Post-Treatment > Post-Treatment

Work and how we do what we do...

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Gennysmom:
Another thread made me start thinking that we haven't really centralized comments on us ANers back in the workforce and how we're coping with it.  I am a paralegal, so I spend a lot of my day on the computer, answering calls and pulling files from a floor to ceiling file system.  I went back to work 1/2 time at 8 weeks, and full time at 10 weeks.  I'm now 6 months out, and I still have to take it really slow when looking for files at floor level and navigating around the office trying not to lurch.  I think the single hardest struggle for me has been that I was a high output employee before surgery, and feel like I need to continue living up to that expectation, and some days I just can't.  I work in an office where there's a lot of "pretend" teamwork, but really there's a lot of talking behind other's backs, and it's much more stressful on me post-surgery.  I haven't quite figured out yet how to not let it bother me, other than frequent coffee breaks with my boyfriend to decompress.  How is everyone else coping at work post surgery?  Any tips, strategies, and stories would be greatly appreciated! 

I do have to finish this up by saying I am grateful every day that I can work.  I feel so much for those of you who struggle to or can't. 

Hugs!

Kathleen

Jeanlea:
Kathleen,

This is an interesting thread.  Thanks for starting it.  I went back to work on the same schedule as you.  First half days at eight weeks (although the first day I stayed all day) and then full time at 10 weeks.  I was teaching third graders.  I had a great sub that made the transition easy for me.  I found that weaving in and around the desks was very good balance therapy for me.  All of the other adults in my building were aware of my situation before I came back and were very supportive.  The teacher across the hall from me explained to her students what had happened to me so they wouldn't be so surprised when they saw my paralyzed face.  i did have a question from a student in another class.  I simply told him that I had a tumor taken out and now my face didn't move anymore.  No more problems.  I even went back to work four days after having eye surgery.   I had my lower lid lifted.  Do you know they actually put a string on it to hold it up in the beginning??  I went to school with the string on.  lol  As bad as it might look at the moment I knew at least that would get better. 

Now that I've been back at work for a little over a year it's not really an issue.  Rarely, if I'm squatting down, I may fall over.  We all laugh and then get back to work.

You mentioned that you feel stress about the talking behind backs in your office.  Does what these people think really matter?  Do they make the decisions on whether or not your keep your job?  If not I would stop worrying about it.  You are doing your best and that is all that matters.  Don't let others make you feel stressed.  You stay in charge of your own feelings.  :-) 

I also am grateful that I can still work.  I truly love what I do.

Jean

roub1:
 Been back to work about 7 months and still adjusting. First few weeks were tough but a good bit of my work is administrative and it piled up while I was off. Ain't it funny how you can't do it right but nobody does it for you while your gone? I had vaction scheduled and took a week off after four weeks, which helped. Came back and started doing real police work. I was getting along fine until September. Got a call on a guy we had a warrant for. He was in an industrial complex and walking around in a factory. I show up and am the only one there. I see the guy and he runs. I start chasing him. Bet you can guess how that went. Good thing I knew the building better than him. Got ahead of him somehow and arrested him without any trouble. Running sucks! Decided I'd better practice that some.
 I know  exactly what you mean about the talking behind your back stuff. Most of the guys are good about everything but there is one who would like to see me gone. Sam and I have been talking about that. I decided that this guy ain't worth fretting about. There is still some talk in the background though but I just do the job and let the talk go on. I keep getting better and better and the talk is soon out of date.      
 Like you I thank God for being able to go back to work. Hang in there, keep your chin up (that way you don't get as dizzy),and know that you are getting better.

Charlie

Obita:
I still have a little trouble multi-tasking.  I work in a busy, large lighting showroom where everyone needs help at the same time.  If it is real crowded in there and I have trouble hearing someone, I get an immediate hot flash.  It just adds to the fun. ::)  I did work half days the first two weeks back and I am very glad I did. 

Not knowing where someone is when they are calling me drives me nuts. There is not a darn thing I can do about it so I take a deep breath, guess which way to turn and hope there is someone there.  I have half of my co-workers trained to go to my right side to talk to me and when they call my name, they say "on your left" or "on your right".  It has made all the difference in the world. 

My employer and co-workers were/are terriffic.  Never once did I get a hint of anyone thinking I was milking the situation.  They knew it was a serious surgery and they were all very supportive.  They even gave me a "Its a Tuma" party on the day before surgery.  Everyone brought food, they had a 4' X 6' good luck sign hanging in the break room which everyone had signed and added personal notes.  When it was time to go home, I started freaking out a little because all the hugs were bear hugs, don't want to let go hugs.......I started thinking:  Holy crap, they are afraid I am not going to make it!!  All the good luck and good bye hugs from them was the only time I even questioned my decision to have surgery.  By the time I got home a half an hour later, the uneasiness was gone and I couldn't wait to start shampooing my hair with the lovely disinfectant shampoo!!   

I feel very fortunate to be able to work doing what I like to do and what I am good at.  I do feel very bad for my AN friends that were not so lucky.  My Irish really gets up with I think about all the people that have been disabled by an AN and can't get social security.  It is not right.

Kathy

Static:
I wasn't working at the time I had my surgery.  I had left a job in catering approximately 3 months prior to diagnosis and hadn't found anything else.  Funny thing is that I was having trouble at that job because of constantly feeling lethargic and not being able to handle/balance with the trays not knowing I had this thing going on.  I had also heard a whistling in my right ear (an side) whenever the wind blew.  When I told my doctor, he just looked at me, but now I think I know what was causing that  whistling!  Anyway, I had surgery in January '04, CSF leak repaired in May then found work in November '04 doing collections.

That job worked for me because I was finally back working in an office, mostly an office alone, so I had my quiet to concentrate and collected lots of $ that was due the company.  That company ended up moving to another state around September '05 and just before they did, I was lucky enough to find another position in an office closer to my home processing inspection work required by the state.  The job required alot of concentration, multi tasking and details that I had a hard time handling at the same pace which is used to be  able to handle things like that.  My employer said that I was doing ok then after awhile, it seemed to me that she was frustrated because things were taking me longer to catch on to and I didn't remember things well.  I worked very hard and did my best and felt like I was finally getting into a routine with it when I was laid off of June of '06.  It didn't seem to me that the work had lessened to where they didn't need someone rather than the fact that I just wasn't fast enough for them :/   I took a breather for a couple of months because frankly, after that job, I felt like I could really use it, I was exhausted!

After looking for awhile, I never really came across a job I felt confident with.  Honestly, that last job I had made me feel like I couldn't do anything anymore.  Then, after about 4 months, my neighbor told me of a position at a local retirement home as a medical driver.  As much as I thought I couldn't handle that type of thing, I can drive okay and after some thought, decided to give it a try.  I started working there in October of '06 and am still there so far.  The salary isn't quite there yet, but I'm trying to hang in until it is.  I do like the job so far although it is something I had never thought of doing.  I also feel like I am doing something worthwhile and helping others who really appreciate it and don't  care whether or not I'm deaf in one ear but just appreciate me for who I am.  To make it simple, they seem like they are happy to have me and I am happy to feel needed by an employer!  Hopefully things will continue to go well.
~Karen

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