You may want to re-think quitting for legal reasons. If you have a brain injury, that is a disability and your employer is required to accommodate you.

If they aren't able to accommodate you and they have to medically terminate you, that may be a stronger case for disability than you just quitting.

That is a really good point, thank you. Sometimes it is hard to think about logistics when my brain feels upside down like this.

I wonder how that works being that I am a seasonal employee? I have only been back at work one week, since last season. (last year)

How does one go about discussing this with an employer? Describe the disability, then ask to get fired?

I feel like they will just ask me if I can do the job, and if not, will ask something along the lines of "are you quitting then?".. not sure how this works.

I was considering asking to get laid off/terminated, so I could at least resume my unemployment benefits for the time being.

I foresee it being not that simple, as I came back to work "fine", and all of a sudden a week later I am suddenly "disabled". I think this would sound fishy to anyone, even me and it's my brain.

Ugh. Any thoughts?

You did not return to work fine. You returned with Post Concussion Syndrome. You had been living a low stress life and your symptoms were manageable. Now, with work stresses, your symptoms are no longer manageable. It sounds like you tolerated the stresses last summer so your PCS is a disability. Ask to speak to Human Resources/Personnel or an ADA specialist (Americans with Disabilities Act). Explain that you love your job and want to keep it but the heat and rough roads are too much for your PCS brain.

Is the job directly with the government or are you employed by an outside contractor ? Direct employment should give you more rights.

Thank you Mark, I have looked up some #s for some ADA specialists that I will call tomorrow morning when they open. great advice.

I work for a small non-profit that does government contract work.

Track record on human resources issues with them:

Had to file a worker's comp last year for an x-ray and the whole office went nuts trying to figure it out and eventually too much time lapsed and they had to pay out-of-pocket.

so..not confident they will know how to handle this.

also, i am dreading going in there. i don't want them to see me as weak, or trying to "get something" from them, or a hypochondriac.

hard to accept that there are bigger problems now than how i end up seeming to other people. but the pride issue is there.

Hey Short Circut

Keep us posted about how you are. Your brain can heal. Believe it. It takes time though.

Good luck

poetrymom

I got a lot better in many ways this last month and I'm pushing myself a lot now, so pushing yourself does help, and indeed may be necessary, BUT...

I took so long to get better because I might have pushed myself too early. I think what really let me get to where I was able to push myself was giving myself 3 lucky weeks or so where I was able to do nothing all day and sleep as long as I wanted, whenever I wanted, while just managing the house.

I think that you'll realize when its time to push yourself, and I hope you'll rest as much as you can before that!

Side note, I also couldn't read the original post until it was rewritten. I'm glad I wasn't the only one, I felt bad!

Just be careful. I went back to work part time (I have a very physical hard labor outdoor job) for 4 hours a day after a little under 5 months. Bad bad idea. Now granted I did push myself about a month after the injury, but very slowly and progessively. Thats why the dr and I both felt confident in returning. But, in the end I lasted a week. Symptoms (now 6 month tomorrow from the injury) are worse than ever. Anything physical completely wrecks me, even walking a mile. Just be careful. When I went back to work, being a vehicle and being on the rough surfaces we drive hurt, shoveling hurt, raking hurt, lifting stuff hurt, the loud noises hurt.

Now I find myself seeing lightning flashes, quickly blacking out, losing balance and falling. Everyones different, you just have to be very very careful. I felt fairly confident this weekend, and got a little cocky. I decided by my front door that the mulch needed to be weeded. A job that takes maybe 20 minutes tops. Well I did it, but it was bad. My head was throbbing. I decided to go lay down. Then my wifes family decided to show up and spend 4 hours over. Well that added onto the headache. I couldnt tolerate nothing and it hurt to much to even try to nap. Still today (this was Saturday) and I feel like ive been hit by a dump truck. Oh, and in that misery that was Saturday, I fell again and bumped my head.

Tomorrow is also my 6-month anniversary of the day I was injured.

I agree with what everybody else has told you. Take it easy for now, and don't "push through". I pushed through at first, and that's probably why I'm still such a mess 6 months later.