I really don't know if I should be working. I'm in pain 24/7 (like everybody here), I get home at the end of each day and usually have a period of time where I have to deal with just the pain. I can't get anything done, like make dinner.

This weekend was nice in that I didn't have anything out of the house I had to do, sort of. I did go out and get groceries and my DD's costume (and a huge discussion that Leia does NOT use a light saber in ep. 4). I actually cleaned the kitchen (mostly) and got dinner made both nights. Eating good food really helps me, but it's so hard to do most days.

I'm sure I could go out on disability, that would cover me for a year. I'm trying to wrap up my lawsuit (from the trauma that caused all of this) and there are snags, which is going to cause both a delay and not getting as much as I want. This extra money will allow me a cushion, but not a huge one. My DH is mostly a stay at home dad. He needs to work FT to support the family. This is hard for him to do, and we've been discussing a plan for him to work for himself, and setting up that time period that will cover us if his business is iffy. I really want to move closer to my brother so I have more support. So we're planning on starting said business near him so it's couldn't be put in place until we get there.

I don't want to do any movement of pieces until my settlement comes in, and now I"m not sure when that'll happen (it could be settled this week or I could have to go to trial).

But every day is a struggle. Every. single. day. And as you all know, this cr*p isn't getting any better on it's own.

I know it's good for me to get my butt up and go to work, be productive, etc, but I have no home life at all. I have a WONDERFUL job and the best bosses. If I leave I need to really leave, not take a few months and string them along.

Part of me wonders if I just need more meds. But I think my anti-seizure is part of what's making me so fatigued. If I take more that IMO won't help. If I take opiates my work wouldn't want me working.

I've been thinking about this for months. I am way too much of a planner, and all of this is making it impossible to plan. I can't do anything big at all until I get my settlement. It's driving me crazy.

I think the answer to this is going to vary greatly from person to person.

I am currently working...but had to take a little over a year off when things got so bad that I was in a wheel chair and couldn't walk or stand at all...couldn't drive either. During that year my RSD spread to my entire upper body (started in my left ankle). And it was the worst year of my life. I felt like a prisoner in my own house. Then when I got better (as in able to walk with a walker and able to drive again) and got the release to go back to work...work wouldn't let me and I had to file a charge of discrimination against my employer for disability discrimination with the EEOC. 6 months later I was allowed to return to work...and I am SO MUCH HAPPIER being at work.

Don't get me wrong...I am in a lot of pain all the time and the working increases that pain. BUT...being at work also gives me something to think about BESIDES the pain. I feel like I have a reason to get up and move everyday...it's so easy to just not do anything when you don't have to. Work keeps me moving, keeps my mind sharp (which is not easy with this condition), and it makes me happy. I really do enjoy my job...so it makes the increased pain worth it to put up with.

Not everyone is in the same position though. It's therapeutic for me to work but not everyone feels that way. I know that in the future...I will probably have to stop working at some point. There will be a point where this delicate balance I have of how much work helps me (mentally and emotionally) and how much it hurts me (physically) will tip and the pain will get to be too much for me to handle. When that time comes...I know I will have to stop working.

If you think you need to take some time off to get your meds sorted out or go through some treatments...that might be the best option. Especially if you like where you are working. But that's really only something you can decide based on what you are going through. If you are at that point where the increased pain is more than you can take...then it might be time to stop working.

I hope things work out with your settlement and that it all gets settled quickly so you don't have to deal with even more stress.

Hey Chaos! My last day worked was Dec 28, 2012. My PM dr filled out the paperwork for me to go on short-term disability, which lasts 6 months, then transitions over to long-term disability. This was an employer paid benefit. I had it all planned out so everything was covered when work stopped...nothing went as planned. I made sure I met the eligibility requirements of the plan and worked as long as I could after that. I was denied STD/LTD disability and have just filed my second and final appeal. I went ahead and applied for SSD in April and was approved on the first application and within three months...thank goodness for that!!!

I had a great job, great income, but not so great bosses. They treated me like crap and like there was no way I could hurt like I did, no matter what info I supplied them with. I was a financial & human resource manager and I was a one-person department. They had their favorite employees and I wasn't one of them...that was obvious to me in the way they treated me and the others that had health issues. They said to me, once you are off for a month, you'll feel better and come back. They either had no clue or didn't want to have a clue about it. By the time I left, I had been there 9 1/2 yrs.

