have filled to terminate)

Could you do receptionist work?
Anita

Sure I could do reception work if anyone would hire me.

I am thinking the same thing. I have been a stay-at-home mom for 17 yrs now! My youngest is in preschool (I have 6 kids..ages 17, 14, 12, 9, 7, 4). Now that I have this monster in my feet, I cannot keep up on my daily chores. I cannot get ssdi because I have been a SAHM for too long and don't have the hours. My dh makes too much $$ for anything else. The medical bills are killing us and I have been looking into something part-time, but who would hire me? What can I do? My degree (BA in Social Sciences) is from 14 yrs ago. I do have a close friend who is nice enough to let me help with paperwork now and then....but that can't last forever. I cannot do retail, on my feet too much. Receptionist might work but I am unsure who would hire me? Esp. with dr. appts, etc.

Sorry to take your thread. I think this is something we all have to think about.

I also got the foot thing I use a rollabout which is nice. No pain just ice cold foot. Can't sit long with foot down and can't stand long. Not sure who will hire me either. ESP with winter coming. I am thinking on the lines of working from home. There are doctors and others who look for typist( insurance companies any one that uses dictation.
As far as being out of work I would think some employers would over look that if you say you were home taking care of your kids.

Anita - I hear you on the ice cold feet! I get that a lot and I live in Arizona! I do get pain with the cold though. It is not fun! My right foot is a little worse than my left foot. I have a rollabout from when they thought it was only plantar fasciitis in my right foot and I was non-weight bears and in a boot. I don't use the rollabout because both feet are bad. Which one do I put on the rollabout? I have been considering buying a cane. We'll see. I have been considering the billing route and maybe getting training in it. A lot of good that bachelor's is to me right now. LOL.

J

I hear you I can't imagine both feet. I can't stand walking on one. Sorry about that. Did you know you can also fine medical billing jobs you can do from home. I find at the local hospitals they want you to bend, climb, etc. Which is on the list of what I can't do. How are u on driving?

I can usually drive. It does hurt but really I have no choice. I am fortunate that I have a fairly high pain tolerance and I got the sympathetic blocks early on and they seemed to help with the burning and sensitivity. Mostly I just hobble around. Today is pretty bad...I just had injections into both feet (the PM dr. wants to get the plantar fasciitis under control so he can know what is RSD). I can hardly walk at all. My feet are burning tonight and my ankles are hurting too. Hopefully this is going to be ok. He wants to do 3 rounds of this..every two weeks. Loads of fun.

Have you guys thought of becoming a mobile notary for loan signing? You can make 175 per set of loan docs which take only an hour to do.... its part time on your own time you just need to advertise. All you do is stamp ans sign. And your signature could be. 2 letters mine is hr. I need to start doing it more but look into that... get with a mortgage company a escrow office etc.... no office... no long hours.... quick easy mulah. Check it out

Hannah

I'm 16 and have been looking for a part time job but unfortunately there's not many jobs I can do at my age especially with having RSD (most employers here in the UK ask that you are 18).

I'm starting college on Monday and am studying Health and Social Care. I'm nervous about starting as I know that the long days are probably going to be a struggle but my tutors know about my RSD and have said they will be understanding and allow me extra time to finish assignments etc should I be ill ... heres just hoping they do!

I always wanted to be either a vet or a nurse, however now I have RSD in both arms it would be impossible for me to ever succeed in those carers, especially since I have dystonia also (my fists lock at times and can be like that for months.)

I've now decided that I want to be a Psychologist. Ever since being ill i've always wanted to help people and hopefully it would be a job i'd be able to manage as doesn't have too much physical work. It looks interesting and my tutor has said that with the grades i've got i'd be good at it. I'd just need to go to college for 3 years then onto university

I agree with what the others have said about receptionist work if you could do that ... that's something I want to do if for some reason I can't be a Psychologist. I find sitting a struggle but if I take plenty of rests i'm usually OK.

I hope you find something soon. I hate how RSD robs us of stuff we want to do and that's one of my big fears ... that when i'm older I wont be able to do the job I want to because of it ... hopefully that wont be the case but it does cross my mind at times.

Best of luck,
Alison