Back To Work

[MaryB]

Sandi, I love that you are seeing someone so positive and you are sharing it with us. I think I turned the radio off 5 times today and someone kept turing it back on. Errrrr.

Sorry for your luck David and mine too! hahahahha and Carolyns! Someday we will get our help. I am in the hunt for new neuro man now. I am not talking test ( don;t think) until I see new neuro. I heard Sheryl Crow and I share same brain tumor!

Need to eat dinner now! XO

[amexdm]

Hello,

Well this week was kind of strange. As most of you know, last week was rather a disaster. But this week was strange. By that I mean I still didn't feel that great physically but much better mentally! A level of acceptance I guess. But with last week was at 40 percent health and this week 50 percent. Small progress? Not sure 50 percent health is cause for a celebration. I learned from my good friend Mary that when you have a good day to not think you're "cured". Thanks Mary!

 

Leg pain still an issue but it went from a 10 to a 7. Small progress again. I worked every day and was not late or left early. This is my 4th week of going from 31 to 36 hours so maybe ? I'm getting used to it. Two doctors appts also this week. First was ok, second was a joke. I'll update the Where to turn thread later.

How did everyone else do?

David

BTW Macca this is my diary installment for the week!

[goldfish.girl]

Hi David, any progress is good progress! It's all going in the right direction, great to hear

Michelle xx

[Carl]

Thanks for the update David. each day is a different one and so is each week.

For me this week was the best I have had in ages.

I worked Monday, napped at lunch. Went to bed early on Monday night.

Worked Tuesday, napped at lunch, didn't got to bed too early I tossed and turned thinking about my dentist appointment on Wednesday.

 

Wednesday morning I sent to the Oral Surgeon and he knocked me out with an IV. I don't recall much after that. Apparently I had a conversation with him in the recovery room. I don't even remember seeing him LOL my wife was there so she passed the info on to me today.

 

Best thing was he gave me 3 days off work. minimum! I took the note in to the office. If they accept the note it will help my previous case where they denied the last doctors note. Proving they were prejudiced with that particular case. If they reject the note that will also help my previous case proving that they are prejudiced in both cases.

 

So I slept one day, rested the next, and today I went for lunch with a friend. I will go to work on Monday and see what happens. If I get denied I will use Holiday time so I don't lose money. All in all a good week.

Next Tuesday I get to go to a retirement seminar. It will be good to get more accurate numbers. and the sweetness of the seminar is it is paid for by the employer.

[Sandi K]

David, I'm so glad you had a better week. I hope this one goes well too!

Carl, please tell us if they accepted or denied your claim for the three days. How are feeling after that dental work?

I'm going to be doing some of my brain games today, onward and upward!

Sandi K.

[Carl]

Things at work today were pretty good. None of the bosses even said hello so I guess I wasnt denied LOL.

 

I will find out for sure on my next pay cheque.

I do have a little pain from the teeth, The wisdom tooth was holding a shard of a molar in place, Now with both of them gone there is a little irritation on the inner cheek. I am no longer taking pain pills but I am using ORAGEL to numb the tenderness.

 

It was a nice sunny day at work today, It wasnt busy enough but I shouldnt complain about that

Tomorrow I get to attend a retirement seminar. I am looking forward to that.

And I believe things will be stirring up a little with my previous claim. They say every dog has his day.. WOOF WOOF

[amexdm]

Hello all:

Another strange week. Monday and Tuesday I felt great. Best in 6 months. Wednesday rough. Thursday and Friday ok. But wouldn't you know it my co-worker called in sick Thursday and Friday with a 'headache'. And I have a brain hemorrhage. But it caused me twice as much work and wiped me out. Murphys Law. So today I slept til 3pm somehow, guess I needed it. No one will beat me in the sleep Olympics!

 

On the good side, the pain in my legs and feet have gone from a 10 to a 5. Think its just fatigue. No help from doctors. Feel like I'm making progress. I will trudge on. In life it's not always what you achieve but what you overcome. Still fighting.

And how was your week?

Good vibes,

David

[Winb143]

Good to hear you are feeling a little/lot better David...see ya work with wimps ..lol (has whimps got aitch in it ? lol no matter )

Song ? naa j/k..........got a cold off daughter ..hubby took his cold up to Scotland..

Hope you get better n better...... keep going David and Good luck Davids leg xx lol

Love

WinB143 xx xx

[Sandi K]

David I wonder how your week would have ended had the colleague come into work. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you were able to have a whole week that was good. Maybe you are getting closer to that reality. You are doing amazingly well!

Sandi K.