I have RSD in my face, hands, feet, shoulders, left arm, left leg and trunk. It is spreading too. I have developed bladder and other internal issues. I had two SCS's implanted in 2011 and they helped me push thru work another 1 1/2 years. The pain was so bad, especially in my hands, because of my work demands. I would get home from work and not be able to do anything. I would be in tears most days. It was awful and very stressful. I still cannot do much, but it is good to not have to go to work after not sleeping all night or when I am having a really bad day. Oh, and I was on blood pressure medication for about 7 years and came off of it several months ago!! The work stress is completely gone. My husband is WONDERFUL and takes care of me and most things around the house. He can't do everything as he can only use one arm (cerebral palsy), but he can do a lot (except cook...lol). I do not have my family close by to help, they are 2-3 hours away, as are most of my friends. My husband's parents and sister is here, so that is good.

It is good that you will have your settlement to help you through. I know it has to be frustrating not knowing how much and when. I sued the mexican restaurant that was negligent in serving me refried beans with rocks in it...yes, rocks. I bit down and wth was that?? I ended up (after several failed root canals) losing my 3 back bottom teeth, got implants and a bridge. This trauma cause the RSD in my face. This was back in 1991, no one had a clue of what RSD was back then. I had no clue what RSD was. If I had known then what I know now, I would have NEVER settled for the piddly amount I received...and I do mean piddly!

Sorry, I am rambling...I do hope things work out for you. I know that it is a tough decision to make. Giving up work is tough mentally. Something I never thought I would be doing at age of 46!

Good Luck!!
Nanc

Hi Chaos,

This is a tough place for anyone to be in, and although I can share advice on how I would proceed, only you and your husband really can decide these things.

Regarding STD/LTD the one thing I would caution is if this is the route you take please, please make sure that you do it with the recommendation of your treating physician(s) and have this in writing. Then follow up with your physician(s) making sure that every single day you take off is recommended by your doctors and is documented in writing while you are receiving or claiming disability benefits. Also, please read your contract for such benefits thoroughly as some are written so that once you exhaust STD that in order to receive LTD you must not be able to work at "any" job, NOT just the job you are currently doing. This is why it is important to have complete documentation of your work ability. They may also require you at some point to provide documentation on activities of daily living, an independent exam etc., so be prepared for that. When I first went out on disability after my head on collision I was required to supply all medical records and details of my abilities every 3 months or whenever they decided to ask for it even though I had been approved. I also was required per my benefit contract to keep my employer informed through letters from my doctor of my ability to work and any special accommodations that could help me return to work if that was possible (it wasn't for me but, that might be the different for you) so again please don't make this decision without fully understanding the contract of your benefits or you may end up surprised by a denial or worse approval for a couple of weeks and then later a denial. Personally.. I would recommend if you do decide to go that route to take some time but not leave your employment permanently that way if circumstances change or there is a hiccup in the benefits application that you haven't already left your employer. Sounds like you enjoy your job so maybe with some additional help at home whether that be your husband or even hired help to make dinner, or help with chores might be worth thinking about, so that you can continue to work at a place and position you enjoy as long as pain will allow.

Regarding your settlement - I do hope this is settled but please, please keep in mind that as with any lawsuit there are no guarantees, so try not to put to much stock in any promised $$ until the day you are holding that in your hand. Many things can go wrong.. between now and then. I hope it works out for you sooner rather than later.

Starting a new business is way more stressful than one can imagine.. so maybe you should only make one big change at a time. It also might be prudent to wait until you are settled with your case prior to starting that since both are so draining mentally and physically especially if you end up in trial.

You do have a lot on your plate!! Keep discussing and thinking things through thoroughly (measuring the pros and cons of each), be realistic and keep in mind things don't always go as planned so having a plan 'B' is never a bad idea. I'm sure you will make the best decisions for you and your families needs.

The settlement isn't an if, it's a when. Should have been done last week but the hospital and docs are pointing fingers at each other. Mediation attny called them childish.

There are a couple options for my DH. We have to explore the area I'm looking at and see what they actually need. I figure it'll take time to actually get it off the ground. He does the same work here, but on a very part time basis without trying. I wish he'd market himself, but he doesn't. Then he works one week and I show him he can make decent money but he has issues with the marketing and operations stuff. I could only do that if my brain was back to a point where I could work, otherwise I'd need him to hire somebody to help. And yes, one thing at a time. It's just thinking right now, trying to plan. Telling DH he's crazy when he thinks of some ideas. Telling myself how much there would actually be. Issue is DH will not work for somebody else. It's super frustrating.

I would definitely not go off work without getting the paperwork from my doc. I've actually been through it twice, once during pregnancy and one a few years after. It's the LTD that I worry about, because even if I can get it, it won't be anywhere close to what I earned before.

If I moved, was on STD for a while, used my settlement to cushion me until I found a new job in the event I was off STD is possible. The only reason I stay in the town I'm at is because of my job. I'd really like to leave, partly because the medical services here are horrible.

