Advise

[Vonnieruth]

Good morning all.Im due for meeting at work on Friday with management re returning to my twelve hour shifts I have been doing ten till five Have found im tired on a evening and am quite happy working less hours Would love any advise you lovely people have. I still have one last meds observation to do which is Friday before meeting Had no AF as such lately just breathing slower due meds which I guess is their job at keeping pulse down

[radagast58]

Hi

Can I ask what your job is and how many shifts you would do per week if you go back to 12 hour shifts?

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

Hi I am senior working in dementia care I would do three shifts on three shifts off

[radagast58 in reply to Vonnieruth]

I'm a registered nurse working with individuals with dementia who have complex and challenging behaviour so I know how tough the job is both physically and mentally. You know your tolerance levels better than anyone and if you are getting fatigued towards the end of a 10 to 5 shift I would be very wary about returning to 12 hour shifts

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

I'm actually ok there it's when I get home it hits me I have been off six months and had my 62nd birthday last month

[radagast58 in reply to Vonnieruth]

Did you have a cardiac ablation or other surgery for AF

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

Had nothing I was told I possible had episode of PAF

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

Do you have AF also

[radagast58 in reply to Vonnieruth]

I've had it for 17 years. I've had 2 ablations and in 2014 had a cardiac arrest at work! I had very extensive cardiac surgery in July this year

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

So you still have the energy to work twelve hours

[radagast58 in reply to Vonnieruth]

I'm hoping to go back to work on phased return in mid October. I was working up to 60 hours per week but there is no way I'm going back to that. I'm hoping to negotiate 24 hours per week

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

Like me then but I will need to stand down as senior to go part time

[radagast58 in reply to Vonnieruth]

I'm currently a clinical lead specialist but will probably have to drop to basic grade. Doesn't seem fair

[Vonnieruth in reply to radagast58]

Like you said we have to think of our bodies now and our coping.

[Becksagogo in reply to Vonnieruth]

Vonnie Ruth if your employer will let you go down to two shifts a week in a position that offers less stress then please take it. Your body is telling you that at 62 you cannot continue to work long shifts and then go home and be all things to everybody.

I am a year older than you and underwent extensive heart surgery in June. I too am hoping to be allowed to have a phased return to work in November providing I am well enough.

I stepped down from my Supervisor job last year and took a lesser roll when my AF was first diagnosed. Whilst the money may not be so good my stress levels were a lot less.

Please take care of yourself first and foremost. X

[Vonnieruth in reply to Becksagogo]

Thanks Beck's I know what your saying it's getting my heart and head to make me do it

[radagast58 in reply to Becksagogo]

Totally agree with what you say! How do you feel about going back to work in November?? I had my surgery at the end of June and although I feel much better recovery is slower than I expected

[Becksagogo in reply to radagast58]

I still have 5 weeks to get stronger and am sure that I will be able to go back on a part time basis then. My problem is that despite extensive surgery in June, I still need some more tweaking to Mitral and Tricuspid valve which will be non invasive but will still require further recovery time.

Between a rock and a hard place. Fortunately I have extremely good employers who are paying me full salary.

[Vonnieruth in reply to Becksagogo]

Mine as given me some holiday pay to help bump up my wages

[radagast58 in reply to Becksagogo]

Sounds like you had very major surgery!! I had an aortic valve replacement and reconstruction of my ascending aorta plus some bypass grafts, refashioning of my left atrium and some further ablation. I don't want to sound precious but I do think you need to go through surgery of this complexity to fully understand the impact it has on your life??

I wish you all the very best for your future and hope the return to work goes well

David

[Becksagogo in reply to radagast58]

Oh yes it has certainly made me re evaluate my life. Despite having and recovered from three different types of cancer I have suddenly realised I am not invincible!

Thank you for your warm wishes and all the best to you to.

