I'm just wondering how many of us are able to keep working? I'm really struggling at my job. I'm not sure how much longer I can do it. I work for starbucks. I love it but I just can't keep it up. Any suggestions of jobs that we can do with tos?

Thanks
Jess

Hi Jess,I freelance and I work with my affected arm so it was excruciating. I finished that job last June and I have been off work ever since. I had state disabiity insurance for 6 months but it ran out. I am also looking for some part time work that doenst include using my right arm or computer but that will probably be hard to find. I am trying to reapply for a new disablility claim but dont know if they will approve it. I am also thinking of applying for long term SSI disability or Workmans COmp since I am not anywhere near going back to my regular work and now I am starting to look into surgery.

I have heard that both of these are time consuming and hard to get. Anybody have any advice?

Thanks for the replies. No one at work gets it. They dont understand why I cant "work thru the pain". That's what I've done for a year now. It's too much now. Thanks for helping.

Jess

After a lot of conservative care including chiro and PT, I am able to work fairly well as a software developer. But it helps immensely that I work at home and that I have flex time. I could not have held my job if it was on-site with set hours. "Excuse me from this meeting everyone, but I have to go do some corpse pose right now."

Are you full time and if so, can you downshift to part time?

Not working, since 10/2003 - oh I did have to return to try it again only lasted 2.5 months (Dr & work comp wanted me to try full duties one more time..).

I suppose now I could go back to some sort of part time job that has flexible duties, but those are few and far between.
Luckily home is paid for so one income is ok.

Working thru the pain just digs you in deeper & deeper...IMO
Especially if you aren't getting any really good therapy..


All the reaching and high counter tops @ Starbucks would affect me I know..

I have heard good things about Starbucks' benefits. Do you have private short and long term disability insurance? As TOS progresses, it can make any job difficult to perform. My goal was to continue my current job. When conservative treatments failed, I opted for surgery. My goal was to retun to my job within 12 weeks (FMLA limit for mandatory job retention). Having the safety net of long-term disability insurance made my decision for surgery easier for me in case there were complications and I was unable to return to work.

unable to work. pain flares are so unpredictable, I can't ever know when or how often I will be out sick from work; how often I'd be medicated at work; aggravating my condition. I was an I.T. pro and also a Project Manager. I had to be in meetings for hours. Nobody would hire me like this. an employable web developer builds a site in 8-12 hours. It takes me 2 months. un-hireable.

I have been off work since april 2011. I was a police officer and can no longer do the job. I ran out of sick time in march and have been without pay. I am waiting on state pension disability. It has been over 6 months since I applied and just the other day I received a letter from them that they delayed my case and want me to see another one of their doctors. I will most likely have to look for some work soon, but not sure what I can do right now.