[pooh_ac]

Life has once again blindsided me. I'm not sure why I think things will improve while I work. My limits seem to decrease almost weekly. Not just pain wise. I am having more and more "fog". Impacts my work both as an ER nurse and a surgical nurse. I fear becoming dangerous my making one decision wrong.

[Mark56]

You are on my mind and in my prayers.
May this difficult of times be and become instead a shining time of blessing for you.
May you have that fog lifted.
May pain be abated.
May the difficulties which come about because of the little one's Dad be resolved to the good of her and of you and family.
May work be a place of affirmed use of your talents so you KNOW all is well with those in your care.
May you know and feel the surrounding love of those of us who, as friends, care.
God Bless You,
M56

[zookester]

You are lifted up in Prayer!

[Saffy]

Wow, I know that foggy feeling, and with your job and having to make huge decisions that affect people's lives, I feel your worry.

How are things now?

[PamelaJune]

Oh Pooh life just keeps on giving those gut kicks. Is it medication that's giving you the "fog" or is it depression, or your ongoing pain? Whichever, or whatever, can you reduce your number of rostered shifts or maybe work a shift that offers less hours? The pain we live with doesn't seem to go away and no matter how hard we try to address it, it just keeps on giving. Hugs to you and I hope the hospital supervisors can work with you to find some solutions

[booklover]

Originally Posted by pooh_ac

Life has once again blindsided me. I'm not sure why I think things will improve while I work. My limits seem to decrease almost weekly. Not just pain wise. I am having more and more "fog". Impacts my work both as an ER nurse and a surgical nurse. I fear becoming dangerous my making one decision wrong.

Dear Pooh,

I feel you are torn between your conscience which is acutely aware of your duty of care and your grief at losing something you love and clearly value dearly and are probably great at. No doubt there is an enormous cost to you in pain and fatigue to maintain the level of concentration and adrenaline required to function in such a full on work environment. I'm wondering how you'd feel about a compromise position with perhaps less reward, lower risk,working in a less complex environment as a nurse? My suggestion is to retrain as a blood pathology nurse and work in a medical clinic. It would be more repetitive, no shift work, greater access to part time work, easier physically and cognitively. You would still have some of the financial, social,and identity benefits of working. I know it won't be the same, but what do you think? It's seems really unfair having to keep giving away things that are important to you. But it's probably playing on your mind because you're a caring nurse who would hate to inadvertently cause anyone else to suffer because of a lapse of concentration or mistake... I'm so sorry you have to face this difficult decision. You will Know when you can't trust your body/brain to keep up but it helps to let go if you have something to go to.

Booklover

[pooh_ac]

I want to thank those of you that have reached out and or replied to me. I live in a very rural area. Other then nursing homes and hospitals there are very limited openings at this time for RN's. Most clinics employee med techs or LPN's. There is one clinic that did hire RN's but they have cut their staff and no longer offer health insurance. Part of the reason I work the hours that I do is for health insurance. AS many of you know insurance can be quiet difficult. The insurance we have at this point is reasonably prices with coverage for neurostimulator, my never ablations and all the "regular" coverage's. What I have been told by friends in similar situations that have taken some of the lovely insurance that has been mandated that they cannot afford some of the policies that will cover their healthcare needs. Or if it is affordable the deductible is so high the cannot afford it. So I will do what I do and pray that I do not harm any of my patients, and suffer as my pain spreads

[Rrae]

Dear Pooh,
My heart truly goes out to you....
Praying.....
Rae

[booklover]

Originally Posted by pooh_ac

I want to thank those of you that have reached out and or replied to me. I live in a very rural area. Other then nursing homes and hospitals there are very limited openings at this time for RN's. Most clinics employee med techs or LPN's. There is one clinic that did hire RN's but they have cut their staff and no longer offer health insurance. Part of the reason I work the hours that I do is for health insurance. AS many of you know insurance can be quiet difficult. The insurance we have at this point is reasonably prices with coverage for neurostimulator, my never ablations and all the "regular" coverage's. What I have been told by friends in similar situations that have taken some of the lovely insurance that has been mandated that they cannot afford some of the policies that will cover their healthcare needs. Or if it is affordable the deductible is so high the cannot afford it. So I will do what I do and pray that I do not harm any of my patients, and suffer as my pain spreads

Dear Pooh,
How frustrating! So you have made a “choice” of sorts, what I’d call “a Sophie’s choice” . A term phrased from a famous film where Meryl Streep (Sophie) had to choose between saving her son or daughter from the nazi’s. So often people with chronic illness are asked to make a choice which is like a Sophie’s choice, that is a choice between two difficult things, and that to me is a great loss. Rather than worrying, for now I think it would be far more helpful to focus on how to minimise risk through good self-care, pain management, and energy conservation particularly before and after work shifts.

I was faced with a similarly difficult decision when I was pregnant with my son, and needed to go back on medications which were potentially harmful to him. My medical team and I used a risk minimisation approach. Thankfully despite lots of pregnancy complications our son was delivered safely by emergency caesarean with only a minor abnormality in his little finger.

So lower the housework standards, have lovely Epson salt baths, ban ironing, freeze meals, co-opt willing helpers at home and a terrific medical team

Remember take care of yourself first,

booklover

[ger715]

Originally Posted by pooh_ac

I want to thank those of you that have reached out and or replied to me. I live in a very rural area. Other then nursing homes and hospitals there are very limited openings at this time for RN's. Most clinics employee med techs or LPN's. There is one clinic that did hire RN's but they have cut their staff and no longer offer health insurance. Part of the reason I work the hours that I do is for health insurance. AS many of you know insurance can be quiet difficult. The insurance we have at this point is reasonably prices with coverage for neurostimulator, my never ablations and all the "regular" coverage's. What I have been told by friends in similar situations that have taken some of the lovely insurance that has been mandated that they cannot afford some of the policies that will cover their healthcare needs. Or if it is affordable the deductible is so high the cannot afford it. So I will do what I do and pray that I do not harm any of my patients, and suffer as my pain spreads

Pooh,
Is there any retirement age where you can collect retirement benefits that might help pay for insurance (prior to SS and Medicare)??

Any chance for Disability??

Also, Would think by putting an ad in newspaper there would be the possibility of those who would need a nurse a few days a week which would help to pay for insurance.

I did not develop most of the spine/fusion/PN issues until after I retired. Fortunately, I was able to retire at 50/51. Just can't imagine working with all this pain, as well as the high dose of narcotic meds I am on just to help the pain tolerable.

Some years ago one of my daughters had worked for SS/Medicare. When she quit, she put an ad in the newspaper to help the elderly fill out medical forms, etc. which they were more than glad to reimburse for not having to deal with these overwhelming issues.

Pray something good will soon come your way enabling you to work less and take better care of your health/pain issues.


Gerry