fibro, IC, migraines, & work

[dminton]

What do you all do to make an income? I have IC, fibro, chronic fatigue, and migraines. The disability I get hardly covers expenses. I need to take home $900 a month to make ends meet. Is anyone willing to share how they manage when they don't feel well much or all of the time? Thanks!

[Sarojini]

I work full time with all of those conditions and I don't even know how I do it some days. In fact, for the past three days I've been flaring badly, but yet I have been at work... it's really difficult to be here right now, as all I want to do is lie down somewhere, but I guess I have to do what I have to do. At the moment I'm our only source of income, and while I did take a year off I found after a while I began feeling horrible about myself as I define myself largely by my career as a scientist (bad, I know, but it happens when you've spent your life in school just to do this).

So I just suck it up most days, then go home and collapse.

I don't really have any advice for you really. I don't recommend doing what I do -- and if I could handle staying home financially and mentally I would. This is kind of a "do as I say, not as I do" post.

Maybe you can find something that is part-time and flexible?

[dminton]

Hi, Sarojini,

Nice to hear from you! I think you are one brave gal to be out there doing what you are doing, and I also really get the part about feeling lousy NOT being out there. One good thing is that you seem to find your work interesting and it is a well-defined career niche, at least that's how it seems to an onlooker, what do I know! Me, not only do I need to recreate myself once again as I can't face going back to nursing, even part time, I get to do it while feeling crummy!

I forgot to check out the posts in the other career category on this site; they should prove interesting. I knew I wasn't the only one with this question/problem!

Diana.

[Sarojini]

Oh, absolutely not... you're not alone. We all struggle with the career thing I think. The good thing, also, about working in science is that it is a make-your-own-hours sort of thing when you get to the Ph.D. level; as long as you get what needs to be done finished in a timely manner, you can sort of come and go as you please. So, there are days where I've slept in, worked the afternoon, and then made up the extra time on a weekend or something when I am feeling better. I also am able to leave early sometimes if I finish the work that needs to be done that day. So that makes it easier for me... but still, there is some guilt about not being in the lab ALL the time.

Anyway, while I was off last year, I was faced with a decision -- do I go back into science and all the stresses that includes, or do I re-invent myself as you say and try something else. I eventually decided science was the way, but that I was going to have to find a better work environment than I had at the last place, with a more understanding supervisor and friendly co-workers. I managed to do that. I guess that's some advice I have for you -- if you do go back to work, make sure the people you work with are friendly and compassionate towards each other, because that means they will be compassionate towards you as well. :)

[dminton]

Dear Sarojini,

Boy oh boy, did you ever hit the nail on the head about the type of people you work with! They can make or break any type of work situation. For some reason, that harmony seems to be very hard to find in nursing. Everyone I've ever known has been so stressed, short-staffed, overdue for vacations, etc. This is in hospitals, specialty medical offices like oncology, family practice, you name it. The last job I turned down, I knew I made the right decision after I spent a morning working there just to feel it out before committing. I thought I would go nuts in just that one morning, let alone spending an entire week in the atmosphere of "do it faster, faster faster", watching them trying to please the doctors, phones ringing off the hook, etc. I honestly don't think the medical world is a safe place to work, at least for someone like me. I think being a lab courier seems okay - just drive around all day dropping things off and leaving! Seriously, I think about all kinds of wacky things, like being the one who drives out at our small airport and fills the planes with gas! Maybe now is the time to get out there and be silly, try new things just for the fun of it. After the upcoming hysterectomy, of course........but that's another story!

I honor your decision-making process with science. I wish you the best in your current position, which sounds a lot better than that last one over a year ago!

diana.

[dawndawn]

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