To Work Or Not To Work - That Is The Question?

I, too, left work because of my illness. I had cut my hours down to the absolute minimum but i was still not coping.

Like Katie, I could not afford to make a mistake. I worked for a funeral director, I am a fully trained funeral administrator and arranger. I don't need to tell you the devastating consequences that could arise if I made a mistake during the arranging of a funeral. You only get one chance in a short space of time to get it right.

I have been more stable since work was no longer in the equation, but like Katie, I an not a young woman either.

Hi All,

Well I am 42 yrs old so have a bit longer before thinking of retiring. I may have to give up the extra 2 day post i took up and just work 3 days in my school nurse post, at least i get school holidays.

Like you both, Katie and Alicia I can't afford to make mistakes either. A big part of my job is immunisations and at the end of this year we have the HPV campaign (for girls to prevent cervical cancer) and with the other routine immunisations will be immunising for most of the school year. If my brain is not working then i will be incompetent

I hope i can get back to work as i can't afford to give up. I have a daughter starting Uni in Sept and 2 younger children. :wah:

At the moment i feel :sleepy: and achey. i have a lot of cattarh, could this be enough to make me feel awful :?: :grrr:

Hope you're all having a good day!

Teedie

xx

Hi Teedie

I had a month of work earlier this year with illness and now do 3 days in admin. :?

I am just about coping with that. :roll:

It might be sensible to cut your hours and see how you get on :wink:

One thing I have learned is that if you fight this c*** illness it bites you sooo hard :wah: !

Your health has to come first. I am slightly older than you, but too young to give up on work completely :oops:

Dale xxx

Thanks Dale,

I'll see how it goes! Well i've got yet another urine infection, less than three weeks since the last one. :x Hope i don't put in a bad night like the last time.

I'm totally fed up with it all :evil: Haven't been sleeping well, just like the rest of you. Before this illness i slept like a baby :grrr:

Teedie

xx

Hi Everyone!

This is a sensitive subject for me because like you all I probably shouldnt be working too! BUT... I am SO stuborn and wont be beaten! I have days hwne I come home from work and plan to hand my notice in the day after! I suffer with all the aches and paind but the majority of my difficulties are cognitive problems. I work with many pupils "at risk" so you can imagine how important it is to be functioning properly! I think the time for me to hand my chalk up will be when I can accept I am ill and stop giving up on the "pacing game". This I really struggle with :?

I am due to have a review with another offer of a promotion on Friday with 6 headteachers so the sheer stress of this meeting/interview is making me SO tired already.

I am 31 years old (feeling more like 131 years old)

Donna x

Donna, i take my hat off to you for struggling on. :shock: Have you had any time off due to this illness or have you always struggled on :?:

Must be daunting, you're forthcoming interview :roll:

I will be looking to go back to work maybe in the summer term as i can work only 2 days per week instead of 5. Maybe get referred to occupational health and take it from there.

Well done

Teedie

xx

Hi everyone

Have just read through all the above posts and what is so blatently obvious is ..... THAT WE ALL ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK!

I wish those in the medical profession (and there are still quite a few of them around ) plus ordinary folk who are sceptical about the existence of this illness and consider us to be malingerers or just bone idle would take a look at this forum. :steam:

Donna, I really do think you have got to consider your health before agreeing to take on any more work - it worries me that you are literally going to burn yourself out. Would your employers consider a career break? Your body is telling you that you have to slow down. I don't wish to sound patronising but I am just concerned for your long-term health (cos I'm a :nurse: and I am allowed to say things like that!! )

Take care everyone. I will soon tell you all about my ME course - Have only just recovered - my brain is still a bit frazzled. :weird:

Katie x

Donna, listen to Auntie

If you do not listen to your body (as I didn't) and heed its warnings (as I didn't) then your body will make you listen (as mine did) and it is a long way back from there.

I KNow I know I know

You are all correct but there is just that little button inside of me that makes me like ricky hatton - a fighter! I know its not clever and for me I have great support in the sense of my kids and hubbie and I am supported to rest or sleep when I get home. I also spend a lot of time at the weekend resting - I have to !

My proposed new role is to manage 2 projects and to work 4 days with the kids. I AM being more stricter with myslef and have decided that if they want me to manage in this field of work it would have to be more on my terms. I think they wont be happy with this SO I am genuinly happy to take a demoted post with less hours. I will keep you all posted as to how I get on!

Everyday, like you all, I suffer with some form of pain both mild and severe. I struggle with the cognitivr aspect of it (as per previous postings) and Insomnia but I havent mentioned before my Hubbie has health problems too and we all stick together in giving our kids and oursleves the best we can

I hear and understand your concerns and thank you all for you kind BUT bossy words

Donna x

Well I am bossy, that's my nature.

And I was told by the consultant who diagnosed my ME that fighting it is so the wrong was to approach it. :roll:

Me bossy - never!:shock:Sorry, Donna, but all nurses (well, good ones anyway), have a slightly bossy streak. We are just concerned about your wellbeing - but you are young and determined, and I reckon you will always do things your own way - so good on you and we will support you all the way.

Katie x :hug:

I am not a nurse, I am a funeral director's assistant :wink:

Hi All

Been trying to join this debate for days but having lots of computer gliches :evil:

It strikes me how similar we all are

We are all professional women (except Matt and Jay :wink: ) who still want to work despite this illness

I can understand your reasons for working Donna but is it worth it if it is counter productive?

I am really lucky as I have one of the few stress free jobs left and I only do that 25hrs a week :P (I hand out mobility scooters to old dears) :ok: Even with the ME i am quicker mentally and physically than my client base :oops:

One of our volunteers cannot understand why I want to work when I have so many reasons to be a Benefit Queen :jester:

Apparently I have a good deck of cards to claim! I am a single parent, lost a career to an industrial injury, have arthritis and now ME :wah:

I will be feeling sorry for myself in a minute :cry:

I cannot get it through to him that for my own sake I NEED to work :twisted:

I also want to instill a work ethic into my daughter :wink:

At the moment I can manage so I do.

"Here endeth the lesson!" :angel:

Dale xxx

PS when i was nursing i was bossy when i had to be :shock:

Hey Dale - that's a bit of luck for us all. Handing out mobility scooters - we will know where to come. I think I qualify as an 'old dear' so bags be first in the queue. :magic:

I was going to hire one for the sponsored westie walk in aid of our local air ambulance in 2 weeks time, but the organisers have introduced a short walk for elderly and infirm owners and dogs so I am going to do that one instead.

I have a disabled friend with a mob scoot and I don't know if I could be trusted to drive one. :roll: