Need a new job but what to do?

[kirsty1987]

Currently I am a senior support worker, caring for people with brain injury.

I love my job but for the last year or so I have been finding it difficult with the pain, weakness and fatigue. It has been confirmed that I have damage in my left knee from my last check up because of a flare up and I am back on sulfasalazine, hopefully it will start showing itself soon. Has anyone got any suggestions as to what I could do?

I have been living in denial really, trying to tell myself nothing is wrong, I now feel that I have to start facing my RA and help myself more. If anyone has any suggestions I will be very grateful I seem to go for jobs that are not the best for me. The hospital has been great and my OT has helped me tremendously.

Thanks for reading Kirsty

[Hidden]

Hi Kirsty,

So sorry to hear that your RA is affecting your ability to stay in the job you enjoy. I hope the sulphasalazine will start to work for you and you might be able to carry on doing what you love. Can your job be adapted to enable you to stay on or has that been done already?

We have some information on work and RA at nras.org.uk/work - I hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Ruth Grosart

NRAS Digital Media Manager & HU Admin

[Hidden]

Hi Kirsty,

I'm a social worker, so probably do some of what you do without the manual work. How much physical work are you doing? Access to Work (google should bring it up as I cannot link very easily on iPad) are good, have you been in touch with them?

If you want to talk to someone who is similar in age (I'm 27) and in the social care field, I'm always around.

[kirsty1987 in reply to Hidden]

Hi I do 7.5hrs a day at work and 7 of those hours I'm on my feet doing physical work. I'm now about to look at both the web sites suggested. Thank you for replying.

Kirsty