does anyone else stress about getting a job and whether they will be able to cope with it?

[butiinside]

I have lymphoedema in my left arm and currently hoping to get an admin job which involves a lot of opening post and scanning documents. I don't know if I will be able to manage for long without having pain. I really want to be independent again though. I had to give up a typing job before Christmas because of pain.

[Fridlie]

I guess having as much variety as you can will give your arm a rest-if you can do a job for a limited time, then swap to something else this would help. Try to remember when walking around to put your hand in a pocket or rest your arm on the desk or scanner - it's supposed to help with gravity a little! And if there's anything heavy to carry it's a good excuse to ask the office hunk to help!

[happyshopper]

Hi Butinside,

I am currently experiencing problems with my LD and IT work. Last year was a particular struggle - heavy, achy arm (dominent one) and trunk at the end of my shift, which then makes it really difficult to function at home (with cooking etc).

I am so concerned that I am making things worse by carrying on, I am in the process of applying for ill health retirement. I have been off sick for about 3 months now, and just in the last few weeks am I noticing the improvement to my LD - so much better, and at least I am able to stop and rest if I'm doing something at home that aggravates it, rather than having to plod on at work regardless.

Good luck XXX

[norberte]

hi butiinside (love the name)

none of my business i know, but i'm worried that you had to give up work - did your employer do anything to make 'reasonable adjustments' to your work before you left, like vary it a bit so you had breaks from typing & got to do other things? & did you resign (that could be called 'constructive dismissal', ie you resigned because you were effectively pushed out) or were you sacked in which case they may have violated your employment rights

all v complicated, potentially lengthy & emotionally draining - if you're up for a fight to get that job back, make an appt somewhere like a cab or phone macmillan's helpine (if relevant to you)

another option would have been ill health retirement from that job

are you / were you in a union? worth a chat with your rep & asking them to pass you up the line to a medical retirement specialist if you are

& if you're not up for the fight, which'd be perfectly understandable cos you've got a life to live, you've got 2 options

- let them know you meet the equalities act 2010 definition of disabled (even if you don't want to call yourself disabled, it doesn't matter, the law still applies, & some bigger employers are signed up to the '2 tick' system where they guarantee you an interview if you meet all the criteria - qualifications, experience etc - for the job & are disabled) when you apply, & hope they play fair so you can talk about how useful you can be in all sorts of ways & get some variety built in from the start ..... but you & i both know that chances are you won't get an interview

- get a job & see for yourself how it goes - you might surprise yourself, & i'd definitely get one of those envelope opener knife things - & once you've settled in a bit ask your line manager to help you adjust the job a bit to suit you better

i'm sorry you're having such a hard time - people don't realise how bl**dy expensive lymphoedema is, do they? not fair

[Bluedolffin]

no, they don't those bas.....ds ! .I think that is so unfair not to get any help. who enjoys wearing a garment !

To answer your question:

yeah i stress everyday cause I got dismissed from my previous IT job for wearing a garment looking abnormal and i deeply know it. I did not want to sue the company because I did not like my job so relieved not to have to work there anymore at the end. I have to look for another one and everytime i have a job interview, i have to remove my garment and glove and pretend. Put it back on when the interview is over going back to my car. It is very hard to cope with it. Moreover, I had to slightly change my carreer path cause typing was painful for my hand. Looking for a job with working on the phone 80% of the time so i know exactly what you guys feel!

I live in Ireland and My health provider does not want to refund me my garments. Nothing at all although i appealed twice !

I said to my husband that if the public health board does not want to finance my LVA operation, i will apply for disability on the ground that nobody wants to help us in this awful world with all the craps we have to go thru on daily basis. skin issues and infections included