[DawnS]

Hi Everyone,

I have realised with a bit of a jolt, that I have only 8 weeks left on my sicknote. HR came to see me 8 weeks ago to discuss terminating my contract on terms of 'capability'. They usually write to me within days to confirm what has been discussed but 2 weeks later, I had heard nothing further from them. I got my driving license back and called HR to let them know. She apologised for having not written to me yet and assured me she would remedy that immediately.

 

Last week, having still heard nothing I called her to find she was in a meeting. I left a message and heard nothing back. A friend suggested to me yesterday that I email rather than call so that there is a written record. I have emailed HR this morning and annoyingly, she called back rather than emailed, so I still don't have a written record of what was said. She tells me that I'm to see another OH doctor, but this time a specialist who deals with brain injury and I should know this because she told me on the phone when I called her about my license. Well yes she did, but that was 6 weeks ago and I've heard nothing further.

 

The reason I am posting is that people keep telling me that I mustn't go back before I am ready. Well, how will I know if I'm ready or not if I don't try it? If I go back and find it sets me back, what happens then? I have used up all my sick pay and won't be entitled to more until I have worked for 12 months. Will I be entitled to apply for benefits again or will that have changed because I went back to work?

These thoughts are using up all my brain space right now and I can't seem to concentrate on anything else so any thoughts or advice would be most gratefully receiced!

Dawn x

[Louise]

Hi Dawn

you are in a catch 22 arent you hun, a specialist who deals with brain injury well thats un-usual but great he/she will understand exactly what you tell them-wont they!

 

this is true you wont know unless you try, the benifits is a mine field right now I'd find out what your intitled to if you have to stay off or as you said go back then off again try either jobcentrplus/benifits or citizen advice or welfare rights, or even Headway I think your the person thats strarted going to Headway arent you?

 

I know what its like for the head to be filled with those thoughts and thats all you do so rather than waiting to find out see if you can find out now that way your thoughts will settle down.

A bit of a ramble but hope there's something in all that to help, take care

[cathmat]

Hey Dawn i know the feeling about work , im hoping to go back in july like you i feel the same dont know if i am truly ready but wont know if i try . i am on half pay so i presume would still get that if it doesnt work out. i think you ll have to sign of beneifits and re claim if u need to not quite sure. Do u fell ready to go back? Im not expecting it ti be easy but have a very supportive ward manager . i know that doesnt help but thought it wouls be nice to know your not on your own . x

[goldfish.girl]

Wow Dawn,

Your HR lady is a cracker!! It amazes me how many staff in HR roles are so badly lacking in caring, compassion and er.....well, basic people skills really

 

My advice would be the same as Louise's, look into the information you need as soon as you can to set your mind at rest. Also, I think you are right, how will you know if you don't try? (I realise that's easier said than done though).

 

You might surprise yourself with how well it goes. Hopefully the brain specialist you see will be able to offer constructive help and advice on your ability to try a return to work. Good luck with the appointment.

Michelle xx

[Sandi K]

Hello everyone thought it was time for an update on rehab therapy and a check in with others.

Macca, how is your week going? I hope you aren't so knackered that your entire weekend is spent resting up for Monday. I know that can be reality though.

 

David and Mary, do the heat and humidity in your area effect your energy levels and work week?

Dawn, you posted on another thread that Headway has suggested you take another year off. We are all different in our rates of recovery and remember that some people do recover quickly and we have some members here who have successfully phased back into work early on. I do wish though that I listened and heard when anyone may have said I could be off work for a year or 2. I'm sure people at BTG told me that, I think I had an Occ Health rep who said it. I flatly denied it and refused to consider it.

 

We all have to do things in our own way in our own time. In the end they were all right. You are in a situation where you have advice suggesting you take another year off but only have a few weeks left of sick time. it's hard and you have to do what's right for your health. I can imagine this is a tough time.

I managed 2 hours of rehab brain puzzles on my own yesterday. Not 2 hours straight. My rehab therapist has suggested I try something new. I can only focus and concentrate for 10 minutes before the weirdo symptoms start creeping in. The first sign is always thirst, followed by 'tight head', then headache, then sore legs, blurry vision, and losing my voice in that order. When I stop concentrating the symptoms begin to fade.

 

I'm doing harder puzzles now but I work for 10-15 minutes and then I pull away. I go do something else like put in a load of laundry or move the sprinkler outside. Then I come back and do 10 minutes more and so on. It's amazing how well this works! Puzzles that 'stump' me and I just cannot figure out are suddenly easy when I come back. We are hoping to extend the amount of time I can concentrate, just like physical exercise on a treadmill. You begin with a few minutes and build up.

