Dear HorseMommy,

I am sorry to hear about this kick in the Gut, of course the timing doesn't help. I cannot offer any advice re:surgery...wish I could. I am considered a 'Surgical Candidate', but in my case surgery is inadviseable unless an emergency arose. (I have severe bi-lateral, arterial and neurogenic TOS, plus much more.)

I can however empathize about the job. Several years ago, I was laid off in a RIF...(reduction in force). I worked for a large corporation and was told I did not have enough seniority. Eight years was my story too. Even though I knew it in advance, I was totally devastated. I was single and had no home or backup income.

The GOOD news is, that RIF was the best thing that ever happened to me. It took a few years, but I thought about what I really wanted to do and eventually landed the most awesome job I could imagine. I had the privledge of working in National Secuity, in a meaningful job, for many years.

I hope you have the resources to take your time to heal, then I wish all the luck in the world to find your dream job.

Warmly,
Anne

THANKS EVERYONE for the kind words. I really need them today. I guess due to the added stress of being laid off and the cold weather, I'm in such pain today. My hand is purple, my tricept muscle aches so bad I could cry and my left eye has double vision
it was so bad earlier I almost thought I was having a TIA !!! I know I have vascular TOS and it's acting up. I only worry about throwing a clot. The RN I work with took my blood pressure and the "bad" arm pressure is higher. Which means it's getting worse. STUPID TOS
I'm in the process of getting a new dr so hopefully I can get my surgery in early spring. My hubby is taking a job change (he's a federal employee) on 1/1/08 and won't be able to take time off of his new job to help me at home. So I have to wait. On the up side his new job pays more and I won't have to worry about being out of work when I do finally get my surgery.

You might think/list the pros and cons of taking med leave now-

use the off time to focus on self
but
if you would need to use your own vacation pay

there are plenty of other pro/con to consider


I would make sure it is not a discrimination thing as to why you are let go.

Actually,

Jo55 has a good point. You mentioned your spouse works for the Federal Gov't, do you as well? If so, don't forget you are entitled to the Family Medical Leave Act. If you are just going to lose your sick leave anyway, it might be wise to go ahead and use it.

I might be able to help you with information on that, if you need it.

Anne

Please go see a work comp attorney BEFORE you do anything about leaving your job.

Are you 100% sure that your job did not -

cause the problem
exacerbate the problem
accelerate the problem
contribute even 1% to the injury

Or, that your lay-off, termination - whatever,

is properly motivated and carried out
has NO interest in "losing" you - dead weight in their eyes or to avoid later accomodations or cost?

I could think of more, but a good work comp attorney FOR FREE should be able to address these questions for you according to the laws of your state.

Just fyi, meant with love, always...

but before you go the w/c route, if you have good medical and some sort of disabiltiy insurance through the co or otherwise, even if you COULD go W/C, it might be easier to NOT if there are causes that are not work related.

I have had my own internal debate, I am sure work contributed to my symptoms, but I have good medical and disability insurance- it has cost a lot of my own money to be treated through my own health insurance, but I'll take it any day over dealing with the W/C nightmare that others have.

just a thought. It is important to weigh both set of options, i think, and CLEARLY there are more details that you are aware of that none of us are, probably more than you could stand to type to explain all the circumstance Just offering up my own reactionalry thoughts to what i read...

also meant with the warmest caring thoughts.

I don't usually disagree with Johannakat, but in this case, I don't see that she indicated you should make your decisions AFTER you seek a work comp FREE consult, which was my entire point. I NEVER tell someone they should or shouldn't file - it is a personal consideration. However, that consideration should be made when you know what you're talking about.

There are issues of permanent disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation and securing one's career legally despite an illness that a GOOD work comp attorney should discuss with you fully for FREEEEEE. There are many more considerations / rights you'd be losing - best to know what rights you are giving up before you do so, in general.

So it isn't that I disagree with what she's saying, but I like people to get a confidential, FULL, FREE work-up of their particular facts, state and information, so that when one makes a decision either way, one has ALL of the facts.

Many times private insurance and disability contracts have legal terms / policies that if a doctor later says something was work related, you could be dropped, or a protracted law suit could follow, whereas you might be too late to properly file for w/c, AND, in as for the private route, there are of course no lump sum payments or life pensions to pay for your permanent disability and losses in the open job market that work comp DOES compensate you for.

They are two totally different concepts, each very complex, and no non-lawyer should make such a decision without seeking a professional determination.

I personally sought my OWN advice from a respected attorney, even though I was one myself. I needed the objective advice.

I did the same on the Social Security issues.

I will soon do the same and seek a disability attorney's advice on disabilities in the public and work force, for my own edification.

This is just a general discussion and may not even apply to this person's post - I kind of got off-track, but I felt it should be mentioned.

Thanks for all the advise. I will take it under advisement.
I'm not feeling any better today but I did get a phone call from a large medical group I had very casually interviewed with. They want me to start Dec 10th. I really can't afford not to work until I get this surgery done. And No, it wasn't from my job.
Actually I believe I've had it for years. four years ago I fell in my barn isleway dragging a large horse on top of me, propelling this whole thing forward a few years!
I'm just trying to figure out how to control the symptoms at this point. I know I suffer from subclavian steal syndrome so I'm trying to be very careful. I'm pretty sure I can't throw a clot as my blood is very thin to start with.
But I worry about the problems it's causing with my eyesight and hand. I'm getting a "backflow" effect causing my visual disturbances and then the spasm of the arteries and veins in my arm. Yeah, not fun
Thanks for "listening" everyone.