[Kaz747]

I was thinking of you earlier. I’m reading “Somebody I Used to Know” by Wendy Mitchell. She is an English woman diagnosed with dementia at 58 who worked for the NHS and today I was reading about her meeting with her direct manager and occupational health to try and put things in place for her to keep working for a while. If you haven’t read it I thought you may find it interesting with the work you do and your personal health situation with work (I must say I glad we have AF and not dementia 🙂)

[Vonnieruth in reply to Kaz747]

Aw thank you I will look out for it I would never wish dementia on anyone Today in the paper they were saying that pollution could now be a cause

[Kaz747 in reply to Vonnieruth]

Yes watching my mother with dementia is awful. She is still relatively independent but we know it’s going to get worse from here on in. I’m trying to eat healthy, exercise, sleep well, reduce stress and keep learning new things to ensure there are new neural pathways being created. I’d better keep away from polluted places too.

[Vonnieruth in reply to Kaz747]

It was in the Mail today

[Morzine in reply to Kaz747]

Hope you are doing ok I remember you had an ablation last week

[Kaz747 in reply to Morzine]

I’m okay Morzine. Not as great as I’d like to be but I know these things take time.

[Morzine in reply to Kaz747]

I guess it’s now a waiting game of not over doing things.....I see consultants early October....could be done mid November but I’ve lots of folk staying at Xmas and so I will wait till after Xmas .....take it easy .....sue

[Kaz747 in reply to Morzine]

Thanks Sue x

[Aprilbday]

Happy Belated Birthday, Vonnieruth. Good luck to you on your 12 hour shifts. Your patients are so blessed to have you.

[Vonnieruth in reply to Aprilbday]

Oh thank you April

[doodle68]

Hi Vonnie if you are happy working less hours and your place of work is agreeable I would do that, I would try not to push yourself too hard now your body has given you a warning .

[Vonnieruth in reply to doodle68]

Thanks Doodle I love my job so much It's hard to give in

[opal11uk]

HI Vonnie, if you prefer the shorter shift pattern then this would be the ideal opportunity to raise it as an issue, they are aware of your condition and how workload can exacerbate it and in particular if the job is high stress, which yours is. I didn't get the chance to do this, I kept at it thinking all was well and I was in control but eventually it took its toll and I had a stroke which in turn forced me out of the career I loved and had done for almost 30 years anyway, I thought I was coping but my heart wasn't and, like you, nothing happened whilst at work but when I got home it hit me, the stress of the day etc., so let them know that the best way forward is reduced shifts, they have been coping without you so far so they should know how to deal with it and of course they have a duty of care to you too. Good luck

[Vonnieruth in reply to opal11uk]

Thanks Opal I guess in my heart I know that twelve hours three days in a row Will be too much I'm the main bread winner and worry about bills ect

[Kaz747 in reply to Vonnieruth]

If only there was a money tree at the bottom of the garden Vonnie. Thanks for sharing your story too opal11uk. Everyone keeps saying “at the end of the day your health is all that matters” but that doesn’t get the bills paid. I too am the main breadwinner and am off work (unpaid). I’m hoping to be better soon and be able to get back to work but there is so much uncertainty. Still, life is full of uncertainties. One day at a time.

[Vonnieruth in reply to Kaz747]

Kas how come your not being paid If you don't mind me asking

[Kaz747 in reply to Vonnieruth]

No entitlements. I started a new job in February, worked for 6 weeks then ended up in hospital with AFlutter, then developed shingles and postherpetic neuralgia so had 4 weeks off. I got back to work and struggled on for another 6 weeks then had another AFlutter attack (that transitioned into AFib) and was carted off by ambulance to hospital. The next morning when my EP came to see me he said that I have really aggressive arrhythmias and that I needed to take time off to get my health sorted. He recommended taking 6 months off as I’d had a tough couple of years. So, in total I’ve managed to work 12 weeks this year. I have a very senior role so when I go back I’ll probably negotiate a different position as the stress associated with it maybe too much. One of the business owners is a former boss from years ago and they are very supportive which is good. There is a 6 month probation period in my contract so they could easily terminate me. I was in my last job for 7 years and when I left (due to a restructure) I had 3 months unused sick leave. 🙂 We’ll be okay but every month without a pay packet puts us further behind.