 

My rehab therapist says social situations are always easier because I can disengage from conversations when my symptoms are coming on, even when I don't know I'm doing it. It's easier to pull in and out of conversations. But she also said that any type of concentrating will bring on the symptoms. I've really paid attention to this. When I was with my GP explaining stuff it happened because I was focused and concentrating. When Peter and I are sorting out travel itineraries it happens.

 

Now that I'm becoming aware of it I'm hoping to figure out how to get better at preventing full on symptoms. I don't know if it's possible to eliminate them but this will hopefully help to lessen how often they come.

Onward and upward.

Sandi K.

[Macca]

Sandi,

thanks for asking about me. Yes I am very tired - got up at 9.30 am this morning - not too bad you may think until you realise I went to bed at 7pm lastnight, missed the football as well, again!! Also, one of my staff was returning from Leeds to Glasgow last night and broke down on the motorway - had to get the breakdown services out to him. He texted at 10pm - my phone woke me up - to say he had arrived home safely. That was a relief, then I was asleep again within seconds!! But he's ok that's the main thing!!

 

Work has been tough this week, lots of pressure and to cap it all, on Tuesday, a colleague I knew from way back, went to lunch, was in the baker's queueing, said he felt ill and feint, fell forwards and died almost instantly. They certainly reckon he'd gone before the ambulance arrived. It's believed to have been a heart problem rather than a brain injury. He was 53, didn't drink or smoke and helped to run the youth academy at his local professional football club.

 

He lived life to the full and he did things in the right way and instilled the right family values into his own children and those he taught football. He was also very good at his job. He was, as they say, as fit as a butcher's dog. He was a lovely man and we'll all miss him. Sometimes we don't know why these things happen and it makes me think, pass me the whisky and a big fat cigar, but I know that's not right!!

Live for today and make it count.

 

Naturally, I am a bit down, and concerned for his family, but I'm still here and I'll be ok. There I go setting things in context again!!

Hope you are ok, and all the others too,

Macca

[amexdm]

Hi All:

Sandy-thanks for posting. It sounds as if we are all havinga bit of a go. I'm glad you told us what the "weirdo symptoms" were I never knew for sure. I have the same ones as well. Glad the rehab is going well. I don't think I am capable of learning any new concepts so brain puzzles would be a struggle for me. I know my job and thats about as good as it may get.

 

Macca- Have been thinking of you. How are you? Sorry about your mate. Scary isnt it? I would have written you but have spent the weekends in bed. No laptop. I hope you are well.

 

Dawn-Take as much time as you physically need and financially can afford. You cant go back too soon. Not possible. I only went back because I have bills to pay and wife who needs my income and insurance.

 

As for me, I have a new version of Bangers and Mash for you English folks. My headache is always a banger and my brain is mashed potatoes. Over the last four weekends, I have rested and done mostly nothing other than store.

 

Week 1 and Week 2 I felt great after rest. Week 3 and Week 4 I felt terrible after resting. I'm going cuckoo. This SAH thing makes no sense. Such is the roller coaster.

David

[Winb143]

[As for me, I have a new version of Bangers and Mash for you English folks. My headache is always a banger and my brain is mashed potatoes. Over the last four weekends, I have rested and done mostly nothing other than store.

Week 1 and Week 2 I felt great after rest. Week 3 and Week 4 I felt terrible theyafter resting. I'm going cuckoo. This SAH thing makes no sense. Such is the roller coaster

David

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David...You haven;t put onions with sausages and what about thick thick gravy...well well come on Mr David where is the whole meal...and

do we have beans or peas ?....pass me a napkin...mouth watering slurpppp ta pal xx

Keep well David and never give up xx and rest then work then rest ..then sing ...gone giddy thats me trying to walk too much today...xx

Be Happy and Well

Love to All xxxx

WinB143 xx

[Macca]

Hi David,

I'm as well as can be expected. I hope you are well too!! I've come to a conclusion though. We're all getting older and we all experience the same things roughly, just at a different time. Our experiences are the same, we just take something different from all of them and we all cope in our different ways with the same things. Our defence barriers go up and we take the blows as they come. Some of us feel them harder than others especially if we are caught at a low ebb and others we just bat off into the distance and get a home run.

 

Let's get on with life and have some fun - laugh at the difficult bits, listen to Sandi's advice and sing Win's songs. Sure we'll need help sometimes but that's what we're here for isn't it?

I don't want to be down, I want to be up and I'm going to be. Life is for the living, those who are down for whatever reason, don't want us to be down as well.

 

Am I high enough up on my soapbox now - I can see your house from here!!!

Sometimes I think I'm nuts!! Off to bed now, have a great day tomorrow everyone!

