I'll explain as vaguely as possible but its important to know my CRPS started due to an attack, not regular injury at work.

I'm coming up on two years since my injury and crps began and I seem to be most able to work a light duty position in the warmer, but not excrutiatingly hot, months. I live in a mild winter area and so we are pretty much done with winter and back to the 80-90s. Then as it becomes excrutiatingly hot, then cold for winter, I flare so bad, and even experienced spread, I can't work.

Getting put on ttd is a nightmare, and the jobs I'm given are demoralizing and don't provide any stimulation to keep my mind off my pain.

Now that the temps are mild and my flare is calming I am nervous about being asked to work with restrictions. I wouldn't mind if where they put me had purpose and helped improve my life but usually they don't. I'm incapable of much contact with the population where I work because of my fear of being attacked, and I can't handle stress or it causes a flare. I end up with a laundry list of restrictions and then I have to fight hr, the temp job supervisor, and the union to obey them/help enforce them.

My ins has run out. I get 26 biweeklys, a year, of ins in wc and they're done. I'm divorced but remarried but the only one who insures the kids.

So what restrictions are helpful? My Dr and ergo guy at the hr office and union rep are helpful in getting them written. I just want to have purpose but not fear of flaring and having to fight for ttd again.

Does anyone actually work full duty who isn't in remission? I just can't see ever being a full time emp and dealing with crps.

Well...work has not allowed me to go back (illegally...but whatever) but I think I have a pretty firm grasp on what is helpful generally when it comes to needing accommodations for your disability.

Obviously you cannot just choose what you want to do at work. My personal experience is that it isn't even remotely helpful to even suggest tasks that you would be able to do.

Instead...you need to focus on what you need from your employer to do the job. I don't know what you do for a living so you'll have to think about in terms of your actual employer and your job. So think about triggers your RSD and how you can avoid those things and if there is anything YOU can do to minimize the effects of those triggers so you can still work.

Using myself as an example...my pain flares really bad in any sort of cold or with a breeze or air blowing from a vent, etc. I can minimize the effects of this by making sure that my RSD areas are covered...but wearing gloves, scarf, and gym shoes would not generally be part of the company dress code. So the accommodation I ask for is to be allowed to wear those things as needed.

If you need to limit your contact with people...then maybe ask for an office or to work in a secluded area. Again...don't know what your job is or if that would apply...but in an office setting it would be reasonable to move you from a spot that is in a high traffic area to one that isn't as busy.

If cold is an issue and it would be unreasonable to increase the temperature where you work to a comfortable level, you could request to be allowed to use a space heater to keep your work area warmer.

Another common accommodation is to ask for a flexible work schedule. This is not always possible because it may affect your ability to meet deadlines and stuff...but depending on the sort of work you do it might be something that they can do.

If there's anything that you would need to do your job...like hands free voice typing system or a walker or wheel chair...those are things you can ask the employer to provide. If the cost is not high...they may be required to provide it to you.

If you have to walk a long distance to get to your work area, you may be able to ask to work in an area closer to the entrance. Or you might be able to park closer (reserved parking spot or something) which could limit the distance you walk or that you are exposed to the weather outside.

Those are just some examples. When you go to the employer I wouldn't think about it like giving them a list of things you cannot do, but rather a list of things that would allow you to DO the job.

Now...a difficult employer with people who are just trying to make you miserable to get you to leave will twist any accommodations or restrictions around to so that they succeed in making you miserable. One example from my own experience is that I had a note once that said I could not stand for more than 15 minutes during my shift...to which my employer replied, "So you can WALK for your entire shift." Seriously...that's what I was told...and it was a clear case of them just deliberately being difficult. That's why if you focus on what you need them to do for you so you can do the type of work you want, instead of just telling them what you can't do, it can be more helpful. Then they should base your job on what is in the job description instead of giving you meaningless busy work that you don't like. If you tell them you can do your job but need ACCOMMODATIONS instead of all the things you can't do it can put a whole different spin on the situation.

But like I said...if they are just dead set on making you miserable then there may be nothing that you can do. I certainly have experience with THAT...

Well, even though my job is originally medical in nature, I'm a civil servant and they open all departments to light duty.

Those ideas are helpful! The first two accommodations I'd ask for is part time work to start and during the daytime, off by 5 pm. So i can take meds and work during the warmth of the day. I've been allowed those before so I'm sure those two will definately be included. My last restrictions were no use of the right arm/hand. No work environment below 70 degrees. And I do have the unions help as well.

I don't know that I want no use again....I became a human sign. Literally 20 hours a week I asked people not to knock on a door. That's all. And it terrified me because of the public contact. A guy got mad and yelled at me and I threw up everywhere.

I just so want purpose, and coworkers, and higher income! I make several more dollars an hour now than what my wc is based on. And the health ins!

So...in that case I would see if you could think of either ways you COULD use the right hand or think about what tasks you are limited with because of your hand. For example...are you able to type, answer phones, fill out paperwork, etc? Some of these things you might be able to do with your left hand or using a typewriter (goodness...how old fashioned is THAT idea) so it wouldn't be necessary for you to USE your right hand but you might request an accommodation based on the specific task that you are given (like a typewriter). So in this case it wouldn't be necessary for the doctor to say no use of right hand/arm but it would be about requesting an accommodation (if necessary) that would allow you to do the job without using your right hand/arm.

The nurse at my doctor's office (who left the old practice to come with my doctor to the new one) has only one arm. She is amazing and it doesn't seem like it has stopped her at all. She has figured out how to do all the different tasks in different ways and it seems to work out just fine. She still does all the normal stuff, takes a history, takes my blood pressure and my pulse, etc....she just does it all with one arm.