[Vonnieruth in reply to Kaz747]

You claimed pip it esa

[Kaz747 in reply to Vonnieruth]

I’m in Australia so things are different here. I’ve put in a claim on my income protection insurance but because I took time off between jobs and didn’t work for the full 12 months before going off sick my payment will be greatly reduced and there’s a 3 month waiting period. I went back to uni in my 30s as my husband has health issues and weren’t sure how long he could work for. He’s still doing a bit of work but our grand plan with my new job was for me to work for 6 or 7 years and he could wind things back a bit more. I’m only 54 so it’s a long time before I can get my superannuation (60) and if we qualify for the pension we have to be 67. Thankfully we have some savings so we’re not going to end up in the streets. We may have to rethink our bucket list though ✈️🚢⛵️🛶🏨⛩🛤🕌🕍🌇🏝🏖🏕🌋⛲️😉

[Vonnieruth in reply to Kaz747]

It's awful how health can really effect us Not just medically but emotionally and financially Makes life so much harder than it should be

[Kaz747 in reply to Vonnieruth]

It’s funny, I always thought that my husband’s health issues were the priority and what could affect our life plans. I was the healthy one .... until I injured my ankle, had major surgery, developed electrical heart issues then got Shingles. My body said “enough is enough”. I now have to listen 👂🏻

[opal11uk in reply to Vonnieruth]

Let the possible implications show you the way, reduced shifts can mean you will be able to work longer than if you persevere with the 12 hour shift pattern which could well be your undoing, you will feel better if you can take control of your life and that means work and remember, none of us are indispensable, when I had my stroke on the Sunday night I never returned to the work place again, immediate cut off and a forced retirement and they had to manage without me, I was the general manager so my retirement impacted on 140 staff members but I had given my all and more besides during my time with them so I missed them not the heavy workload. Being the main breadwinner does indeed make your decision hard I have to agree but again, bearing in mind the implications of prolonged ill health, maybe you could reassess yours situation and look at ways in which there can be the least impact on your family. Difficult decisions I know but I would rather be able to make my own decisions than to have them made for me, it was my cardio in the end who put her foot down lol, she recognised that I had a high work ethic and needed to be stopped!!!!!

I would just like to share something else with you. My 50 year old daughter in law has been a nurse since her teens, a staff nurse working in a geriatric unit was her last post, so she like you has worked hard all her life for the NHS and for the good of the public. Two years plus ago she started having problems with her joints and other symptoms, loads of tests plus MRI's and the cause unidentified, during one of the MRI's they detected two tumours in her breast, cancer, so she had to go through surgery and Radiotherapy and so on, still the unknown problems plagued her, it got so bad that she had to leave work, still undiagnosed and after a period of time she received no pay from the NHS. Earlier this year she was finally diagnosed after paying for private consultancy, she has early on set Parkinson's disease and is further debilitated and suffering and she has not received her pension, in fact she is having a bloody hard time in trying to get it so much so that it is now with the Ombudsman. As I said, she has worked for the NHS for many years, was a tremendous hardworking and dedicated nurse and now she is forced, due to ill health, not able to do the job she loved and is fighting for her pension. The message is there, look after yourself first and foremost and yes put yourself first because others won't!

[radagast58 in reply to opal11uk]

It is an absolute disgrace that your daughter is unable to get her pension. I assume this is her NHS Pension??

[opal11uk in reply to radagast58]

Yes it is her NHS pension, I have offered to help with this on her behalf to fight her corner but she has placed it in the hands of the Ombudsman so hopefully they will help get it for her, I just hate the injustice of it all and the lack of consideration being shown to one of their own.

[Kaz747 in reply to opal11uk]

I hope things work out for your daughter-in-law.

Reminds me of the saying - There are lot of indispensable people in the graveyard.

[venum]

I like Kaz747's saying. there are a lot of indispensable people in the graveyard. I would say forget about going back to work and worry about your health first. God bless you