Comments on: I can not work if I’m pain http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:24:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rosalind http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-1602 Rosalind Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:17:35 +0000 http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/25/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/#comment-1602 That's great that you're getting a degree. Have you looked at what kinds of jobs you can get with it? And thought about what criteria would make it most possible for you to be successful in a job? My Guidebook, Make It Happen -- and the entire series - would be helpful in this transition. And my book, Women, Work and autoimmune disease, Keep Working GIrlfriend - will be be out in may - and that will be useful, too. IN the meantime, think smart about what you need from a job before you take the plunge. Rosalind aka cicoach.com That’s great that you’re getting a degree. Have you looked at what kinds of jobs you can get with it? And thought about what criteria would make it most possible for you to be successful in a job? My Guidebook, Make It Happen — and the entire series – would be helpful in this transition. And my book, Women, Work and autoimmune disease, Keep Working GIrlfriend – will be be out in may – and that will be useful, too. IN the meantime, think smart about what you need from a job before you take the plunge. Rosalind aka cicoach.com

]]> By: Cynthia Armistead http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-1601 Cynthia Armistead Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:11:55 +0000 http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/25/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/#comment-1601 I understand about the difficulty of going back to work. I haven't been able to work since 2000. I miss it, and I'm finishing my degree online as part of making myself more marketable again. I wish I had filed for disability way back then. It would have been much easier than getting approved for it now, and I would have had access to better healthcare in the interim. I understand about the difficulty of going back to work. I haven’t been able to work since 2000. I miss it, and I’m finishing my degree online as part of making myself more marketable again. I wish I had filed for disability way back then. It would have been much easier than getting approved for it now, and I would have had access to better healthcare in the interim.

]]> By: Rosalind http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-1599 Rosalind Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:02:12 +0000 http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/25/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/#comment-1599 I agree that it's individual - and disability isn't a failure. But from what I've seen with my clients and emails I get -- and the statistics - it's very very hard to get back into the workforce when you've been out for longer than six months. Disability almost always means a reduced life - financially and emotionally - often not in the beginning, but over time. It doesn't make sense to work at something that makes your symptoms worse -- and to underperform. But what about doing everything you can to to reconfigure your job - or find a new job before going on disability? Rosalind I agree that it’s individual – and disability isn’t a failure. But from what I’ve seen with my clients and emails I get — and the statistics – it’s very very hard to get back into the workforce when you’ve been out for longer than six months. Disability almost always means a reduced life – financially and emotionally – often not in the beginning, but over time. It doesn’t make sense to work at something that makes your symptoms worse — and to underperform. But what about doing everything you can to to reconfigure your job – or find a new job before going on disability? Rosalind

]]> By: Cynthia Armistead http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-1597 Cynthia Armistead Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:47:28 +0000 http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2008/02/25/i-can-not-work-if-im-pain/#comment-1597 That is an extremely individual decision. It's great that you can keep working despite pain. Some people can't, unfortunately. At first, I agreed with your reasons to keep working. However, I know that there are ways to stay engaged and "be more than this illness" other than working. And honestly, I don't know anyone who socializes around his or her illness! We socialize in spite of our illnesses, as much as we're able. I can't see that wanting to feel good enough to work would be any more motivating than just wanting to feel better, period. Obviously, different people find different things more motivating than others! When I try to "play normal," I end up hurting myself and feel like an idiot. I find it better to be open about my differences and make allowances for them whenever possible, so that I can go on and work or socialize or without being foolish. Knowing that he isn't doing his job well has to be difficult for X. Wouldn't it be better for him to apply for long term disability, leaving his employer on good terms, rather than waiting to see if they fire him for poor performance? He may find that his pain is improved by not having to travel for business or go into work each day. He might have enough time to find treatments that are effective, so that he could eventually go back to work. Or, he might find other things that he can still do well, like working part-time, being a mentor, or volunteering. Filing for disability is not an admission of failure. It does not mean that your life is over, or that you are no longer a useful person. We have disability coverage for a perfectly good reason: sometimes, we are unable to continue working. That is an extremely individual decision. It’s great that you can keep working despite pain. Some people can’t, unfortunately.

At first, I agreed with your reasons to keep working. However, I know that there are ways to stay engaged and “be more than this illness” other than working. And honestly, I don’t know anyone who socializes around his or her illness! We socialize in spite of our illnesses, as much as we’re able. I can’t see that wanting to feel good enough to work would be any more motivating than just wanting to feel better, period. Obviously, different people find different things more motivating than others! When I try to “play normal,” I end up hurting myself and feel like an idiot. I find it better to be open about my differences and make allowances for them whenever possible, so that I can go on and work or socialize or without being foolish.

Knowing that he isn’t doing his job well has to be difficult for X. Wouldn’t it be better for him to apply for long term disability, leaving his employer on good terms, rather than waiting to see if they fire him for poor performance?

He may find that his pain is improved by not having to travel for business or go into work each day. He might have enough time to find treatments that are effective, so that he could eventually go back to work. Or, he might find other things that he can still do well, like working part-time, being a mentor, or volunteering.

Filing for disability is not an admission of failure. It does not mean that your life is over, or that you are no longer a useful person. We have disability coverage for a perfectly good reason: sometimes, we are unable to continue working.

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