I can't believe how busy it is on these threads now, haven't had time to read them all - I'll try and catch up at the weekend

Macca

[goldfish.girl]

Shift over on your soap box Macca - I'm climbing on too

You are so right, sometimes the blows knock us down, other times we bat them away (they are the best times ) I like to be 'up' too, the down times just become a vicious circle if you let them....I'll join you in the 'positive posting' and hope it helps others to have a better day when their own journey seems like a never ending series of down times .......

 

We're all on here to help each other get back up when life post SAH has knocked us down or to find positivity when we need some ourselves.......and that is ALWAYS forthcoming on BTG. I have looked through a few on-line SAH/Stroke support groups but never joined any as they have the same people posting negative, woe is me posts every single day. I know it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes but genuinely believe that you have to at least try - that shines through in most of the members on here.

 

Hope you get a good sleep. Keep smiling!

Michelle x

[SarahLou]

Good evening you lovely lot,

I just want to say that the strength you all have gives me strength.

Your strength is my strength.

 

You're right Lil Ms Goldfish Girlie, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's just a glimmer, at other times it's blinding.

Now, where's my Ray Bans!!

 

Much love to you all.

Take care,

SarahLou Xx

[goldfish.girl]

Loopy, they are in my beach bag along with the lil G's

Good to see you feeling positive too & hope work is going well for you this week?

Michelle xxx

[SarahLou]

Hey Michelle,

Good to hear you've still got the small geezers!

Work this week has been tough for me.

Very tough.

Mainly due to under staffing issues.

 

I ended up working an extra half hour yesterday, doesnt sound much I know, but it makes a big difference. I'd say yesterday was probably my worst work day in a long time.

Not looking forward to Friday, it's going to be even worse.

My whole body aches, I hurt, but my mind is sooo awake it's buzzing.

 

Im learning at last to just take each day as it comes, to complete one task at a time and to not worry so much about things that are beyond my control.

I'm proud that I've stuck things out at the new clinic.

SAH has taken a lot of things from me but I've also gained a lot too.

 

Hope you're doing ok??

Take care,

Loopy Xx

[goldfish.girl]

Well done Loopy Lou. Half an hour IS a lot. I went from 30 hours to 24, then to 20.....etc,etc I left at 18 hours a week with the knowledge that I would never manage the cerebral aspects of the job again (that was 2 yrs post SAH though) so a half hour is a major achievement in my opinion and I think (?) that my achievement of 18 hours per week would've excluded me from Working Tax Credit now? (I'm sure Kempse could bring me up to date on this??)

 

You have done so well to get back to your previous job & still manage it, I know it's harder for you now, but YOU DID IT Be very proud of yourself xxx

[kempse]

I've not posted on this 'back to work' thread until now, but I heard my name mentioned so thought I'd join in.

 

Yes, Goldfishgirl, you are correct - the Working Tax Credit rules were changed by the government in April of this year and I for one was affected. The full rules are on the gov. website, but generally speaking you now have to work at least 24 hours per week - up from 16 to qualify for WTC. I might just add that before my sah, I was working part time having worked full time until the birth of my 2nd child, my husband was in full time work and when he lost his job 19 months ago, we had to rely more on benefits.

 

Whilst returning to work after a sah is not at all easy, I have found having to apply for various benefits to be 10 times more stressful because they are so time consuming to do, take ages to sort, so many errors by various departments along the way that have so many knock on effects, it has been, and still is, an absolute nightmare. On top of that there is the massive loss of income to try and adjust to, plus all the associated work involved, like changing to cheaper gas/electric/phone and then all the errors that these companies cause - the list goes on and on. I doubt that anyone knows or cares what us sahers have to go through to continue with day to day living.

 

The change in this rule and the fact my hubby can't find a job, has virtually forced me into getting another (my third)part time job, which although I managed to secure on 10th May this year, I have not yet started because of yet more red tape causing delay. I am under no illusion that it will be easy having 3 jobs, but I have a family of five to feed so it just has to be done somehow:frown:

 

My main fear and my only hope is that all this stress has not caused my other unruptured aneurysm to change in any way - I will find out after my next MRI which is in 3 weeks time.

Rant over, household jobs to do,

Sarah

[goldfish.girl]

Thank you for explaining the Working Tax change Sarah.

I absolutely agree with you that claiming benefits is an unbelievable nightmare. I often wish I could go back to work, working enough hours & getting enough money to cover expenses so I wouldn't need to keep going through the stress of applying for any benefits. But with limited brain skills, I know a well paid job is very unlikely.

 

Good luck with your MRI. I do hope that all the added stress has not caused any changes & it makes me sad to see someone in your medical position have to go through all this stress.

Michelle xxx