I used to work in a shop/store, and it involved a lot of standing, walking, climbing stairs, carrying boxes, etc. When I started having knee troubles I had to modify what I could do at work, which was obviously a nuisance for the owner and other staff (small place, only about 4 of us in total). I had a few days off here and there but nothing too bad until I had my 'minor knee op' (oh the irony of that word ). Of course in the end it wasn't minor at all, and started off a whole heap of trouble.

We knew I would be taking at least a couple of weeks off work after my op for recovery time, so that was all planned. Well that timescale was a joke. Horrendous pain, blah blah, uncontrollable, doctors didn't understand what was going on etc, I must be faking it to try and get something... Two months later - oh, sorry, you have CRPS

I was off too long. In the end the owner asked me to resign so he could replace me, and I couldn't reasonably say no. I was gutted because I enjoyed and was good at what I did. I was pretty down about it all for a few weeks, but being the restless soul I am lol, I started thinking of what I could do and asked for suggestions from friends and family.

So I started up a very small educational thing, which I have gradually grown to suit me and what I can do. I set my own hours and am responsible only to myself and my clients. It's been a complete lifesaver, and I've never regretted it. Setting up a business can be really stressful, but it all depends what it is!! Mine has given me something to do when I am able, people to meet and talk to, a sense of pride and achievement, and regular but manageable commitments that I strive to keep unless I absolutely can't do it. I very rarely cancel a session, because most of the time even if I'm feeling crap, my work makes me concentrate on something other than the pain, and can actually be a really good painkiller!

All you can do is work with what you can do, and be creative about it. Ask people too, because sometimes something you might not feel brave enough to do off your own bat can actually turn out to be great, once you have been given the confidence of others opinions... Also I'd say to make sure you check everything you should be doing in terms of taxes, laws, regulations, etc beforehand as part of the planning process - that way you won't have to deal with the stressful stuff like a tax return as a horrific surprise lol!

I'd always advise someone to go for something self-employed as long as you follow a few simple rules:

- PLAN, plan, and then plan a bit more. Don't jump into anything rashly.
- do your research - is there a market for what you are offering? Are your prices competitive? Etc etc lol.
- check rules and regulations around what you're thinking about. The web is a great resource here, as are local government.
- be organised - it saves on stress later, which lets face it, is a bad idea for us.
- be confident in yourself. If you go for it, trust your judgement and have faith in your abilities. Make sure you listen if someone you trust gives you a bit of feedback though!
- never EVER invest more money than you can afford to lose. The economy is ropey at the moment and who knows what will be affected next...
- keep proper accounts. As much as anything, you can proudly look at how much you are contributing every month. Every little bit of cash that comes in is so fab

Even if nothing comes of your planning, or things just don't work out, at least you know that you gave it a go. It's a massive boost to your self-esteem at a time when you feel worthless and, let's be honest, a bit of a burden.

Good luck.

Bram.

I was temp disability after my accident for six months then applied for ssdi and was lucky to get that about three months after my temp disablity ran out. I did see a ssdi lawyer to help me and he was really nice. I haven't worked since I broke my wrist because I've been in too much pain from rsd I got from my accident and because of all the strong meds I've been on since I broke my wrist. It was a multiiple fracture that was very painful and brought on rsd a three months after. I have been getting worse because of all the surgeries I've had on my mouth and stomach and because of the fibromyalgia I've develped from rsd. I know have rsd spread adn pain all over from rsd and fibro combined. I've also experienced bone loss in my right hip now and it's hurting more and more to move it and walk. My mental health isn't much better. The constant pain and fear of spread make me so stressed out that I need strong meds from my physciatrist to deal with my pain. I don't drive anymore because my right hand doesn't close all the way and my wrist doesn't bend, so I'm unable to grip the steering wheel. I can't drive with all the pain and meds I take either. I can't type too much with my rsd hand either because of the pain that arises from pushing on the keys. I usually use my left hand to type and it takes forever to be able to do that. I can't even hold a phone for long because it hurts my hand so mcuh and I just can't grip it too well. My cell phone fall s out of my hand sometimes while I'm talking on it because of this. I hope that your settlement works out and that things work out for you if you decide to stop working. My thoughts are with you.

My RSD started after a work accident caused TOS, then RSD.

I haven't been able to work since then.

Make sure that you know all of the details of your short term disability policy. It may cover you if you are unable to do YOUR job. When you get into applying for SSDI, you would have to be found unable to do ANY job.

I worked until they ran me off because I loved my job first, then as they kept demoting me, it turned into a pride thing. It took me almost 2 years to come to the point that I was forced to face the facts.

I actually believe that was one of the hardest things on how I seen myself, or measured myself. Take that away, and it was like I was a nothing. Took me a while to adjust, and took me a long painful process to get SSDI.

I dont really know when the time is really right, except to say that it will become painfully obvious when your body is done.