Drs appointments = full time job. | Arthritis Information

 

HI guys, just wondered how you guys that work, manage to keep all your Drs appointments.

It really is like a full time job for me, I am always at different Drs.

Tomorrow for example is O/T at 9.30am.

Podiatrist at 11.20am.

Dietician at 2.30pm.

Next Weds Pain specialist.  Last Monday RD. etc etc etc?????  Just about to leave for weekly GP appointment to have MTX injection and fill scripts.  Hugs Janie.
It is hard.  The biggest problem I have is that you work a month to get a sick day.  I had a ton saved up but used them up when I had my son.  Now I get Orencia once a month which uses that one earned sick day.  My dr.s all know that I work and have alot to juggle.  I have become the pro at scheduling multiple appointments in one day.  I also feel a responsibility to my students and it is a royal pain to arrange for a sub.  If I do have to take off time it is usually without pay.  Luckily-I can make it to any appointment after 3:30.  That allows me to schedule most after work.  Even if they don't "officially" have times that late, the staff always fits it in.  As we all know-you end up waiting in the waiting room later than your appointment time anyway.

I'd like to be able to start working again. Not many jobs have much tolerance for setting appointments or such while on the clock.

And then being told you don't look sick.
Rheumatoid arthritis qualifies as a "chronic health condition" under FMLA.  You can take up to 12 weeks unpaid per year.  Doctors' appointments, physical therapy and the like are all valid reasons for taking time off under FMLA.  You can file for "intermittent leave" so you are covered when you have to miss work due to appointments.  The time will be unpaid (unless you use vacation/sick time) but your job will be OK.
My daughter's appts. keep me from getting a fulltime job as well.  Even though things have calmed down tremendously in the past year, we still feel we really need the flexibility of my piddly little PT job.  Hubby travels so much, I am the only one who can take the time off, plus we need him employed and in the cos. good graces to keep health insurance!

I own 2 businesses, I sell Avon~which I do totally at my leisure and I'm a hairdresser. I book myself accordingly. When I have appointment with RD I take the day off. She is an hour away and she's always running very late. She wanted to send me to PT for my scoliosis, but I just don't have the time for that. My back is feeling better anyway I'm fortunate to have an employer that is understanding of my situation. Sadly the majority of the time I take off every year is related to doctor appointments. I have to take a half day for my RD appointments because it's about 45 miutes away. I know, i only have 4 doctors to see and can't keep them straight.  I have the appointments in my wallet at all times, if it every got stolen i would go buggy. Tell me about it. And when I have appts, things around here at work tend to go crazy and having deadlines. I just don't get it. I had to reschedule an appt due to a project going wonky. When things are calm, no dr appts at all! I try not to take a day off since I only got 5 sick days a year. *sigh*

And it sucks that my rheumatologist ALWAYS runs late. So I now call ahead to find out what the waiting time is and leave accordingly. I really think she shld invest in lazyboys in her waiting room. I learned to make appts in the afternoon with her. I've gotten so used to her running late, it was a real shock to have another doctor be on time and finished within the appt yesterday. :)

Now that I just started Orencia yesterday so the appt is at 330, and I have to leave at 230 which sucks but I don't have to take a half day, just try make up the hours next day or within the payroll week.
Also guys, I wanted to say that with RA being so unpredictable - how does that affect your work?  I tried to work, my GP had to tell me to stop, as I was so sick but needed my wage.   Even now I would be too unpredictable as my GP and my rheumy say that as my RA is so severe and badly controlled due to allergies or intolerance to the drugs, no-one would employ me.  I must admit, I do spend a lot of my day like a lot of you on here sleeping due to severe fatigue from fibromyalgia, and the RA and OA, I wish I could still work, I tried from home but taking phone calls was even beyond me due to brain fog, I couldn't articulate!  I am impressed with all of you that still work.  God Bless, Janie. Fortunately I work part time.  I try to keep Fridays free for Dr appointments as much as possible.  Sometimes I have to jam them in.  I am going for a permanent part time job when I go back after I recover from this surgery.  I am going to ask for Monday-Thursday if possible.  That will leave me with a long weekend every week and that one day to fit in Dr appointments.    I hope I will be able to keep up with the work load.  If I can do it for a year I will be very happy.  Then I might be able to cut down a bit if I need to.So many times I wish I didn't work. I'm very fortunate to have a great job with a great salary and I am so fortunate for that BUT; sometimes that's all I have the energy for. I feel bad for my husband sometimes because even when I've felt pretty good through the day by the time I get home from work I don't have the strength or energy to hardly stand at the sick and clean dishes.

 

I have back problems that are pretty well controlled; but I can only manage so much in a day regardless and I'm afraid my family ends up getting the short end of the stick so I can contine working, earning a salary and having health insurance.

 

 

I'm truly blessed in that I'm a stay-at-home-granny. However, there was a time when I  cared for the grandkids and scheduling appts. to work around their parent's work schedules was indeed a real hassle.  My heart goes out to you that have work and community responsibilities. 
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